Sunday, January 27, 2019
Seeking Confirmation
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 10:7, 9: And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.
Samuel met with Saul and anointed him king (v.1). However, he does not just send him off to rule over Israel. Samuel tells Saul three things he will encounter after their meeting. These three incidents will be occasions of confirmation for Saul. They will be confirmation of his calling by God, confirmation that Samuel is a true prophet, whom he, Saul, should seek godly counsel from in his role as king of Israel, and to give him assurance that God is with him as he rules God’s people. Today, as we walk with the Lord, we too should be looking for confirmation from God in respect to our service to Him and His plan for our lives. For those who seek God’s will, this is an easy one to answer. If you and I have access to a Bible, we have access to God’s will. Every time we read, “this is the will of God” or “thus says the Lord” or any form of a command in Scripture, this is the will of God. In following God’s will, we will find God’s plan. How then do we receive confirmation? First, we must prayerfully search the Scriptures. The Bible and prayer must be the first source of any confirmation. I will warn, however, that we must not search the Scriptures looking for a verse to back up what we feel needs to happen. We must search the Scriptures, truly seeking for God to lead and us to follow. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Word of God will always confirm God’s will and God’s plan because it is inspired, or “God-breathed”. All of it, from cover to cover, is profitable for what we should believe about God, man, and life in general. It convicts, corrects, and teaches us how to stay on the path of righteousness. It equips us for every task and every mission God lead us on. This means that we cannot afford to read it occasionally, or skim it “here and there”. We must meditate on it, pray on it, and revisit it over and over again. Along with prayerfully reading and studying God’s Word, we should seek godly counsel. God can certainly use others to confirm our prayers and His plan for us. We need to seek wise counsel from people who are truly wise, and not people who will just tell us what we want to hear. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 12:15 also says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” Finally, God can use circumstances as a way of giving us confirmation that we are on the right path. We see this again and again in God’s Word; those “just happened to be” moments that lead God’s people to exactly where He wants them. When Joseph was searching for his brothers, “there just happened to be” a random stranger in the field ready to give him direction (Genesis 37). While Saul was looking for his father’s lost donkeys, Samuel “just happened to be” in the same area. This is where I must caution each of us. In seeking God’s confirmation for what we should do in any given situation, or when we are seeking confirmation for how we should be serving or which direction we should be moving in life, know that we have an enemy who wants to derail us. Our enemy, Satan and his devils, wants to draw us away from God. He wants to destroy us and rob God of His glory, worship, and praise, we give Him. John 10:10 reminds us, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” We must not allow our emotions and feelings to override God’s truth. If what we feel, as we seek God’s confirmation, is contrary to God’s Word, then our feelings and emotions are wrong. The devils love to play on our feelings of guilt and regret to make us feel unworthy and derail us. If we face troubles for standing up for what is right, even within our own family, remember that Jesus said this in Matthew 10:34-39, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Know that regardless of what we face, God will always give the confirmation we seek, if we are truly seeking it.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Why Do We Not Pray?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 9:22, Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were about thirty persons.
Here we see the servant of God who led Israel for so many years, now passing the baton to the first king of Israel, who would now be their leader. Samuel’s actions toward Saul are an example of what our attitude and actions should be toward our leaders today. Let us not forget that Samuel was not happy that the people rejected his leadership because of his sons’ behavior (1 Samuel 8). Samuel was displeased with their choice to have a king rule over them. Yet, here, we see him honor the man that God had chosen to lead his people. Rather than allow his displeasure to overrule his duty to God, Samuel chose to honor the man that God put in place to rule Israel. This is something that we, today, must be mindful of. What I am about to say might displease you as the reader, but it is God’s truth, not mine. I see far too many Christians “jump on the bandwagon”, insulting our country’s leaders on social media, and carrying on like the unsaved. Do we have a right to disagree or be angry with the decisions our leaders make? Of course we do. Do we have a right to sin as a result of how we feel? No, we do not. Ephesians 4:26 plainly says, “Be angry and do not sin.” It also goes on to say that if we do, we give place to the devil. Samuel could have begrudgingly broken the news to Saul, but chose to honor him with the honor due a king. Rather than waste time bad-mouthing our leaders, why not use that time to pray for them? 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Peter 2:13-17 also says, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” Romans 13:1 clearly tells us that it is God who appoints leaders. It reads, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Has He allowed evil rulers to rule His people? Yes, He has. Will He allow corrupt leaders to lead our nations? Yes, He will. Before we get all twisted up about that, let us first step back and see what part we have played in that. Israel’s first king, Saul, was not a king after God’s own heart. As we read Saul’s story, we see that God was not a priority in his life or reign. The king God gave Israel was a king whose heart was like Israel’s heart toward Him. Before we point a finger at God for allowing corrupt leaders to lead our countries, I want to ask the following: “How long has it been since God was allowed in our schools?” “How long has it been since God was the center of our justice system?” “When was the last time we voted, as a country, for men and women who stood for godly principles?” Man does everything he/she can to try and remove God from every aspect of life, then complain when in return we get evil and corrupt leaders. We as Christians, instead of steadfastly praying for our country and leaders, go along with the world, hurling insults and participating in the social media foolishness, as if that will solve the problem. Satan does a good job at keeping us distracted so that we do not take the path that will accomplish the most…praying for our leaders. If those leaders make decisions that make them our enemies and the enemies of God, are we not supposed to still pray for them? In Matthew 5:43-45 Jesus said, “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.” Things in our nations could turn around if we, as Christians, actually lived for the Lord, by serving Him faithfully, doing our homework and actually voting for men and women who stood for something that was right. More importantly, we need to come together as the church, to earnestly and honestly pray for our nation and its leaders, and trust God for the outcome.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, January 25, 2019
Humility Is More Than Just Words
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 9:21, And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”
