Thursday in Lent

10Verse 10. Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11Verse 11. “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night. 12Verse 12. Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.” 13Verse 13. When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” 14Verse 14. But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?” 15Verse 15. Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.” 16Verse 16. “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. 17Verse 17. And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel 18Verse 18. and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19Verse 19. So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?” 20Verse 20. “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21Verse 21. The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

25Verse 25. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 26Verse 26. “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, 27Verse 27. and do not give the devil a foothold. 28Verse 28. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need. 29Verse 29. Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen. 30Verse 30. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Verse 31. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Verse 32. Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.