God Our Refuge - Closet Reflections: 2019

Friday, November 22, 2019

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:1-2, Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.” 2 So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”

How far do we have to backslide before we turn back to our God? It is obvious that David has not yet reached that level. However, we see here the consequence of all David’s lies. For some time he had been feeding Achish false information about his whereabouts and dealings, and as a result found himself in a position to have to actually live out his lies, if he expected to survive amongst the Philistines. I find it curious that David, a man after God’s own heart, was still relying on his own plans and schemes to be rescued from Saul’s pursuits. Although he did not give Achish a definitive answer to his command to join him in battle against Saul and his men, David also did not reject the possibility. We cannot help but think that maybe David saw this as an opportunity to finally see Saul’s demise; yet not by his hands. Nonetheless, we see here the consequences of David’s choice to run to an ungodly people as a way to be rescued from Saul’s attempts to kill him. How sad when we, God’s children, run to the world and seek its solutions to our problems, when we have a promise from the Lord that He is our Solution. Jesus Himself said in John 16:31-33, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus’ peace came from knowing that the Father was always with Him. This is the same peace we can enjoy in Christ, no matter what our circumstances, because the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us was given to us in Hebrews 13:5. This instance in David’s life should serve as a reminder to us that none of us, regardless of who we are, or how spiritual we think we are, is exempt from finding ourselves in a backslidden state. It is in this state of being, far from the Lord, that we entangle ourselves with the ways of the world, as David did, setting ourselves up to coming face to face with having to live out the lies we tell. It is truly a sad place for a child of God to find themselves; yet not uncommon. We will see later that David’s slippery slope will lead him to a place of tragedy that will finally cause him to turn his eyes back toward God. David’s refusal to turn back to trusting the One that had preserved his life thus far had caused him to be trapped amongst the Philistines. So it is with us when we backslide and refuse to turn our eyes back toward Jesus. If we find ourselves, today, in a place where our back is turned toward God, and we are looking to the world for relief, we must stop…turn…and not wait for God to allow some tragedy in our lives to cause us to go running back to where we should have been to begin with. Let us stop right now before we find ourselves trapped in the world, feeling obligated to serve it; when the only One we should be serving is our God who never fails us, and who is our greatest Solution to ALL of life’s trials, troubles, and tribulations.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: With or Without Us

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With or Without Us

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:8-9, And David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as you go to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish.

Once again, we see something interesting about how God used David’s choice to live among the Philistines. Let us take a trip down memory lane first. In 1 Samuel 15:1-3 we read God’s command to Saul to destroy the Amalekites. It reads, “Samuel also said to Saul, ‘The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” In the verses that follow we read of Saul’s disobedience to God’s command. It was this act of disobedience and rebellion that caused Saul’s forfeiture of the throne. Now, we fast forward to David’s choice to live among the Philistines. We already said that God used this occasion to give Ziklag back to Israel, as it was first given to both the tribe of Judah and to Simeon during Joshua’s leadership over God’s people while they were occupying the land. Now, God uses David’s position to finally accomplish His command to destroy the Amalekites. Whether David realized it or not, God used him to accomplish that which Saul refused to do. We see a principle here that still applies today. God will use every aspect of our lives to accomplish His will and plan. Those moments when we choose to disobey or rebel against what God is trying to accomplish through us will not remain undone. The question is, “Will God do this with us or without us?” What will ultimately determine that? Well, that will be determined by whether we choose to obediently serve and follow the Lord or choose to be disobedient and rebellious as Saul was. In Exodus 4, when God called Moses to go to Egypt, Moses made all kinds of excuses and asked God to send someone else. God’s anger was kindled against Moses for his lack of faith and his disobedience, and instead chose Moses’ brother Aaron to be the mouthpiece by which He would speak to Pharaoh (Exodus 4:14-16). Moses’ refusal to speak did not stop God from accomplishing His plan to lead His people out of Egypt. Although he did not let Moses off the hook, he replaced him as His mouthpiece and used someone else. The saddest part of our choices to not be available for God’s use or our choices to rebel and disobey is that with those choices come loss of blessings and rewards. How much greater would Moses’ story have been had he simply obeyed God and gone to Egypt and spoke the words God had commanded him to speak. It would have been an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power through Moses’ weakness. Saul’s choice cost him everything, but it did not stop God from accomplishing His will. Instead, He chose a faithful servant like David to finally carry it out. When we find ourselves at the crossroad of trying to decide if we are going to obediently serve the Lord or choose our way, based on our own reasoning, selfish motives, or lack of faith, remember that God can, and will, accomplish His will and plan with or without you and me. The choice is ours.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Just Let Him Be God

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Just Let Him Be God

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:5-6, Then David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

We have been discussing the fact that David made a decision to leave his own countrymen to dwell amongst the Philistines, thinking (in his despair) that this was the solution to solving his “Saul” problem. This was not the wisest decision David made while on the run. However, like any situation in our lives, God ALWAYS works them out for our good, and His glory (Romans 8:28). Although David chose to live away from his own country and people, we read that God, by His grace, goodness, and providence, placed David in an interesting location. In approaching Achish, we see David’s humility and wisdom. Although he felt that he had to live amongst people who worshipped foreign gods, it did not change who he was as a humble servant. God tells us clearly in James 4:6 that He gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud. David did not seek a place, amongst these people, of importance for his own gain. He sought instead a place where he could still be separate from them. So it is with us that we are to be in the world, but not of the world (John 17:16). Just because we are called to go into the world and win the lost, we are not called to be a friend to the world and make ourselves an enemy of God (James 4:4-6). God, in His overwhelming, and undeserved, goodness, used this situation, and Achish (a heathen king) to give back to Israel, through David, a land that was given to them during the time when Israel was told, by God, to take the land. For some unknown reason, Ziklag was now under the control of the Philistines. However in Joshua 15:31 it is listed as one of the cities given to tribe of the children of Judah as an inheritance. Later, in Joshua 19:5 it is again listed as a one of the cities given to Simeon to inherit with the children of the tribe of Judah. God sees fit to give this land back to the kings of Judah, through David’s humble request. The location of Ziklag put David far from the royal city and right at the border of his own country and his own people. The fact of the matter is that God uses everything that happens in our lives, whether we see them as good or bad, for our good. Far too often, rather than seek what it is that God is trying to accomplish in allowing certain challenges and trials in our lives, we waste too much time trying to get God to change the situation or pull us out of it. In our desperation to get out of whatever situation it is, we end up like David, in despair and making the wrong choices. Praise be to our Lord and Savior who never forsakes us, and uses even our most foolish decisions to accomplish His will for our good and His glory. As we read this chapter, we see that this location was perfect for David to continue serving his own country and people, and stay faithful to his God, even though he had a moment where he allowed his emotions to override his faith. We said yesterday that sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where we step away from the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Christ and the local church. However, no matter where we go, we can never be too far from our Savior, as He is the One who maintains the promise the HE will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Regardless of where we find ourselves because of how someone else treats us, we need to stay focused on the Lord and His goodness toward us, and realize that He can use us no matter where we are, if we will only make ourselves available. We never know how God is going to use a particular situation in our lives, but He will accomplish more if we simply let Him be God in the situation, and prayerfully watch for whatever it is He is trying to accomplish in us and through us in the circumstance(s).