On the surface, Saul’s response to Samuel is a humble response. However, when we look closely at what he says, we see that it is not completely honest. We know from verse 1 that his family is prominent. There are those who are truly humble, then there are those who pretend to be, but something in their life brings out who they really are. Eventually we see that Saul’s true colors shine forth once he is on the throne as the first king of Israel. Nonetheless, let us focus on the humility behind Saul’s response. As followers of Jesus, we must remember that we are just that, followers. We should not be the ones leading, and we should mindful of the fact that we are who we are by God’s grace. That means that all our talents and abilities were given to us by God, and all that we have has been allowed by God. Yes, it is true that some of us have gotten more by putting in work and effort, but we must stop and consider that it was God who gave us the health and strength to do it. No matter how we slice life, you and I cannot leave God out of the equation. Our goal in life is to be like John the Baptist who said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” in John 3:30. In Romans 12:3, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Galatians 6:3 also reiterates, “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” The ultimate example of humility was, and is, Jesus. Philippians 2:5-8 says this about our King and Savior, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Jesus did not come flaunting the fact that He is God. He did not come by way of a family of prominence. No, instead He chose to come to this world with humility, ready to lay down His own will, His own life, and submit to the Father’s plan for our salvation. This is the mind that is to be in us. Regardless of what position God exalts us to in the church or in the world, we must never forget that we are there as part of God’s plan for our lives, and we must live a life of submission to Him. We are to take up our cross daily (Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; Luke 14:27). I purposely list all the places in the Gospels where Jesus says this, because it demonstrates the importance of humility in our words, actions, and deeds. Philippians 2:3 puts it like this, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Saul’s response resonated with humility, but his heart was far from it. This was proven later during his reign. We must be very careful that we not allow the successes that God allows in our lives convince us that we are more than we really are. The bottom line is that we are sinners saved by God’s grace. It was not our good works, or the fact that we were anything special that gained us eternal life (Titus 3:5-7). It was strictly Jesus’ righteousness, and it is still His righteousness that continues to give us favor with our Heavenly Father. Let our humility not just be in words, but let it be in the way we think, the way we behave toward others, and the way we submit to our Lord and Savior.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Our God of Comfort
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 9:16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”
Our God is truly amazing. He is patient beyond anything we can imagine. Unlike people, He forgives and forgives and forgives. He never stops loving us, regardless of what we do. He loved us, even when we were not His. John 3:16 tells us that “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Do we not understand that this verse speaks of His love for us, even before we became His children? Romans 5:8 also tells us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I preface what I want to say with these reminders of God’s love for us because something happens to the way we think when we begin to suffer for the sins we commit, and for the decision we make, that bring us heavy consequences. The devils love to use the guilt we feel and the pain we experience when heavy consequences befall us, resulting from something we have done or decision we have made. The first thing that the enemy does is attack God’s love for us. We see time and time again that regardless of what God’s people do, and what He allows as their consequence, He never stops loving them. Romans chapter 8 is a great reminder that God works ALL things for our good. Yes, even the consequences of our sins. I especially love Romans 8:32, which reads, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” How can we even begin to believe that God no longer loves us, or is no longer willing to comfort us, when He gave His Son to save us? He gave us what was most precious to Him, while we were still His enemies. Why would He withdraw His love or comfort now that we are His children? That is just the devils’ ploy to tear us down during a time when we are most vulnerable spiritually and emotionally. Note what God is saying to Samuel here, in spite of Israel’s rejection of Him. They asked for a human king, rejecting the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is about to give them what they have asked for, but there are going to be hard consequences with what He is going to give them. Yet, we still see His love in how He is responding to this stiff-necked people. He is going to give them a king (and many thereafter) who will be hard on them, and from whom He will not deliver them from, but will use those kings to deliver them from the suffering of the bondage they will face with other nations. He will intermittently allow them to have good, but imperfect, kings (such as King David). Nonetheless, in all of this, His love never changes. King David was a man after God’s own heart, even though he sinned greatly against the Lord. His consequences were hard, but God’s love and favor never changed. It is God’s love and comfort that will sustain us and get us through the difficult times we will experiences as a result of some of our life decisions. This is where far too many of us go sideways. We spend far too much time focusing on the consequences, rather than focusing on the grace and love that God shows us, even in the midst of the toughest of consequences. Whatever loss we suffer because of the things we choose in life, the one thing we do not lose is God. Psalm 147:3 reminds us that, “He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” In spite of Israel’s constant rebellion, God has never forsaken them, and will never forsake them, or us. In Isaiah 41:10-11 we find God’s comforting words toward His rebellious people, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.” In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, we are reminded that one of God’s specialties is comforting His children. Those verses read, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” As if that were not enough, the Lord made us this promise in Revelation 21:4, “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” We serve a God who is righteous and just, and will allow the consequences of our choices and actions, but He is also a God who never forsakes us, always loves us, and still comforts us, in spite of us.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Led by Donkeys or by God
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 9:15-17, Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.” 17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”
Would it not be wonderful to hear God speak to us? Imagine being able to hear God’s voice instructing us and guiding us throughout our day. Would it not be life changing if we could hear Him warning us of what is to come, or speak to us about our past so that we could avoid some of the past mistakes? How comforting would it be for us to hear His voice while we are going through difficult times? Wait…what am I saying? If we are born again believers, we have the ability to hear God speaking to us! No…seriously…we do! Let me take us back to the basics for a moment. Do we know Jesus as our Savior? Yes? Well, then we have been indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 3:16). If this is so, which it is, then we have God living in us. If you are reading this, it means that you have access to the internet. If that is so, it also means that one way or another, even if you do not have a hard copy of the Bible, you have the ability to find a copy of God’s Word right online. You see, the internet can be used for God’s glory, as long as the one punching the keys on the keyboard uses it in a pure manner, but I digress. So, we have determined that God seals us and indwells us when we accept Jesus as Savior, and we also determined that we have access to God’s Word. What is missing? What is missing is us putting in the effort to spend time with God in prayer and the reading of His Word. God spoke to Samuel because Samuel had an intimate relationship with Him. It was obvious that Saul did not, and because he did not, he had to have donkeys lead him along, while Samuel had the privilege for hearing directly from God. What side of that fence do we fall on? Are we a Saul, having to be led by donkeys, or are we a Samuel, seeking God, and hearing His Word directly from Him? I am not going to be saying anything that we do not already know. Psalm 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” In John 16:12-14 Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” When we combine our Bible reading, and studying, with prayer, the Holy Spirit is there to illuminate the Word of God, give us understanding and help us to apply it. It is in our praying without ceasing that the Spirit nudges us and speaks to us in our day to day activities. He will remind us of what the Word says, convict us, and move us in such a way, that if we are obedient we will glorify our Lord and Savior. The key is that we obey. Jesus said in John 14:15-17, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” If we truly love the Lord, we will seek Him and obey Him. The Holy Spirit who indwells us will not fail us and will speak to us in every situation that He is needed. Let us strive to hear directly from God, rather than force the Lord to have to lead us using donkeys (figuratively speaking of course).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, January 21, 2019
