Thursday, February 28, 2019
No Future in Looking Back
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 12:24, Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
Any one of us who has ever sinned against the LORD, if we are honest with ourselves, have struggled doing what Samuel is instructing Israel to do. Israel had sinned against the LORD by asking for a human king to lead them and had been brought face to face with how wicked their sin was. Fear came upon them after God sent thunder and rain, upon Samuel’s request. Now Israel has God’s forgiveness and Samuel is instructing them in what they must do in response to that forgiveness. I would like to point out that there is one thing that Samuel does not instruct them to do, look back. What they had chosen and what they did was in the past and could not be changed. His instructions to them consisted of what they were to do going forward. God’s plan is never for us to keep looking backwards while He is trying to move us forward. In Luke 9 Jesus called on some to follow Him. Each one gave Him an excuse why they could not follow Him. His response to them in verse 62 was, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Each of those people wanted to return home and “take care” of something that they felt was unfinished or needed attention. We do this with our past far too often. The devils convince us that in order to continue following Jesus, we must go back to the past and somehow fix what cannot be changed; what Jesus has already forgiven and used to work in us to change us and make us more like Him. Jesus, on the other hand, simply says, “Follow Me.” Samuel was simply saying to Israel, do not look back. You asked for a king, you have your king. Now, fear God with a reverent fear. In other words, be in awe of the LORD. Be in awe of how marvelous He is that He would forgive such transgressions. Be in awe of the power He has already demonstrated and of what you know He has already done for His people. “Consider what great things He has done for you.” They were instructed to fear and serve God, not so that He could do great things for them, but because He has already done great things for them. He had already proved that He will be faithful to them, even after they have been unfaithful to Him. In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul wrote of the struggle that existed within him between the spirit and the flesh. He concluded this in verse 25, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” In Philippians 3:13-14, he gives us the answer to being able to move forward when we have failure in our past, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” So we too are called to stop looking back and focus on our forward-moving relationship with Jesus. Samuel pointed out a very important aspect of Israel’s future walk and relationship with the LORD. They were not only to fear Him and serve Him, but they were to do this in truth and with all their heart. Jesus too said that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). In speaking with the Samaritan woman in John 4:23, Jesus said, “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” It is not enough to put the past behind us. We must look forward, having a reverent fear of God, serve Him, but do it in truth. In other words, God’s desire is that we continue to walk with Him, being doers of His Word and not just hearers (James 1). As we see who we are in the mirror of His Word, rather than get stuck where we are or living in what we were, we are to not forget what we saw in His mirror and allow Him to make us into who we should be, as we move forward with Him. If we want to remember the past, let us remember how good He has been to us, in spite of us, and fear Him, serve Him in truth, but keep moving forward, because there is future in looking back.
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, February 25, 2019
Sin Upon Sin
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 12:23, Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
This is an interesting interchange between Samuel and the people of Israel. Samuel, once again, reminds them and proves to them that they have sinned against God (v. 16-18) by asking for a king when He was already Him as King. Now he begins dealing with them in respect to their rejection of him personally. The people’s reaction to Samuel calling down thunder and rain was fear of the LORD and fear of Samuel. Prior to doing this, Samuel had already communicated to them that in spite of their rejection, God had forgiven them and would not turn His back on them, unless they turned away from Him. He repeated this promise later on in this chapter to reassure the people. What we should note is that Samuel too had forgiven the people. Even though this was a rejection of God’s direct authority over them, it was also a rejection of God’s prophet. Samuel could have taken this opportunity to reject the people and abandon them. However, he would have been wrong and would have then put himself in a position where he too was sinning against God for his refusal to forgive. Far too often, we, who call ourselves Christians, try to rationalize our refusal to forgive others, based on the type of offense, or how often the person has offended us. The only problem with this scenario is that God does not suggest that we forgive, He commands us to forgive. Colossians 3:12-13 clearly command, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Ephesians 4:32 also commands, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Here is where most of us go seriously wrong. Someone sins against us and we get upset, making all kinds of excuses as to why this offense is so grievous that it is just impossible to forgive them. However, the other person goes to the Lord, God forgives them, but we continue to hold a grudge and refuse to forgive. May I ask a question? Who do we think we are to continue to refuse to forgive someone God has clearly forgiven? Are we now in the place of Jesus as judges to continue holding a grudge against someone that is forgiven by Christ Himself? Samuel dared not put himself in that position. As a matter of fact, had he not forgiven, he would have sinned times two. How, you ask? Well, had he chosen not to forgive them and instead turned his back on them and abandoned them, he would have been abandoning what God called him to do as the prophet of God. He also would have refused to pray for them, which was obviously a sin against God. This is something that very few, if any of us at all, give very little thought to. Yes, refusing to be in continuous prayer is sin against God. Did God suggest in His Word that we pray, or did He command us to pray? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands, not suggests, “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Note that it is not only a command, it is God’s will for all of us in Christ Jesus. When we refuse to pray, we are refusing to do the will of God. Far too often, we miss out on opportunities to pray for those who hurt or offend us because we refuse to forgive. Samuel was not offended by just one person, but by an entire nation. His response? Not only was he going to pray for them, but he was going to continue to teach them “the good and right way”. Before we harden our hearts when it comes to forgiving others, we need to remind ourselves that in doing so, we are opposing God’s commands. When we refuse to forgive, we will most likely not pray for that person(s), and thereby add to our sin against God because now we have also refused His will. We cannot violate one aspect of God’s Word without violating others. Samuel made a right and very wise decision when he chose to forgive those whom God chose to forgive, and he did well when he not only prayed for the people, but continued to teach them the ways of God. Let us not add sin upon sin by refusing to do that which God has commanded, especially those commands He clearly states as His will for us in Christ Jesus.