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Into the Hands of the Enemy

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Into the Hands of the Enemy

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:3-4, So David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow. 4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

We have seen that David’s despair has driven him into the land of the Philistines. He finds himself in a place far from his home, running from the people he should be serving and fellowshipping with. Why does he find himself here? He finds himself here because of the actions of the king he was willing to serve faithfully. Saul’s jealousy and hatred has driven a good man from among his own people. The one man that God could have, and would have, used in Saul’s kingdom to elevate it, was the one man who was driven away by Saul’s sinful behavior. Sadly, we too can find ourselves on either side of this fence. How often do we behave like Saul within the local church? How often do we behave in a way that dishonors God because we are jealous of someone else’s position? Why can we not lead this ministry or that ministry? When we hear how God is blessing another in our midst, we think, “Why doesn’t God bless ME like that?” James 4:1-3 says, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” The first opportunity we have to bad-mouth that person(s), we gladly take. We break others down, gossip about them, and unjustly persecute them. We look for the first occasion of their stumbling to “prove our point”. What is the sad, but ultimate, result of such behavior in many instances? The result is that the person(s) we unjustly criticize and gossip about eventually parts ways with the local church. Like David, they end up running to the world, which is more than happy to welcome them. How often are we the ones on the receiving end of the gossip, criticism, and such? We decide that we are done with the “church” and Christians, and we find comfort in a world that is more than happy to welcome us as one of their own. We soon become comfortable amongst those who do not believe as we believe and we become friends of the world. David (who was called to serve and lead the Israelites) now finds comfort and safety living amongst the Philistines. Saul’s decision to stop pursuing David was not out of true repentance. If we remember, back in 1 Samuel 18:25, Saul sent a message to David telling him that if he brought back the foreskins of one hundred Philistines, he would not require a dowry from him in allowing him to marry his daughter. That verse tells us that Saul’s real intentions were that David would die at the hands of the Philistines. So it is here, that he does not have the courage himself to pursue David into the land of the Philistines, but would be content with the Philistines eventually bringing an end to David’s life. Saul, David’s enemy was quite content with driving David into the hands of Israel’s enemies, the Philistines. When we become the persecutors of our own brothers and sisters in Christ, we drive them into the hands of the devils and the world. On the other hand, when we are the ones being persecuted, and in our despair (and anger) run to the world, we do exactly what the enemy is looking for. His greatest desire is that we shipwreck our faith and go running into the world, thereby running right into the hands of the enemy. I would encourage each of us today to examine our Christian walk. Are we driving other Christians toward the world with our less than godly behavior toward them? If so…stop, repent, confess, and do all you can to make peace with them. God wants unity amongst His people. Ephesians 4:1-3 is a clear admonishment for unity. It reads, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” If we are being driven out into the world by the way Christians are treating us, then we need to refocus our attention on Christ, and not on fallen, sinful, men. We will see in tomorrow’s devotional that in spite of Saul’s behavior and David’s decision while in despair, God works some good out of it. There is a truth we will see that still applies today, and is found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Monday, November 11, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Who Are We Trusting?

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Who Are We Trusting?

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:2-3, Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 So David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow.

The despair David was feeling led him onto a path that would lead him away from his own country and put him right in the middle of an ungodly nation, surrounded by ungodly people, who worshipped pagan gods. In his despair, he said something in his heart that caused him to forget God’s faithfulness and make a decision that was based on emotions rather than the truth of who God had already proven Himself to be in David’s life. In choosing not to go back home with Saul, David chose correctly. He showed wisdom in not readily trusting the word of man. However, he also made the foolish mistake of not trusting the one Person who can always be trusted…God. Note that before making his decision to go live amongst the Philistines, David did not consult with God as he had in the past (1 Samuel 23). Instead, he chose to trust another man…himself, and his own logic and understanding. I am certain that David would have known about all that Israel had experienced and suffered after God delivered them from Egypt. He most likely knew about Moses and Joshua, which leads us to think that he would have known that God once told Joshua to trust Him, in Joshua 1:9, which says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” The promise that was made to Joshua also applied to David, as God was leading him to fulfill the promise God made to him that one day he would be king over His people Israel. This same promise that God will always be with us is still valid today, as it was repeated for us in Hebrews 13:5-6, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ 6 So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”. Yet, how often do we end up trusting our own heart, our own logic, and end up making life altering decisions without first praying and seeking God? Proverbs 3:5-7 clearly warns, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil.” Proverbs 28:26 also tells us, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.” The bottom line is that when we choose our own way, we are choosing what is less than best for us and the ones who are following our lead. Only the Lord knows what is best for us when we come to a life changing “crossroad” decision. If we fail to first go to prayer and God’s Word, the question that needs to be asked is, “Who are we trusting?”

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: The Danger of Following Your Heart

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The Danger of Following Your Heart

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:1, And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.”

I have often heard people give this advice, “Just follow your heart.” However, this actually might be one of the most dangerous pieces of advice I have ever heard. Why, you ask? Well, because God tells us in His Word, in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Far too many of us get ourselves into difficult situations in life because we follow our heart and emotions. Emotions are not a bad thing, only if we realize what role they should play in our life and walk with the Lord. God certainly uses our emotions to feel anger, sorrow, compassion, and so forth, when appropriate. We get ourselves in trouble when we allow our emotions to run rampant and control what we do. Here, the one thing that David said in his heart caused him to make an emotional decision. In life, we will find ourselves being wearied by the events that happen around us, some that affect us directly and those that affect the people we love most. The devils are constantly trying to use what happens to us, and around us, as a way of getting to our hearts and minds, and causing us to follow our own path, rather than stay on the one God has chosen for us. Proverbs 4:23 warns, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” If we are not careful about vigilantly guarding our hearts, many things can slip in that we will entertain, that will eventually cause us to drift away from God, rather than draw near to Him. When we drift away from the Lord, we give an opening to the devils that are looking for an opportunity to move in for a final kill. That is why Peter warns us to be sober and vigilant when it comes to our enemy the devil (1 Peter 5:8). We spoke yesterday about how David, once again, repeated the mistake he made before in going to live among the Philistines. A decision that grew out of something he may not have said out loud, or may not have even shared with anyone, but said quietly in his heart. The problem with what David said in his heart is that it was something that showed a lack of faith in God, a forgetfulness of God’s goodness and faithfulness, and something that was heard by God Himself. In Jeremiah 17:10, God answered the question asked in verse 9, “Who can know it (the heart)?” God’s response to His own question was, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” In this case, David, once again, is going to reap the fruit of what he allowed to be sown in his heart. The best way to uproot any thoughts or feelings the enemy desires to cultivate in our hearts is to immediately cast it out and give it to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments (or imaginations) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Philippians 4:6-7 also commands us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The one thing that will guarantee our defeat is if we fail to act on God’s truth, when His truth contradicts our feelings and thoughts. Sadly, David’s decision did not just affect David; it affected the six hundred men that were with him and their families, as well as David’s two wives (verses 2-3). The battle for our hearts and minds is a real one. This is why God instructs us to renew our minds in Romans 12:2. We must not allow the thoughts we have, or emotions that run high, during difficult times to be our guide in what we decide or what direction we should take. This is why it is of utmost importance that we stay in God’s Word and pray daily, because if we are waiting until hard times come for us to then start reading the Word and praying, the likelihood is that our thoughts and emotions will be what we let guide us; and that will only lead to further heartache and complications that we will regret later. When we feel weak, and feel like we are going to give in to something we know to be contrary to God’s truth, remember Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever.”