Ordinary Circumstances
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 9:3-4, Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
How sensitive are we to God’s leading in our lives? Do we overlook the fact that God can use ordinary, and even frustrating, circumstances in our lives to lead us down the path He has set for us? Here is a seemingly ordinary task that Saul was sent on with his father’s servant. Find a few lost donkeys. The journey ended up being a frustrating one, as they were not able to find them right away. Three times, and in three different locations, we are told that the donkeys were not found. In verse 5, when it seemed hopeless that they would find the lost animals, Saul decided it was time to head back home before his father began to worry about them more than the donkeys. So far, this is just an ordinary task, under ordinary circumstances. However, it “just happened” that the particular servant that was with Saul suggested that they go see Samuel, a man of God, who “just happened” to be in the same place these circumstances led them to (v. 6). Are we getting the sense yet that these ordinary circumstances are not ordinary, but being used supernaturally to lead Saul on the path to becoming the first king of Israel? Keep in mind that Saul is absolutely clueless that he is already the man that has been chosen for this position. Yet, he goes along, most likely frustrated that he cannot find these “dumb animals”. By the way, these “dumb animals” were wise enough to obey God in playing their role in drawing Saul to Samuel. If only we, as born again believers, who claim to love and follow Jesus, were as wise and obedient as these donkeys. Nonetheless, we see that what probably started out as just another ordinary day for Saul, will turn into quite the extraordinary day. Have we started our day today as just another ordinary day? Do we take the time to prayerful live out our day, seeking what God’s plan is for our life today? Have we already set our day in stone with no wiggle room for God to move us where He wants to move us, and work in us those things He wants to accomplish in us and through us? Do we get easily frustrated when things do not seem to work out the way we want them to, totally dismissing the fact that God may be leading us in a different direction in order for us to accomplish His will and not our own? We often miss great opportunities because we dismiss the ordinary circumstances in our lives. We fail to look for God’s activity in the ordinary because we get up in the morning without giving ourselves enough time to spend time in prayer and reading God’s Word. We throw up some one minute prayer and tell ourselves that we will read our Bibles later, only to find that the day, and our plans (not to mention the time we waste on things that have no spiritual value), rob us of the time we intended to use to read God’s Word. After a while, many of us become frustrated with life, and falsely come to the conclusion that God has better things to do than use us for His glory. My brothers and sisters, may I say this one thing? We could accomplish so much more for the Kingdom if we were willing to start our day a little earlier, and put more effort toward spending more time in prayer and the study of God’s Word. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are told to “pray without ceasing”. 2 Timothy 2:15 admonishes, “Study to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” God’s Word is alive because it is God-breathed. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Because this is true, God’s Word is the best guide we have in reminding us that ordinary circumstances are sometimes extraordinary. The Holy Spirit, using the Word of God, will guide us throughout our “ordinary” days, to bring us right to where God wants us on any given day or time. Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” As God’s children, every day can be an extraordinary day, if we would just take the time to seek Him, even in the most ordinary of circumstances. Even if the plan for today is to tell someone about Jesus, an ordinary encounter could change the eternal future of one person, and that is nothing but extraordinary and supernatural.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, January 20, 2019
What Would Be Said?
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 9:1-2, There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
Here we have our first encounter with the king that Israel asked for. As a matter of fact, Saul means “asked of God”. Saul was a king that was asked of God by Israel. When we take a closer look at how Saul is introduced, there are some very interesting things said about him, but what is even more interesting is what is not said about him. Saul came from an influential background. His family had wealth and Saul himself was tall, handsome, and had the look of a king. The Scriptures tell us that there was no one more good looking than Saul. That is quite the resume. Yet, in all that is said to describe Saul, one thing is not said about him that would overshadow all of this, had it been said about him. Not once do we see his relationship with God mentioned. There is no indication that he was a follower or seeker of God, and God makes no mention of whether or not Saul was a man who sought to be a righteous man. God was about to give Israel a king after their own desire, a king who looked good on the outside, but was far from God on the inside. Sadly, many of us Christians spend so much time trying to gain wealth and status in the world, that we are willing to sacrifice our righteousness to obtain it. There are Christians who are known for their wealth and status in society, yet little is known of their relationship with the Lord. What would be said about us if someone were to write a short bio on who we are? Would the way we live for the Lord be a focal point or would it be wasted on what we have and what importance we have in this world? Would we be described as someone who is godly and lives an honest life, or would we be known for our wealth and prestige? Psalm 37:16 says, “A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.” Proverbs 16:8 also says, “Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice.” So often we encounter people who say they are followers of Christ, but they take more pride in showing off, and giving more priority to, the house they live in, the car they drive, the “important” job they have, and how much wealth they have. All the while, there is no evidence that they are living by faith or even serving the Lord. Their life is all about them and what they can gain from this world. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 warns, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Saul may have had the background of, and looked like, a king, and may have had all the characteristics that would impress the world, but in the end, we will see that his heart was far from God, and because of that he suffered great loss. When all is said and done, we should rather desire that if someone were going to write something about who we are, or were, that they would put more emphasis on who we were in Christ, and what impact we had for His sake, than how much wealth we had or how “important” we were by this world’s standards.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, January 18, 2019
Evil Envy
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 8:19-20, Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