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Discouragement Makes Us Forget

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Discouragement Makes Us Forget

Chapter 27 is a sad chapter. It is the sad account of what happens when we allow discouragement and despair to set in, and how it affects our ability to make wise, rational, decisions. David, who had been running from Saul for some time now, and who had made the right decision in not taking Saul’s life, twice, now finds himself in a very dark place. Note that even though his last encounter with Saul was actually the last time he would meet Saul face to face, discouragement convinced David otherwise. Saul and David had parted ways. David had seen God deliver Saul into his hands by putting him and his men in a deep sleep that allowed David to sneak into their camp (1 Samuel 26). After their exchange of words, they both went their own way, and this should have been a time of celebration for David because it would be the last time Saul would pursue him. Keep in mind that David had no way of knowing this for certain, but in the process of over thinking situations we talk ourselves right into despair. Although David claimed that Saul would despair, it was David who was in despair. In all his years of running, the one thing David would have to admit is that God was faithful to him. He delivered him out of Saul’s hands over and over again. There was even a time of despair in the past when David had put himself right in the midst of the Philistines, which did not turn out too well (1 Samuel 21); yet, here he is again contemplating the same mistake. This is the danger that exists for any of us who allow discouragement to cloud our memory of God’s faithfulness to us. Our words may claim that we trust God, when we are feeling discouraged, but our decisions and actions will betray us, even as David’s did. What led him down this path? It began with what he said, not out loud, but in his heart. Although he saw what God did to deliver him from Saul, and what God did to Nabal in repaying his evil behavior toward David, he (David) forgot in his heart what God had done. In his forgetfulness, he decided that he would have to take action for himself if he was going to finally escape Saul’s pursuits, even though God had already delivered him and soon Saul would see his own death on the battlefield. The fact of the matter is that if we allow discouragement and despair to creep into our thinking, it will soon erase the memory of God’s goodness and faithfulness toward us. This is especially true when the difficulties in life come as a result of our own doing, our own decisions, and our own sins. How do we battle such forgetfulness? How do we avoid following the path of discouragement that can ultimately lead to our destruction? First, we must do all we can to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and how His goodness to us does not change simply because we stumble. His grace, mercy, and love for us do not change just because we have moments of being unfaithful to Him. If that were so, then He would not have given us His Son to begin with, knowing that we would have our moments of denying Him, betraying Him, and failing Him over and over again. Instead, the Word of God tells us in Romans 8:31-32, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” In Romans 8:35 this question is asked, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” The response in verses 38-39 tells us that nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, will ever separate us from His love, and therefore neither will we be separated from His grace, mercy, and goodness. When we begin to feel discouragement creeping into our thinking, we need to cast it aside and think on His goodness and recall how faithful He has been. Psalm 103 says it this way in verses 1-5, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” When life goes sideways, no matter the reason, the devils will do all they can to convince us that God can no longer, or will no longer, deliver us from whatever hardship we find ourselves in the midst of. Discouragement will make us see nothing but hopelessness and make us forget just how much God loves us and how much hope we really have in Him; because as born again believers we have a Living Hope which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Forgiveness and Trusting God

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Forgiveness and Trusting God

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:23-24, “May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”

This would be the last time that Saul and David see each other. Saul’s words were words that sounded like someone who had repented of the sins he committed against David in persecuting him unfairly; however, David was not quick to believe that Saul was being sincere. Note David’s response to Saul. Although he put little weight on Saul’s sincerity, he made it clear to Saul that he was trusting God’s faithfulness and fairness in this unjust conflict that existed between the two of them. When all was said and done, Saul and David went their separate ways. Loving and praying for our enemies does not mean that we have to fellowship with them. Forgiving someone who has sinned against us does not always mean that we are going to become the best of friends. The Word of God is very clear in respect to forgiving one another. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” In Luke 17:3-4, Jesus said, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” David demonstrated this principle very well in his life and conflict with Saul. Here, he had the opportunity, for the second time, to take Saul’s life and end his days of fleeing. Instead, he chose to forgive, show love, and trust God to make things right. Far too often, we choose the number of times that we will forgive someone who offends us. Yet, we seek God’s forgiveness continually, because we are continually sinning against Him. With the same frequency that the Lord forgives us, we are commanded to forgive others. The only way this is possible, is for us to do as David did. He trusted that God saw his heart and his righteous behavior toward Saul. He trusted that in due time God would make things right. This would be the only way David could go his own way without being bitter. The truth of the matter is that we are dealing with people; people who are sinners, just like we are. Christians, and the unsaved, will sin against us. We are dealing with people in a fallen world. Therefore, we must not think it strange, or be sideswiped by moments when other offend us multiple times. We must not take it to heart, to the place where we cannot forgive, when the same person offends us. Instead, we need to remind ourselves that God already knows that the offense is coming, even before it reaches us. If He allows it, then there is a reason for it. He may be teaching us how to forgive as He forgives. By the way, before we use what I said earlier as an excuse not to fully reconcile with someone, to the place where we cannot fellowship with them again, or bring ourselves to truly treat them like we forgave them; stop and think of how the Lord is with us when He forgives us. We offend Him every day with our words, deeds, or unwillingness to do what we know we should do. Yet, when we acknowledge it, repent, and confess it, He forgives one hundred percent. He does not then keep His distance from us. He restores us to fellowship completely. Yes, I understand that some will not want to restore fellowship, but as much as lies within us, we are to restore fellowship with those who offend us. If along the way we note that they resist or are not genuine in their repentance, then we are still called to forgive and, like David, go on our way and trust God to deal with them. In many instances, the forgiveness we make available to others, even though they do not ask for it, is for our peace of mind, and to avoid us hindering our relationship with the Lord by not holding on to grudges or becoming bitter, and ultimately putting ourselves in a position where we are now sinning against God for being disobedient to His commands. David reminded Saul that he was doing what he was doing in sparing him, not because he did not have opportunity, but because He was doing it to reverently honor the Lord. In the end, what is most important about forgiving others and choosing not to take vengeance for ourselves, is that we do it out of obedience and reverent fear of our Lord; demonstrating our faith by trusting him to ultimately make things right.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: How Well Do We Recognize Him?