There is nothing that will cause greater strife amongst God’s people than envy and jealousy. When we live a life of covetousness, and a lack of contentment, we make it easy for the devils to cause strife, quarrels, and divisions. Israel chose something that God did not want for them, simply because they put their eyes on what the other nations were doing. Their focus on what other nations had drew them in so that they too desired to be like them and have what they had. James 3:14-16 says, “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” To envy what others have, and be jealous over what God is doing, or allowing in the lives of others, is demonic and will only cause gossip and division. It will drive us to begin competing with others, or as the old saying goes, we will begin trying to “keep up with the Joneses”. Proverbs 14:30 warns, “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.” When we allow envy and jealousy to drive us, it leads us down the path to misery, bitterness, and depression, because God is not allowing us to have what we want. We do not think of envy or jealousy as being a dangerous sin to indulge in, but Proverbs 27:4 puts it in perspective for us, “Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?” We are often quick to go after, and discipline, those within the local church who violate God’s Word by living immoral lives, or getting involved in sins of immorality, but give a pass to those who gossip, are envious and jealous of others, even though God hates the division that results from these behaviors. Proverbs 6:16-19 clearly tells us, “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 greatest division that comes from envy and jealousy is division between us and God. When we begin to envy what others have, and become jealous of their status, we become friends with the world, chasing material things and seeking to be “important” in the world. Those ambitions sometimes spill over into the local church where men and women seek positions within the church that elevate them and feed their fleshly egos, taking on roles that God did not call them too, simply because it puts them in the limelight, and in a position to make decisions that are not theirs to make. Envy and jealousy feed our pride. James 4:1-6 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. 4 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’? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” Like Israel, when we choose to focus on what others have and what we do not have, we become ungrateful for the blessing that God has already bestowed upon us. We lose sight of His goodness to us, and the fact that He is already being better to us than we deserve, by allowing us to have what we already have. Where we are right now, and whatever we have, is exactly what He desires for us, for the time being. If He desires more for us, He will bless us with it, as we focus on living for Him and serving Him. We must not let envy and jealousy blind us to the fact that He is already being good to us in allowing us to have what we have, and denying us what He knows will eventually be a curse in our lives, that will also enslaves us and draws us away from Him.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Far Better to Wait
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 8:19-20, Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Many Christians interpret that as being able to ask for whatever they desire, regardless of what it is. What we fail to acknowledge, or see, is that we are first to delight ourselves in the Lord. We also ignore the following verse, verse 5, that reads “Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” When we fail to maintain an intimate relationship with Christ, we have a tendency to allow our fleshly desires drive our prayer requests. Israel made a big mistake in asking for a king. Yet, if we consider their history, it was not the request itself that was the mistake; it was their timing and their stubbornness in insisting that Samuel appoint a king over them, just so that they could be like other nations. In Deuteronomy 17:14-15, Moses said to Israel, while giving them the Law, “When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.” The Lord already knew that a time was coming when Israel would desire a king to rule over them, but His plan was to set a king over them in His time and give them a king that would be of His choosing. Instead, Israel chose a king for themselves, and the king they got was Saul, who was not a king after God’s own heart. Had they waited on God’s timing, the first king to rule over them would have been David, who was indeed a king after God’s own heart, and a king of God’s choosing (1 Samuel 16:1). Like with Israel, there are things in God’s plan for our lives that He wants to give us, and accomplish through us. When we fail to maintain a prayerful and intimate relationship with the Lord, our desires, and His desires for us, become unaligned. The result is that we end up wanting that which is not ours to have yet. We begin to insist on receiving it, and often fall for the “name it, claim it” heresy, and go after things that we have no business going after. We go after things that ruin our walk with the Lord, relationships with others, and our own lives. Rather than be content with such things as we have (Hebrews 13:5), we become bitter and disheartened, and drift further and further away from the Lord. Our covetousness drives us to grasp that which God has planned for us, but not for the immediate. When it comes to God’s timing, He is perfect (as He is in all things). We must remind ourselves that God does not operate on our clock. 2 Peter 3:8 clearly tells us, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 also says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven”, and God knows exactly when we will walk through those seasons with Him. Finally, Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “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.” Israel showed a lack of trust in the Lord to lead them, even though He proved Himself to them over and over. They failed to acknowledge Him because of the behavior of the human leaders in place. Their hard-heartedness and their stiff necks caused them to want what they wanted, regardless of what Samuel or God said to them in trying to reason with them. Are we this unreasonable when we set our hearts on something that God has obviously not chosen for us? Do we pray for the desires of our hearts, and then wait for the Lord’s response, being ready to be satisfied with whatever His answer will be? When all is said and done, whatever God chooses for us right now is exactly what is best for us. We must stop focusing on what everyone else has and what God is allowing in someone else’s life, and just focus on being content with whatever God chooses for our life and service to Him. It may require waiting on Him, and His timing, to receive the things we desire. Oftentimes, He has not said “no” yet, but has simply said, “Not yet.” If we wait on Him, instead of going after what we think is good for us, He will eventually give us what He knows is best for us.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
It Is Not Personal
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 8:7, And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
Any of us who have ever shared the Gospel message with others know the fear of being rejected, and have most likely experienced that rejection. Sadly, what happens after a while, for many of us, is that we take the rejection personal, and we become more hesitant in sharing Christ with others. We can apply what God said to Samuel to our own approach in sharing Jesus with others. The Lord made it clear that the rejection was not really toward Samuel, but toward God Himself. He reminded Samuel in verse 8, that this rejection is nothing new with the people of Israel. As they rejected God in the past and chose other gods, so they were rejecting Samuel’s godly leadership for a king they did not even know yet, and a king who could end up being an ungodly leader. The verse reads, “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.” In verse 9, God instructs Samuel how to respond to Israel, “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” How can we apply this to those moments when we are rejected, and even persecuted, for sharing Christ with others? First, we must remember that we have been commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). When we are rejected, we must not take the rejection personally, but realize that it is Jesus that is being rejected. The offer to receive eternal life can only be fulfilled by Jesus; therefore, the rejection of the gift is a rejection toward the Giver. If the level of rejection results in persecution, then we need to remember God’s promise to those of us who endure persecution for His sake. Matthew 5:11-12 clearly promises, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Finally, when the message is rejected, we must not shy away from telling people, in love, the consequences of rejecting the free gift Jesus is offering them. John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 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.” We must always be ready to share our faith with others, knowing that the message will not always be well-received, and that there is a great possibility that we will experience rejection and/or persecution. However, we must not be discouraged, as the rejection, although directed toward us, is really rejection of Christ. We must not shrink away from telling them what Matthew 25:41 says, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’”. Revelation 20:11-15 is a sobering message that needs to be proclaimed to those who reject Jesus and His offer of eternal life. It reads, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” When we truly consider the consequences of dying without Jesus, whether family, friends, or other people we know, is it not worth risking a little rejection or persecution? If we learn not to take rejection personally, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, it will help us to boldly, but humbly, proclaim the Name of Jesus for the sake of the lost and for the glory of God.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Stop Blaming God