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How Well Do We Recognize Him?

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:17, Then Saul knew David’s voice, and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”

Have you ever had someone call your name and immediately you recognized who was calling you, without turning to see who it was? This happens, especially, with immediate family members and close friends. Saul, in hearing David call out and converse with Abner, immediately recognized David’s voice. I must ask, “Do we recognize our Savior’s voice that readily?” In John 10:27 Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” The fact of the matter is that God DOES know each of us; better than we know ourselves. In spite of that, He still loves us and gives us life eternal. Sadly, He makes far more of an effort to have an intimate relationship with us than we do with Him. In order for us to truly recognize when the Lord is speaking to us, we need to spend a lot more time in fellowship with Him than we do. If we skimp on prayer and the study of God’s Word, we will mistake His voice for the many other voices trying to speak to us. We must never forget that the enemy is a copycat. He like to mimic our God and even uses Scripture to try and trip us up. In Matthew 4:1-11, that was exactly what he tried to do when the Holy Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness to be tested. If the enemy will try that with Jesus, do we think that he will not do the same with us? Jesus’ defense in the wilderness was to quote the Scripture back to Satan, in its proper context. As born again believers, it is our duty to know the Word of God in its context so that we do not fall for the devils’ trickery. 1 John 4:1-3 reminds us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” If we are to follow the voice of Jesus in our lives, then we must know His truth, for He is Truth. In order for us to recognize whether what we are hearing is God’s true Word or some devil speaking through a false prophet, we need to be diligent in studying the Word of God. In 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 the Apostle Paul warned us, “But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” I have often heard something that even I am ashamed to admit I have said as well, “I would spend more time in God’s Word if I had more time.” In reality, if we were to really stop and write down everything we do on a daily basis, I can guarantee you that we waste a lot of precious time doing things that have absolutely no eternal value. The enemy has us so entertained with the things of this world that we have neglected, to our shame, our relationship with the One Person who loves us more than anyone else in this universe. Think about this for a moment. How much time do we waste in front of the television? How much time do we waste on the computer? How much time do we spend on hobbies and other forms of entertainment? How many countless hours are spent on video games and watching movies that often do not honor God in any way? How much more would we grow and learn to recognize Jesus’ voice if we put aside watching a two to three-hour movie and instead chose to spend those two hours reading the Bible, studying it, and praying? What if we put aside our hobbies for a day and instead found some way to go out and tell someone about Jesus or go out and be the vessel God uses to meet someone’s need? Whether we want to admit it or not, we throw away a lot of precious time that can be used to draw near to our Lord and Savior. The best advice we can follow in making the most of this life, and our time with the Lord, is found in Ephesians 5:15-16, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” In other words, walk diligently and make the most of our time, taking it back from all the evil and wasteful activities we have sold our time to. If we expect to become so familiar with the voice of the Lord that we recognize it without hesitation, then we must do all we can to learn what it sounds like by prayerfully spending time with Him and His Word.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Sleepy Christianity

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Sleepy Christianity

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:12, So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

Although the sleep Saul and his men experienced was from the Lord, and was a sleep that protected David, it also serves as a reminder of what happens when we, as born-again believers, fail to remain vigilant in our walk with Christ Jesus. Saul, being fast asleep, lost the two things he needed in order to survive on his journey and on the battle field; his spear (which was for his defense) and his water (which was for his comfort and physical refreshment). How often have we put ourselves in a position of spiritual harm and loss of comfort because we were asleep spiritually? How often have we failed to prepare for the day by neglecting prayer, the Word of God, and went out into the world without first putting on our spiritual armor? Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us what we need in order to avoid falling victim to the devils’ trickery. It reads, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—“. Before Jesus was crucified He went to Garden of Gethsemane to pray. When He arrived, He asked his disciples to pray with Him, but instead they fell asleep. When He returned to where they were and found them asleep, He said to Peter in Matthew 26:40-41, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” The Apostle Peter later warned us in 1 Peter 5:8-9 to remain vigilant of the devil’s desire to devour us. He wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” Far too many of us have shipwrecked our faith because we have fallen asleep spiritually. We have resorted to quick, ten second, mini prayers, reduced our Bible reading time to maybe one verse a day, and are dying of thirst even though Jesus has provided us with Living Water. The result of sleepy Christianity has left our world and society wanting. We have compromised our faith, and failed to stand up for what is right in God’s eyes. I am not talking about going out and protesting about this issue or that one. I am talking about taking a personal stand for living out what it right in our own lives so that we are living a life of worship before the eyes of our Lord and Savior. We are continually defeated by sin, as we give in to temptation over and over again, and cannot figure out why we keep stumbling. Our superficial confessions with no real repentance keep us on the “hamster wheel” of sin. We neglect the fact that we are walking around like spiritual zombies because we fail to seek God as we should. We give priority to sporting events over gathering with other believers at our local churches. We give priority to making money, gathering earthly riches and chasing the short-lived success the world has to offer, rather than putting some of that energy toward serving the Lord. Our churches have compromised the truth in order not to offend, and we have gone the way of the world in our attempts to win the world. How is that working for us? The fact of the matter is that we are losing the battle because we are under-dressed. We lack in prayer, study of the Word, and fail miserably at making sure we are suited up for the everyday battles we face. It is recommended that we get at least eight hours of sleep per night in order to stay physically and emotionally healthy. However, in order to stay spiritually healthy, we must not fall asleep. Let us stay vigilant, active in prayer and the study of God’s Word, and go out to battle each day clothed in the Spiritual Armor we have been given, which is Christ Jesus Himself.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: The Lord Is In the Details