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 8:4-5, Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
Here is a sad pattern I still see today, even within Christianity. The people of Israel turn their backs on God because of the behavior of Samuel’s sons. God had been a Faithful Shepherd to His people. Unfortunately, Israel had men who were not faithful in leading them. When we read this passage carefully we see the absurd logic in their decision-making. However, before we criticize the Israelites, we have to take an honest look in the mirror and realize that many of us have done the same exact thing. Corrupt men led Israel, while God remained faithful, but rather than trust and turn to God, the people requested that Samuel find them another man to lead them, as if there were no possibility that an earthly king would be just as corrupt. How often have we gotten discouraged by the actions of other Christians, especially those in leadership, and decided that we were going to leave the fellowship of the local church? We hop from one local church to another, looking for the church with the perfect people. I have a bit of news for us. We will not find one, and even if we do, the moment we walk in, it is no longer the perfect church; because we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10). Our feelings or pride are hurt by other Christians and we get bitter toward God, as if it were God’s fault. We stop going to church, reading our Bibles, and even stop praying. Israel already had the perfect King, the Lord Himself, King of kings and Lord of lords. Yet, they allowed their feelings to guide their decision making. Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.” If we believe this, why would we allow what man does influence whether or not we are going to continue trusting and following the Lord? Some of us may say, “Well, I’m not turning my back on God, I just don’t want anything to do with Christians and the church.” What did God say to Samuel when he brought the matter before Him? Verses 6 and 7 read, “But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.’” Many of us Christians have left the church because a pastor has stumbled and fallen into sin, rather than stay and be a part of the process of bringing healing and restoration back amongst the church family. We leave being bitter because of what the pastor did and take it out on God. We forget that everyone, including the leadership, is human and susceptible to falling. If we spent more time clinging to the Lord and praying for each other and the leadership, we probably would not have as many instances of the devils having the victory over our families and godly leaders God has placed in our midst. Ultimately, when we forsake our Christianity because of the actions of men, we are turning our backs on God. We must not let others be the determining factor of whether our relationship with God runs hot or cold. Jesus, His love, and faithfulness should be what keeps us seeking Him and serving Him and others. The losers in this proposition to have a human king lord over them was Israel. They already had a perfect and faithful King taking care of them, but it was their own stubbornness and lack of faith that led them down this path to choosing man over God. If any of us have drifted away from the Lord, was it because of someone else’s actions or attitude? If so, I ask, “What fault does God have in man’s imperfections, when it was man’s choice to sin against God?” We need to take our eyes off of man, and put them back where they belong, on our Lord and Savior.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Prepare Them and Trust Him
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 8:1-3, Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
Here is a sad commentary regarding the sons of Samuel. Even though Samuel was faithful in his service to the Lord thus far, his sons did not follow his example. We must remember, as parents, that all we can do is raise our children to follow the Lord, but we are not guaranteed that they will follow in our footsteps, as they have the same freewill to choose the Lord, or reject, as we do. We saw the same thing occur with Eli’s sons in chapter two, although Samuel’s sons were not as wicked as Eli’s. Here is a man who faithfully served the Lord and set a good example for his family; yet, his sons refused to follow the same path. It appears that they were initially doing what was right, and for that reason Samuel appointed them judges over Israel. However, it seems that the allure of the world and what it had to offer was too tempting for them. As parents, all we can do is follow the instructions we have in respect to raising godly children. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” We must teach them the ways of God, set the example, and discipline them when necessary. Proverbs 13:24 clearly states, “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.” One of the things I have seen that has been detrimental to our children following the Lord when they are old enough to make their own decision, is that in our well-intentioned attempts to raise them in a godly way, we shelter them way too much, rather than using what happens in the world as an opportunity to teach them God’s perspective on the matter. We shy away from teaching them about sex and other subjects simply because they world has made it dirty, when all along it was God who created it for our pleasure when in the proper and pure context it was intended for. I have seen far too many Christians treat the subject of sex, music, and other areas of life as if it was a sin to even mention them. The result has been that our children grow up and are released into a world that has taken the things that God created for our good, our pleasure, and His glory, and corrupted them, making them pleasurable to the flesh. The allure becomes great, and our children, not being armed with the biblical knowledge they need to withstand the temptation, fall prey to the devils and the world’s ways. The fact of the matter is that when they grow older, they will make their own decisions, but we can trust that even if they walk away for a time, God promises that when they are old they will not depart from what they have been taught. There will be times when we, as parents, will fail to set a good example, as we too may go through a period of rebellion and stumbling in our own walk, but this does not excuse us from doing all we can to lead them on the right path. Sadly, as children go, and as many of us did growing up, they will sometimes be quick to use our backslidden moments as a justification for their own times of rebellion against the Lord. Nonetheless, we must remain faithful and trust that as they get older the Lord will change their hearts and set them on the right path. If we fail to give them the foundation they need, which is Christ Jesus and His Word, they will have nothing to draw from as the Holy Spirit works in their lives. It is in times like these, when our children stray from the Lord and what they have been taught, whatever the excuse, that we must be diligent to pray for them and trust in God’s divine grace to bring them back to the place where they belong. It is a godly parent’s prayer, and desire, that his/her children seek the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. We may experience heartbreak when they stray, but if we have taught them well, even if we have stumbled ourselves, we can trust that we have a faithful God who will honor His Word when we do all we can to live by it. The best we can do is hold them accountable, pray for them, and then be ready to be there for them when they turn back to the Lord. It may surprise you when they come back and seek you and your guidance when they finally realize that this world and its riches have nothing to offer but heartache, destruction, and disappointment, and that what we taught them is what will give them true success in this life. As much as we would like to spare them from suffering, the best place they can be, when they are beyond our control, is under the watchful eye of our loving Lord. If any of us have children who have strayed, let us today be encouraged to pray for them and always be ready to help them get back on track with seeking and serving our God, when the Lord has turned their hearts around and they are ready to seek God’s will and plan for their lives..
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, January 12, 2019
He Restores the Broken
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:14, Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
When I read verses such as this one I rejoice, but at the same time I am saddened. I rejoice because I know that God is a God who does not forsake us, and is ready to restore us, and our lives, the moment we turn back to Him. Yet, it saddens me because far too many Christians preach this message, until it comes time for them to get in line with God about restoring someone who has fallen away. God will allow harsh consequences, at times, in order to get our attention and cause us to come back to Him. He is a Restorer of the broken…the brokenhearted and the broken life. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Hosea 6:1 says, “Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.” When Israel repented, turned back to the Lord, and served Him only, He restored what they had lost. God can truly restore us and our lives, and even make it better than it was, if we would only turn back to Him and serve Him only. Lot’s life is an example of what happens when we turn back to God, but then return to the life that God rescued and restored us from. After his first captivity, God allowed Abraham to rescue Lot, and he brought back all that had been taken from him (Genesis 14). However, after returning to Sodom and finding himself having to flee for his life, he was not as fortunate, as his wife was turned into a pillar of salt, for her refusal to obey God, and his daughters deceived him, by getting him drunk, and having an incestuous relationship with him (Genesis 19). No one but God decided what Lot’s consequences would be, and how much of his life would be restored. Here is where I caution us as followers of Jesus. We must take utmost care not to take on a role that does not belong to us when it comes to the restoration of one who has sinned, but turned back to God. When we put ourselves in the position of judge and jury in the life of another, whom God has clearly restored, we tread dangerous waters. John 5:22, 26 and 27 say, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,” and “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.” When we choose to be a judge in someone else’s life, we put ourselves in a position to have to someday give an answer to the Judge Himself in respect to why we condemned one who was restored by the One who has that authority. On the contrary, we should seek to do as instructed in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” This does not mean that we allow justification for sin or that we make light of sinful situations. However, it is not our place to be judge and jury in the life of another. If we approach a sinning brother or sister, the purpose for that approach should be restoration. If that brother or sister refuses to turn from their sin, there is a process outlined in Scripture for us (Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5). Nonetheless, we are to follow that process in love, and once the person has repented and turned back to the Lord, it is not our place to continue to judge them or outcast them based on their past sins. 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 clearly tells us, “This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.” We can be firm and loving with each other, while still helping one another be restored to fellowship with the Lord. When we fail to restore those whom God restores, we are working in opposition to a loving, forgiving, merciful, gracious God. James 1:20 warns, “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Israel not only enjoyed being restored once again, but enjoyed a time of peace. When we sin, repent, turn back to the Lord and serve Him only, we can enjoy the peace we have with God in Christ. However, we, as born again believers can have our peace disturbed by those who decide that they know better than God whether or not we deserve restoration, and we can also find ourselves to be the ones who disturb someone else’s peace, when we decide that we know better than God in matters of restoration. Let Jesus be Judge, and let us be stay within the boundaries set for us, by Him, in being a blessing and encouragement to those whom God has so graciously restored for their good and His glory.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, January 11, 2019
Our Stone of Help
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 7:12, “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
After experiencing such a great victory against their enemies, Samuel established a memorial, calling it Ebenezer, or Stone of Help. I will ask a series of questions for us to consider. Does the way we live for God truly demonstrate that Jesus is our Stone of Help? What does a life that has Jesus as Helper look like? Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “Let you 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?’” A life lived with Jesus as Helper is a life that is filled with contentment. Can we honestly say that we are content with what God has chosen for us? Are we content with the life God has chosen for us? Do we seek that which God has chosen not to give us? Are we too busy putting our eyes on what others have and what God is doing in the life of someone else, and allowing ourselves to be ungrateful for the blessings in our own lives? Israel ended up in the mess they were in because they disobeyed God in removing all the people who inhabited the Promise Land before God led them there. Joshua 16:10 tells us, “And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day and have become forced laborers.” It is obvious that they had the strength to remove them, but their greed and discontentment with what God provided them led them to make a decision that has had painful consequences for Israel, even today. How often do we create overwhelming debt for ourselves, and painful life situations, because we go after things that God did not intend for us to have? Sometimes we go after things that God will eventually give us, but we are not ready to receive them and appreciate them as we should? True contentment means that we are completely satisfied with Jesus, even if we have nothing else. Abraham was a wonderful example of Old Testament contentment. Genesis 14:21-23 says, “Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.’ 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’” Abraham’s choice to be content with what God had already blessed him with gained him a greater reward. Genesis 15:1 explains, “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’” What greater reward can any of us ask for, than God Himself? Another great example of contentment was given to us in the New Testament. Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Israel failed to inherit all the land because they did not trust the Lord as Helper, and allowed their greed to lead. On the contrary, Abraham trusted God as his Helper, and was content with such things as he already had. The Apostle Paul trusted the Lord as his Helper in difficult times and learned contentment in Christ. The simple fact that in Christ we have been given victory over death and the grave should be enough for us to worship Jesus as our Stone of Help. Yet, He is so merciful that He continues to provide for us, and give us victory over the circumstances, trials, and enemies in our lives, when we cling to Him as the Stone of our help.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Already Answered
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:9, And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