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The Lord Is In the Details

I am often amazed when I hear Christians speak of coincidences as if God were absent from those moments; as if what happens in our lives happens by chance. For us who truly know the Lord, in accordance to His Word, we should not be too surprised when these so-called “coincidences” happen. If an unbeliever or baby Christian were to experience what David experienced in this verse, they would write it off as “the star aligning” or “a great coincidence” that Saul and his ENTIRE army were asleep when David and Abishai entered Saul’s camp. However, the Bible is very clear that this very small detail was not overlooked by God. Something that seems as insignificant as a deep sleep falling upon each of them was a great part of God’s plan to rescue David from Saul’s feeble attempts to kill him. Even though Saul’s army was far greater than David’s, it was not even close to being greater than God’s ability to put them all to sleep for as long as it was necessary for David to accomplish what he needed to accomplish. This should speak volumes to us about how much attention God gives to the details in our lives. This is not the first time we read of some small “random detail” that occurred that God orchestrated in order to lead a person to where He wanted them. In Genesis 37:14-15 we read, “Then he said to him, ‘Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.’ So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. 15 Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, ‘What are you seeking?’” Joseph was sent on a mission to find his brothers. While on his journey “a certain man” just happens to find him and direct him to his brothers, who later sold him into slavery, launching Joseph on a path that would lead him right to where God wanted him; even with all its trials and hardships. You see, God is fully aware of what lies ahead when He uses the little details in our lives to ultimately take us to the place He wants us. He will use the details in our lives to rescue us from dangers many of us are not even aware of. I am sure that many of us who have traveled extensively have experienced those moments of being delayed and getting upset over the delay, only to realize that if we had not been delayed we would have been right at the location where we just drove by the serious accident that occurred moments before. Yes, God is even in the details that delay us and keep us safe. Rather than get upset because our timetable and plans have been rerouted, maybe we need to stop and thank God in advance for whatever harm He is keeping us from. The fact of the matter is that God is a very personal God. He is not some distant Entity who has no interest in the daily lives of His children or His creation. On the contrary, He is very interested in our daily lives; what we do, what we say, where we go, and what decisions we make. Jesus reminded us how important we are in Matthew 10:29-31 when He said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” How can we dismiss the fact that God is in the details of our lives when a sparrow does not fall to the ground apart from His will? How can we dismiss that God is in the details of our lives when even the hairs are on our head are numbered? Before we ever plan, or choose a path to walk, God already knows. Even if we choose the wrong path, God already knows what details need to be activated to put us back on the right path. It may, of course, be a more painful route because of our disobedience and sinful choices, but He will ultimately guide us back to Him so that we can continue to walk with Him. We know this from Proverbs 16:9 & 33 which read, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” Proverbs 20:24 also states, “A man’s steps are of the LORD; how then can a man understand his own way?” This small, seemingly insignificant, detail in David’s life was actually very significant. Think about that the next time God activates a small detail in our lives. If we are truly living an intimate life with Jesus, we will recognize those moments of “coincidence” for what they really are, great miracles that God uses to guide us on the path He has chosen for us, for our good and His for His glory (Romans 8:28-29).

Friday, November 1, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Our Role and His Role

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Our Role and His Role

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:9-10, But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” 10 David said furthermore, “As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish.

The one opportunity that continued to repeat itself in David’s life as he ran from Saul was the one to either kill Saul or trust God to do it. Here he is once again confronted with the choice of taking vengeance for himself or letting God handle what seemed to be a never-ending cycle of cat and mouse. In verses 7 and 8 we see that Saul is in a very vulnerable position. He is fast asleep and unaware of David’s presence. Not only is Saul asleep, but his entire army is asleep (we will discuss that further in a future devotional). The irony of this situation is that the same spear that Saul threw at David in his attempts to kill him is now available for David to use to take Saul’s life. Next we see that Abishai offered to finally finish off Saul, leaving David with the excuse, “Well, I was not the one who took his life. My hands are clean.” Yet, we see that David had a true understanding of what his role was in that situation and what God’s role was in that situation. This is where many of us go awry in our decision-making when it comes to taking vengeance on someone who has wronged us. The last thing we want to hear is what Jesus told us in regard to dealing with our enemies in Matthew 5:43-45. It reads, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” There is no mistaking that David truly showed Saul love as defined by biblical love. It was not a love comprised of mere words. It was truly love in action and deed. He continually spared Saul’s life, remained faithful to him, and would not even allow anyone else to harm him. It was not long before this that David witnessed how God took vengeance, on his behalf, on Nabal, and we can be certain that in this case David had not forgotten what God did to that foolish man. God makes is very clear for us what our role is in situations when others wrong us, and what His role is in making things right. Romans 12:17-21 clearly states, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. 20 Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” We must remind ourselves that God’s justice and our justice differ like night and day. God’s timing is certainly not our timing (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). Although we may want God to swoop in and carry out our desired form of swift justice, God works out His vengeance in His time and His way. Our role is to patiently wait on God and love and pray for our enemies. That can be a huge pill to swallow for many of us, but the bottom line is that we must honor God and respect the boundaries He has set in respect to our role and His role. We will never go wrong if we wait on God, no matter how much we might be criticized or mocked for our willingness to forgive, love and pray for those who seek to cause us pain.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Seeing It For Ourselves

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Seeing It For Ourselves

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:3-4, And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come.

Over the years there has been one thing I have observed that has become a danger to us as a society, especially as Christians. We have become a society of non-thinkers. We have adopted the “television” mentality. This is the mentality where we allow others to think for us. We rely too heavily on others to “feed” us the information we should be searching out and gathering for ourselves, rather than sorting it wisely and picking it apart in order to understand what is really going on. We follow news stations and propaganda like dumb sheep being led to the slaughter. We do this with everyday life, and far too many of God’s children do this with the Word of God. David, in hearing rumors that Saul was in pursuit of him, once again, did not just assume this to be true. Instead, he began to have his men do recon, bring him report, then go out for himself and lay eyes on the location where Saul had camped with his men. In verse 5 it says, “So David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul lay within the camp, with the people encamped all around him.” As born again believers, who desire to worship the Lord with our lives, it is very important that we take every step to make sure that we are not jumping to conclusions about the things we hear. The first place to begin our “recon mission” is in God’s Word. The best way to know if the rumors we hear about what is happening in the world, the best way to know whether or not a sermon or teaching we heard is based on truth, and the best way to know how to respond to the gossip we hear about someone or a situation, is to search the Word of God. Once we have done our own investigating, based on God’s Word, then we can draw our own conclusions, based on the Spirit’s leading. There is plenty of good, solid, information out there, if we will only take the time to do the research, and not just believe the first thing we hear. Before we came to know Jesus as Savior, we most likely had a picture in our minds of who God was and what He was all about. Where did that mental picture come from? That picture maybe came from our parents, grandparents, someone we look up to or even the world’s view of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 we read, “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” How do we form a true picture of who Christ is, and dismantle the false picture that has been planted in our thinking? We dismantle the lies and the corrupt picture of God by taking in new information; by taking in truth. Romans 12:2 tells us how to do this; it reads, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” When the Bereans heard the Apostle Paul preach, they did not just accept it as they heard it; the Word of God commends them because they went back to the Scriptures they had to verify his message in Acts 17:10-12. When we hear rumors and gossip about a person we do not know, or maybe even someone we do know, do we allow that to influence how we see and treat that person? Do we just follow blindly along and possibly treat that person unfairly, based on someone else’s possible false information? Do we fall into the trap of causing further division of the body of believers because we followed juicy gossip, rather than turn to God’s Word to see how we should respond? Philippians 2:3 clearly tells us, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” When the Samaritan woman went back to her village and told everyone about Jesus, some believed, and others went and saw for themselves; then believed (John 4). As God’s children, we need to be wise about life in general. This means that we should not just allow ourselves to be led along blindly by every little whisper we hear. We must start with God and His Word and see for ourselves.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Do Not Fear the Troublemakers

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Do Not Fear the Troublemakers

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:1-2, Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph.

What possible reason would the Ziphites have for instigating this trouble in David’s life? The passage does not tell us. Nonetheless, whether to find themselves in favor with Saul or to just cause trouble for David, the Ziphites decided that this is what they would do. As we watch this event unfold, we learn many things about God and the Christian life. As followers of Jesus, we must not deceive ourselves into thinking that it will always be smooth sailing. The fact of the matter is that in this life we will have troubles. Jesus promised that in John 16:33. But in that same verse He promised that we can be overcomers in Him. Even Jesus’ Disciples found themselves in the midst of a storm while Jesus was in the boat with them (Mark 4:35-41). The fact of the matter is that there will times when troubles will come of our own making, by the choices we make, and other times it will just be because we live in a fallen world and that are troublemakers in the world. The Lord will not always choose to shield us from those troubles, but He does promise not to forsake us no matter how intense the trial gets. In Hebrews 13 He promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Instead, He uses those times of trouble to help us grow our faith and become more like our Savior in response to those trials. David had already shown Saul that he was loyal to him by sparing his life once before. Although Saul went his way, and stopped pursuing David, it did not take much to put him back on that path once again. However, we will see that even though Saul pursues David with three thousand chosen men, his attempts on his life are futile because there was not an army big enough that he could gather that was bigger than God or that could circumvent God’s plan for David. Knowing this, we can find reassurance in knowing that no one can stop God’s plan for our lives, not even us. God will have His way sooner or later. Romans 16:17-18 tells us what to do when we encounter troublemakers, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” Whether we like it or not, even within Christian circles, there will be those who insist on causing division for their own gain. Some will cause difficulties in our lives because they thrive off the drama and gossip. In the world, especially, we will encounter those who will want to gain favor in order to gain status or a more lucrative position, and will do whatever it takes to get there; even lying about us and causing others to see us in a bad light. When this happens, we should not be surprised. 1 Peter 4:12-13 clearly states, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” In all this new trouble that David is about to encounter the one thing he can count on, the one constant, is that God will see Him through it. He does not hinder Saul from coming and pursuing David, but instead uses it as an opportunity, once again, to prove to Saul that he will not bring any harm to David as long as He is protecting him, and at the same time proves to David that Saul and his army are not threat to him and the plan God has for his life as the future king of Israel. Even though the armies of Satan come after us, we have nothing to worry about. Isaiah 54:17 tells us, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,’ says the LORD.” When we begin to fold under the pressure of the world’s troubles and its troublemakers, remember Psalm 18:2, “The LORD is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in whom I will trust; my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold.”

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Looking Ahead to the Promise

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Looking Ahead to the Promise

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:40-41, When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, “David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife.” 41 Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”

This is a very interesting proposal by David, and acceptance by Abigail, who was married to a very wealthy man, and was now a widow. We may not think much of what is written here, but stop and ponder what is happening and how it pictures us and our Savior. David, who was already anointed to be king of Israel was running and hiding from Saul, who sought to take his life. Abigail, who had everything she could want, as far as the world is concerned, left all to accept David’s proposal and be with him in the wilderness. Why would she do such a thing? Why not stay and live comfortably, rather than turn to a life of suffering with a man who has not offered her much in exchange for a “yes” to his proposal? The answer is found in what Abigail said to David in verses 30-31, “And it shall come to pass, when the LORD has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” It was obvious that Abigail had already heard that someday David would officially be crowned king of Israel. Although all that she could gain for the moment was a life of wandering and hiding in the wilderness, she was willing to suffer and leave her earthly possessions behind to be joined to a man who would someday be king; not because he made the promise, but because she was relying on God’s promise to elevate David. That is an acceptance of a proposal by faith. All that was visible to Abigail was a man who was running for his life. Yet, by faith she trusted that God would be faithful to the promise made to David. Note her humble response to said proposal. She did not become arrogant or self-righteous about her standing as the wife of a future king. No, instead, she immediately humbled herself to be a servant to those who serve her future husband (a servant to servants). Wow! Would that not transform us as followers of Jesus if we had the same attitude in respect to leaving the world behind and serving the Lord with humility? Those of us who have called upon Jesus, the Lamb who laid down His life for us, have yet to see what the Lord has in store for us. We accepted His proposal to be His bride, looking ahead to the promise of eternal life and His coming Kingdom, when He will return, not as a Lamb, but as a Lion, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Knowing that God is faithful to His Word and keeps every promise, do we now serve Him with humility, willing to be a servant to whomever He chooses for us to serve? Do we see others as better than ourselves, with a willingness to perform the lowest of duties in order to be obedient in our service to the Lord? Do we serve with the humility stated in Philippians 2:3-4, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”? Have we truly forsaken the world and its worthless offerings now that we are following Jesus or are we still friends of the world (James 4:4)? Are we taking up our cross daily and following the Lord (Luke 9)? Abigail was truly a woman to be admired, and David was blessed to have her as his wife. He wisely recognized her inner beauty. Outer beauty fades, but inner beauty is lasting. So it should be with us as followers of Jesus. We must allow the Holy Spirit to change us and make us beautiful from the inside out. As we will see in future devotionals, Abigail was choosing to follow a man who, although was a man after God’s own heart, was far from perfect. She would nonetheless not waver in her role as his wife and would continue to follow him, even in those days when his faith would falter and he would make choices that were not the wisest. Yet, she was willing to suffer in order to see the promise fulfilled of her husband becoming the future king. Are we enduring, by faith, the suffering we are called to endure for the glory of God? Are we willing to walk through wilderness times, being steadfast, and continuing to serve, even though what we see may seem hopeless? Are we holding on to the hope we have in the promises made to us by the Lord Himself and not turning back to the comforts of the world? The bottom line is that as we walk with the Lord, whatever we are called to endure will not compare to what lies ahead for us who have inherited the Kingdom in Christ. Romans 8:18 states it best, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Are we looking ahead to the promise?

Friday, October 25, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Who Knows About Tomorrow?

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Who Knows About Tomorrow?