I find it curious how quickly we turn back to God when He allows “bad things” to happen in our lives; and when we begin going down that slippery slope of praying less, spending less time in His Word and drifting further and further away from Him. If there was anything Israel did right, in turning back to the Lord, it was making sure that someone was praying. Note what Samuel did before he prayed. He made sure that there was atonement for the sins that had been committed, and then he cried out unto the Lord. He did not rely on his own righteousness to be counted for anything, but on the blood of an offering that was spotless and innocent. What a beautiful picture we have of going before the Father, washed in the Blood of Jesus. Philippians 3:9 says, “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith”. When we called upon Jesus and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, His righteousness opened the door to the Throne Room of God. In doing so, Hebrews 4:14-16 clearly tells us, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” When we are God’s children, in Christ, we can rest assured that God will hear our prayers. The first, and most important prayer, that we could pray is the one that we lift up to the Lord, in repentance and confession, asking Him to be our Savior (Roman 10:13). Amazingly, when we pray that prayer to be accepted into God’s family and have eternal life, even though we are not immediately transported to Heaven, the answer is already given. In that moment, we are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and our home address is change from Hell to Heaven. I say this to point out the fact that our prayers are answered long before we see the answer with our own eyes. We have not yet seen Heaven and all that God has promised us as His children, but the answer has already been given in Christ Jesus. When God told Israel to go in and possess the land, it was already theirs because God had already given it to them long before they entered it, in the promise made to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21). Here, we see that even before God fought on Israel’s behalf and confused the Philistines’ attack (v. 10-11), “the LORD answered” Samuel’s prayer. So it is with us when we cry out before the Lord. We may not see the answers to what we are praying for right away, but know that if we pray, in accordance to God’s will, He will answer. Jesus promised that if we prayed in His Name, our prayers would be answered. John 14:13-14 says, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” I need to point out right now that this is not license for us to ask for things that are selfish and wicked in nature. Note that Jesus said, “that the Father may be glorified”. We must ask for that which will ultimately bring glory to God. James 4:3 clearly states, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” God will give us the desires of our hearts, but only after we have delighted in Him and committed our way to Him (Psalm 37:5). The key to having our prayers answered is for us to get in line with God’s will and not try to manipulate Him into following our own will, which is foolishness and a waste of prayer. Samuel prayed for deliverance from the Philistines, only after Israel repented, and only after he could offer up blood what was without spot and innocent. As born again believers, when we are right with the Lord, living a life founded on faith and trusting in Christ’s righteousness (not our own), we can confidently go before the Lord, bringing our prayers, knowing that He has already answered long before we see the answer with our own eyes.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Attacks Will Come
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:7, Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
The Israelites gathered at Mizpah in repentance for their sinful ways and sins against the Lord, and were ready to serve the Lord only. It was in the process of their turning back to Him that the enemy launched their attack. This, dear brothers and sisters, is a pattern that will play out time and time again when we decide to get right with our Lord. The last thing our enemy wants if for any of us to repent, confess, and get back to praying and studying God’s Word. 1 Peter 5:8-9 warns us, “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.” The Philistines felt threatened by Israel’s gathering and decided that this would be the best time to launch their attack. There is nothing that makes the devils more apprehensive than when they see Christians doing all they can to get right with the Lord. The Apostle Peter told us that along with being sober and vigilant, we are to resist the devil. How do we resist Satan and his demons? Peter gave us the answer in the previous verses. 1 Peter 5:6-7 say, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” We, in and of ourselves, do not have the strength or wisdom to engage the devils directly, and quite frankly, it is not our place. The battle belongs to the Lord, and that is the reason we are told to humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God”. I cringe when I hear Christians “rebuking” the devil. How is it that we are so arrogant to think that we can rebuke Satan, when the Arc Angel Michael, his equal, would not rebuke him? People who teach this falsehood are spoken of by Jude. Verses 9-10 of the Book of Jude clearly tell us, “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’ 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.” James confirms what Peter says in James 4:7-10, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” The devils are not intimidated by us, but will launch their attacks against us when they see us drawing near to our God, because they know that repentant, prayed up, students and practitioners of God’s Word are dangerous opponents. It is Christ they fear, and the best defense we have in times of the devils’ attacks is to draw as near to Christ as possible. Note that even though Israel was genuinely seeking God, He did not stop the Philistines’ advances toward them. Why would God allow this? Why would He allow the devils to attack us when we are drawing near to Him? The simple answer is that He uses their attacks as an opportunity to show us His power and might. God did exactly that when He led Israel to the edge of the Red Sea when Pharaoh pursued them. It was at the Red Sea that God demonstrated His great, unmatched, power. We read in verses 10-14 of this chapter, that God subdued the Philistines. He confused their advances and Israel saw victory. Jesus promised that we too will overcome, in John 16:33, “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.” The path to victory will not always look the way we think it should, because God will not always stop the devils’ attacks, but rest assured that in Christ we will always have the victory and the Lord will always be glorified.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Actions Speak Louder
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:4-6, So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
Israel’s response to Samuel rebuke is a good example of what true repentance looks like. Israel was struck to the core of their being in their conviction. However, experiencing conviction is not repentance. We can feel a certain way, and those feelings can lead us to confession, but confession is not repentance. Israel lamented after the Lord (v. 2), but it was the actions that followed that proved their repentance. The fact that they served the Lord only was evidence of a heart change, at least for the time being. The fact of the matter is that this process of conviction, repentance and confession is one that we will repeat time and time again because of our sin nature. Praise to the Lord that He is patient and merciful. Nonetheless, we see that Israel is now ready to submit to God’s and Samuel, God’s prophet’s, authority. As we come to true repentance, it becomes evident by our willingness to submit to God’s authority. In the process of returning to the Lord, there was a key action that took place…prayer. Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving”. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to “pray without ceasing”. Communicating with the Lord is most important, in our relationship and return to Him. Our time in God’s Word, and all we do in the Name of the Lord, will often lack power if we are not going before the Lord to find out what He desires of us. This is the reason it is so important to combine prayer with our study of God’s Word. The drawing and pouring out of water before the Lord was an expression of their surrender to the Lord. Lamentations 2:19 reads, “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.” Psalm 62:8 also says, Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” This signified a pouring out of self that was intended to be complete without pulling back. How often do we give something over to the Lord, or we commit to giving of ourselves, but there is still a string attached that we later use to pull it back to ourselves, or to pull back on what we promised. True repentance calls for complete surrender and a complete turn from whatever is causing a hindrance between us and the Lord. Israel fasted, an outward sign of their willingness to deny self and submit to the Lord, and made a public confession of their sinfulness. What are we holding onto today that needs to be brought to before the Lord and left at His feet? What pet sin are we still playing with, thinking that God is deceived by our fake confessions that are driven by superficial emotions? Galatians 6:7 clearly tells us, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” What sin are we still struggling with, simply because we have not been willing to truly pour out our hearts, and ourselves, before the Lord? What will it take for the Lord to bring us to our knees, and cause us to lament after Him? Would it not be best if we avoided such pain and simply returned to Him, not just with our empty words, but bearing fruit worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8)?