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:36, Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light.

Nabal is an interesting character. When we observe his foolishness, it serves as a warning to both the Christian and the unsaved person. He was man who gathered wealth, was selfish, proud, and had not one thought for the wellbeing of others. He had no inclination for helping those in need, as evident by his reaction and response to David. Here we find him partying like a king. Yet, he eats, drinks, and carries on merrily; not knowing that he was in danger of losing all he has by way of his own death. Although Abigail interceded on his behalf, he was completely ignorant of the fact that God used her to stop David from killing him and all his servants. In spite of that, he did not escape God’s judgment. The Christian who insists on seeking the world does not truly understand the loss that comes with making the world a priority in his or her life. As God’s children, when we make ourselves a friend of the world, we make ourselves the enemies of God. James 4:4-5 states it clearly, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?” Yet, how often do we put careers, the pursuit of riches, social status, people, and even hobbies, before God and our service to Him? All that we seek to gain here is dung in comparison to the riches God wants to reward us with when we finally stand before Him on that day of judgment when our works will be tested (1 Corinthians 3:9-15). Sadly, even as born again believers we place more attention on the “here and now” with little thought of what that equates to in loss of eternal reward. On the other hand, we have the unsaved person. The one who thinks that he will somehow live forever, and that his wealth and status will be his savior. Some will give away some of their wealth in hopes that enough good deeds will earn them favor with God. There is the other who says, “Let us party and be merry, and when we die we’ll all party in hell!” Well, I have a bit of bad news for those who think this way. Hell is not a “party place”; it is a place of suffering. Jesus described it this way in Matthew 41-42, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” The tragedy of this is that hell was not meant for us, but for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Man sends himself there when he or she rejects Jesus and the Gospel message. Jesus made it clear in John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” In Luke 12 Jesus told the parable of the rich fool who gathered and stored wealth, not know that tomorrow would be the end. In verses 20 and 21 He said, “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 ‘So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’” Do any of us know about tomorrow and what it will bring? No, we do not know. The only One who knows is God. For the one who does not know Jesus, who has not yet put his or her faith in Him and called upon Him for eternal life, the day to call on Him is today; the time is now. For us, the child of God, the born again believer, we must have the mindset and lifestyle described in Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” In other words, in Christ the world has no value to us, other than the souls we can bring to the Lord, and the world should have no use for us, in that we live in opposition to all it stands for, all for the glory of God in Christ Jesus, from whom we will receive the greatest of rewards (Romans 2:6; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9). We must not wait until tomorrow to either call upon Him for eternal life or to surrender our lives to serve Him, because none of us know about tomorrow and whether we will be here to see it.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Well Received Wisdom

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Well Received Wisdom

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:32-33, Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.

There is so much that can be said about David and Abigail’s interaction. David was on his way to behave as foolishly as Nabal. What he set out to do, if he had accomplished it, would have left a blemish on his name and reputation. God, knowing David’s heart, sent Abigail to intercede and bring him words of wisdom that would keep him from ruining his future service to the Lord; but only if David himself was wise enough to recognize where the advice was really coming from. David’s response to Abigail made it clear that David knew exactly who was responsible for keeping him from committing a sin that would become a stumbling block to his future service to the Lord. Had he continued on this path and completed his intentions, he would have created doubt in the minds of the people of Israel once he became king. Although David praised Abigail for her boldness in coming to him and interceding on behalf of Nabal, his first praised was well placed in that he praised God first. Sadly, too many of us, when we receive well-meaning and wise advice, allow our pride to refuse the acceptance of wise admonishments that are meant for our own good. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” God’s advice, given through Abigail, moved David from a fool’s path to a path of wisdom. How often have we rejected wise counsel because it hurt our pride? How often did we foolishly lash out at someone who came to us and tried to give us wise advice because they saw us walking a path that was leading us away from God? Emotions and pride are a dangerous combination that clouds our ability to make wise choices. However, God will often provide us with the wisdom (through the reading of His Word) that we need to make the right choices. He may even send an Abigail into our life to try and put on back on the right path. How do we respond to such a person? Do we recognize them as a Godsend as David did with Abigail? There are many choices and decisions we will make in this lifetime. Some will be on point, while others can potentially end in disaster. If we refuse to accept wise counsel, the fact of the matter is that we will most likely shipwreck in our walk with the Lord. There may be those occasions when the advice is coming from a friend, and as difficult as it might be to hear it, we must put our pride aside and listen. A true friend will speak truth and wisdom (with kindness and love), even if it hurts our feelings. Proverbs 27:6 reminds us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” The next time any of us are tempted to trust our own choices and decisions, especially when we are at the height of anger or any other emotions, and refuse to listen to the words spoken to us by someone God may have sent our way, remember what Proverbs 28:25-26. Those verses read, “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered. 26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.” How well do we receive the wise counsel of the Lord when He is trying to steer us away from our own foolishness, especially when it comes from one of His faithful messengers?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: To Expect or Not to Expect

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To Expect or Not to Expect

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:21, Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good.

David and his men had done a good thing for Nabal and his servants. They made sure that no harm came to them while they were with them. Yet, Nabal shows great disrespect for David and his polite request for provisions for him and his men. Although it was wrong of Nabal to return evil for good, I wonder if David would have been less apt to lose his temper due to Nabal’s actions if he had made up his mind, before making his request, that he expected nothing from Nabal in return for David’s unsolicited help. There will be times when our help will be requested by others or times when we choose, on our own to do good for someone. There might be a need that arises and the Lord may choose to use us to meet that need. My question to us is, “What are we expecting in return?” In relation to giving something to others, whether material, providing a service, or anything else the Lord calls us to give, our attitude should be as Jesus described in Luke 6. In verse 30 He said, “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.” In verses 33-36 He continued, “And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” When we give as the Lord leads we are giving it to Him. It means that what we have chosen to give we have relinquished and it no longer belongs to us; but to the Lord to be used to be a blessing to whomever He has chosen. If this is so, why do we get upset when such a kindness is not reciprocated? If we give with great expectations of receiving, then we set ourselves up for disappointment, and give the devils an occasion to use our anger to sin against the Lord who clearly tells us to be angry but sin not (Ephesians 4:26), as happened with David. Jesus told us in Luke 6 that if we give and expect only heavenly reward from Him, then great is our reward. Far too often we forfeit heavenly reward because our desires are too entrenched in the earthly and what we can receive and gain here. Although Nabal was wrong in his response and actions, it would have been best for David to trust that the Lord saw what was done for him by David and his men, and have confidence in the fact that God would take vengeance on Nabal for his foolishness as happened shortly thereafter. When we do for others, we need to expect nothing, and must also be ready to forgive their ingratitude, knowing that we personally cannot out give God. Any form of blessing God chooses to give us in return for our generosity will be far greater than anything man can give us in return. The most pleasing form of giving we can practice is a giving that is done cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), with absolutely no expectation, except whatever God chooses for us, even if we have to wait to see that reward when we stand before Him to be judged for our works done by faith. Giving to the Lord, by giving to others, can be the biggest test of faith that God can give us, because we often have great difficulty letting go of our earthly possessions. However, without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). So give freely, give cheerfully, and give it by faith. Leave the rest to the Lord who is faithful and will always provide for our needs (Matthew 6), as He already knows what we need, even before we ask (Matthew 6:8).

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: The Unaddressed Sin

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The Unaddressed Sin

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:10, Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.

One the of things that none of us will escape is the gossip of others. Sadly, far too many of us speak without thinking how our foolish words will affect those of whom we speak of; especially if what we speak, we speak in ignorance. We can only imagine that it was not only Nabal’s rejection of David’s humble request, but his insults of David, which were based on a lack of knowledge and his own greed, that caused David’s anger and rash actions to take personal vengeance on Nabal. Thankfully, as we read yesterday, God intervened and stopped David when He allowed Abigail to intercede and keep David from doing something he would later regret. How often have we had someone comment about something that happened in our lives that was inaccurate and lacking personal knowledge? How did we feel about it when we found out? Probably as angry as David became. How often have we, forgetting how we felt, done the same thing to someone else? How often do we repeat some “hot, juicy tidbit” we heard without even knowing if what we were told was true? The one thing that we certainly do not consider, because if we did we would be slow to open our mouths, is that when we gossip we grieve the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:29-30 clearly states, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Nabal spoke insults about David, first and foremost, because he was a foolish and covetous man who did not want to part with his material goods. He spoke words out of ignorance, and false assumptions, knowing not about what David had personally experienced in facing Saul’s betrayal. His insults were only a way to make him feel better about his greed and lack of generosity. Quite often, a person will gossip about another because it draws attention away from their own sinfulness and makes them feel better about themselves. James 1:26 reminds us, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” In other words, those who deems themselves spiritually mature in their faith, but cannot control their tongues are deceived. Their religiosity is useless to the Lord. There are many verses in the Book of Proverbs that warn against gossip. Yet, this is the one destructive sin that we allow most in our midst in the local church. We are quick to bring someone before the congregation for discipline if we find out they have committed adultery or committed some other “grievous” sin; yet, we overlook gossipers. Instead of correcting them and holding them to the same standard, we turn around and talk amongst ourselves about how much of a gossiper they are. Do we not see the hypocrisy in this? Do we not know that when the words of a gossiper cause division in the local church or amongst brothers and sisters in Christ, God hates it? Proverbs 6:16-19 makes it very clear that God despises division just as much as other sins. It reads, “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” The one thing that those of us who have been victims of other people’s gossip must remember is that people will always talk, even if they know not what they are talking about. If this is true of any of us, then we are in good company. John the Baptist and Jesus were both spoken of falsely in Luke 4:33-35. It reads, “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.” The acceptable sin of gossip is one of the most dangerous sins we live with. Why? It is most dangerous because the devils use it as a way to break up the local church from the inside out. The sins that are overlooked and unaddressed, even though God speaks so vehemently against them, will spread like wildfire and cause division within families, friends, and the body of Christ. The charge today is to stop gossip in its tracks. Do not be the “fire starter” amongst the brethren. Do not speak words about someone we would not speak if they were present. Do not repeat things we hear without really knowing the facts. As a matter of fact do not repeat it at all, regardless! If someone comes to us with a juicy piece of gossip, politely tell them that we want no part of it. Remember, a person who gossips to us about someone else, will gossip to others about us. I would be remiss if I failed to repeat that the greatest consequence of gossip is that we grieve the Holy Spirit. Let us not take so lightly sin that offends our Lord and Savior.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Devotional Audio Track: Slow Down, Pray, Listen, Then Act

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Slow Down, Pray, Listen, Then Act

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:1, Then David said to his men, “Every man gird on his sword.” So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies.

David’s reaction to Nabal’s response to his request would seem justified in any of our minds. However, when we react quickly, especially in anger, we completely disregard the consequences of our actions. James 1:19-20 warns, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Sadly, I have seen too many Christians justify their angry outbursts by calling it “righteous anger”. Yet, the Word of God is very clear that man’s wrath does NOTHING to encourage or produce the righteousness of God. In spite of that, we continue to trample each other in our “righteous attempts” to rebuke those who stumble in our midst. The result is that Christian brothers and sisters are discouraged and pull away from the Lord, rather than draw near to Him. The unsaved are turned off by our attitude, and often our hypocrisy, as they see us do the same things we rebuked them for. David was on a path to doing something that would produce some negative consequences that he did not consider. What took place soon thereafter was nothing more than God’s grace in His intervention by sending Abigail to intercept David as he was on his way to settle this issue in his anger. When Abigail heard what Nabal had done, she made haste to have her servants prepare provision for David and his men and was diligent in going out to meet him, before he carried out his plans in haste. In verses 30-31 Abigail reminded David of the long term consequences of his shortsighted anger. Those verses read, “And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” Far too often we do not slow down to listen to the Spirit of God who beckons us to reconsider our choices and actions when we are angry. We fail to slow down, stop, and pray before we act. We only think about the immediate satisfaction of giving someone “a piece of our mind” or satisfying our pride by making certain that whoever offended us “can’t get away with it”. We fail to evaluate what our rash reactions do to dishonor the Name of Jesus or how it will affect our testimony for Him in the future. This is not to say that we are not to be angry. Ephesians 4:26-27 states, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” As born again believers, living in a fallen world, among fallen people, we do not have to go far to be angered about one thing or another; whether it affects us personally or someone we love. However, the Word of God warns us that when we give in to our anger and add sin to that anger, we give the devil an advantage. The advantage is that we then allow our anger to be turned into devilish responses, rather than resorting to actions of love that honor God. Jesus Himself told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). David was going down the path of taking vengeance for himself. Abigail reminded him that nothing good would come of that. So it is with us when we choose to not forgive and seek revenge against those who mistreat us or cheat us. As God’s children we must constantly remind ourselves, even in our anger, that God sees all and will reward everyone in accordance to their action, whether good or bad (Romans 2:6; 12:14-21; 2 Corinthians 5:10). It was not long after Abigail’s quick thinking and wisdom that God took vengeance on David’s behalf in verse 38 we read, “Then it happened, after about ten days, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.” The next time we are angered by something someone does to us, or someone we love, let us slow down, stop if necessary, pray, listen the Spirit’s response, then act. If we truly listen with more than our ears and react in accordance to the Spirit’s leading, the result will be glory to our Lord, even if we do not see it right away. It will always be so in God’s timing, not ours.