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Turn Back Turn Away
Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:3, Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
The Israelites, once again, have felt and experienced the desolation that comes from forsaking God. In verse 2 we are told that Israel “lamented after the Lord”. In other words, they cried out in anguish after the Lord. How often have we found ourselves in this position, after we have forsaken our prayer and study time? How often have we drifted away from the Lord, only to find ourselves in that place of emptiness and maybe even heartache over troubling times the Lord has allowed to arise in order to get our attention? What we often forget is that when we start down that slippery slope of dabbling in sin and doing things that we know we should not be doing, or we begin to make other things and people a priority over God, we begin to drift further and further away from God, until one day we find ourselves sitting in the midst of the broken pieces of our lives. We cry out to the Lord, and sometime wonders why we cannot feel His presence. Why is God ignoring us? Has He forsaken us as we have forsaken Him? The truth of the matter is that God never forsakes us. That is His promise to us in Hebrews 13:5, “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.’” Samuel, in speaking to the house of Israel, clearly instructed them in what they needed to do in order to restore their relationship to the Lord. Israel was to first return to the Lord with all their hearts. This was a call for complete submission and surrender to the Lord. This was not to be a half-hearted commitment. Far too many of us try to get away with this in our relationship with the Lord. We want to serve God, but only when it is convenient. We want to pray and study the Word, as long as it does not interfere with our plans for the day, and as long as it does not require sacrificing a little sleep, so that we can start our day a bit earlier in order to get that accomplished. We will serve God, as long as it does not take away from our hobby time, our game time, or our personal goals in getting ahead in this life. We will do whatever God wants us to, as long as we do not have to give of our material goods, time, or our money. In all of this, we constantly complain when our plans fall through, or our debt grows (that we created), or trials come to visit up close and personal. We then blame God for allowing these things to happen when we have been such “good Christians”. Yet, we fail to see that we have made for ourselves many gods that we are serving, and have forsaken the One True God. Jobs, material things, money, hobbies, entertainment, and other people have become our gods, and God has had to take a backseat to all of it in our lives. Samuel did not mince words when he told them to “put away the foreign gods”. What gods are we serving that we need to turn away from in order to truly turn back to God? Samuel made it clear that the only way God would deliver them from their desolation was to return to Him with all their hearts, put away their foreign gods, prepare their hearts, and serve Him only. As God’s children, we try too hard to divide our time and affections between God and the things we desire, even if we know that the things we desire are wrong. We set our earthly goals above all else. We will spend hours doing things to “get ahead” in this life, but cannot take time to sit quietly with God, reading His Word and praying. When the desolation comes, we act as if this is some strange thing that has happened, that we do not deserve to experience. If we are to truly return to God, we must do so wholeheartedly. We cannot come to the Lord with half-hearted commitments that we will break the moment He calls us out of our comfort zone. We must turn away from the things and people who have become more important than Him in our lives. There is a place in the priorities of life for everyone and everything, and God should always be first. We must surrender to serving God only, forsaking all the other gods in our lives. We must be ready to do whatever He calls us to and give whatever He calls us to give of our time and resources, which are His in the first place. We must prepare, or establish, our hearts, by making the choice to make God the only God in our lives. In short, we must repent and get back to what is truly important in this life, living for, serving, and glorifying God with our words, actions, and deeds. We must be the living sacrifices we are called to be for the glory of God (Romans 12:1-2).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
New Year with No Worries
Verse of the day: Luke 12:22 And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on.
As God's children, what have we to worry about? What burden or need weighs heavy on our hearts as we begin a new year? Why do we worry about God's provision, when He has promised to meet our needs? Does He not know what we need, even before we ask (Lk 12:30)? I am sure that many of us can look back at 2018 and clearly see that God took care of all our needs and came through, as He does every year that He tarries. I would like to remind us of what God said to Moses, when he, and the Israelites, worried about how he was going to feed the six hundred thousand men with him, in Numbers 11:23? The Lord asked Moses, "Has the LORD'S arm been shortened?" The worry that resulted from their lack of trust angered the Lord, and they were struck with a great plague that killed many. We should be thankful that we live in this age of grace, and that the Lord does not deal with us in this same fashion when we lack trust, and we worry. Psalms 65:9ff reminds us that the Lord waters the earth, enriches it, provides grain, and flocks. In other words, He supplies what is needed. In this chapter, we are reminded that God provides for the ravens (who did not have much value amongst the people), and dresses the fields, neither of which labor for their provision or cover. Yet, we are more valuable to God. So why do we worry about the things God has promised to take care of? Ps 23 tell us that the Lord is our Shepherd, and that we shall not want (or go without). When we worry, we needlessly waste time being overly concerned about what God already has under His control. When we worry, we accomplish nothing, as we cannot add one minute to our life here on earth. If anything, we potentially shorten our lives with added sickness resulting from our unnecessary stress, and worry. When we worry, we live no better than those who do not know Jesus. The unsaved are continually mindful of the material things of this world, and often destroy their lives to obtain them. We, as born again believers, should be mindful of heavenly things, and living for the Lord. The bottom line is that, in this new year, we should be more focused on growing in our knowledge of the Lord, serving Him, and staying focused on what He is trying to do in our lives, for the sake of His Kingdom, and the Gospel. Remember, He wants us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us (1 Pt 5:7).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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