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, February 24, 2019
Our Best and God's Best
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 12:12, And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD your God was your king.
Some of us have not yet come to the realization that God’s best and our best are two completely different “bests”. We know it in our heads, and often acknowledge it with our lips, but our hearts are yet to be convinced. How do we know? We know by the life decisions we make. God offers us, and seeks to give us, what He knows is best for us, but it often conflicts with what WE “feel” is best for us. Sadly, in choosing for ourselves we shortchange ourselves 100 percent of the time. James 1:16-17 tell us, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Funny thing about this verse is that in its context, James is talking about trials. You see, sometimes, a trial or two can actually be the good and perfect gift that we need in our lives to help us trust God more, learn to live by faith, learn to be more like Christ, and an opportunity to gain heavenly reward. We do not always see trials and tribulations as good and perfect gifts. Nonetheless, God knows what is best and seeks to give us what is best. Israel put their eyes on the trial they were facing and took their eyes off the LORD. The result was that they began to desire what other nations had, a human king to lead them. This was what they thought was best, but God knew that they already had the best King they could ever ask for, the LORD Himself. Nonetheless, they chose to ask for a king, and God gave them their king. In respect to asking and receiving Jesus said this in Matthew 7:9-11, “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Sometimes we ask for what we think is best. God delays the answer to give us an opportunity to change our minds and seek His will and wait on Him to give us what He knows is best. When we become stiff-necked in our pursuit of what we think is best, God will give us what we are asking for, as He did with Israel. Sadly, once we have what we asked for, we often find that what we thought would be a blessing and bring satisfaction will eventually become a curse and a burden. King Saul had his victories, but as his heart turned away from God, the people paid the price. This was what they asked for in asking for their best, a human king. Our Heavenly Father has given us His best and what is best for all of mankind, His only begotten Son. He is our Lord and Savior, and yet, in our own wisdom, and in our own thinking of what we think is best, we trade His Lordship for other lords in our lives. Like Israel, we take our eyes off the LORD and put our eyes on the world. James 4:1-4 warns, “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.” Far too often, in seeking our own best, we make ourselves enemies of God. The one glimmer of hope we have in all this is that we see that even though Israel chose a king for themselves, God did not completely abandon them. He did not reverse the situation. What was done was done. However, He gave them this warning in verses 14 and 15, “If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.” God may not reverse our poor choices, but when we repent and ask for forgiveness, He forgives and desires that we continue to walk with Him. This is evident by these words spoken in verses 20-22, “Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.’” Even when we deceive ourselves into thinking we know what is best, and foolishly choose that path, know that God still wants to give us what is best and will not forsake us. He may let us experience the bumps and bruises of our choices as a way of teaching us to trust and obey Him, but He will always continue to seek to give us what He knows is best.
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, February 23, 2019
It Is the LORD
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 12:6, Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.
What a profound statement, “It is the LORD.” As Christians, this ought to be the one statement that resonates in our thinking as we live out our lives for Jesus; that is, if we are truly living out our lives for Him. When we were lost and without hope, and now are found and have hope, “It is the LORD.” When we were on the path to eternal condemnation in Hell and Lake of Fire, but are now children of God who are Heaven-bound, “It is the LORD.” When troubles surrounded us and we were stressed, depressed, and without hope, but now have peace, joy, and have a Living Hope, “It is the LORD.” Do we see where I am going with this? Israel’s relationship with God was no different than ours is today. Over and over again, as Samuel points out in the following verses of this chapter, Israel sinned against, and forsook, God. When they were at the height of their oppression, they would cry out to the Lord, and He would rescue them once again, forgiving them and restoring them. How often have we had to go to the Lord and ask His forgiveness for our rebellious decisions and sinful acts against Him? By the way, when we sin against others, the sin is against God, as we know from Joseph’s statement in Genesis 39:9. In each case, when God sent someone to deliver Israel, even though he used men and women to lead them to victory, it was the LORD who did it. The key to surviving this life, and living a life that honors God, is to let Him be the One who leads, and strengthens, and gives the victory. The fact of the matter is that we are surrounded by people who are like Israel was then; people who have been blessed, who fail to acknowledge God as the One from whom the blessings came from, and who often want nothing to do with God. We live in a world that is stressed, depressed, lost, and without hope. We have the answer, and the answer is Jesus. Every time God restored Israel, He called them to go forward, fight, and trust Him to give them the victory. So it is today. God will always give us the victory, but it may come with a struggle. Before the victory comes, we may get a bit bloodied. We face a fierce enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, our soul, relationship with God, and testimony for Christ (John 10:10). He desires to sift us as wheat, as Jesus said to Peter (Luke 22:31-34). However, we have One who not only warns us that we will face hard times, but also reminds us that in Him we will overcome. In John 16:33 Jesus said, “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.” Today, those of you who are reading this may be in one of two situations; you either do not know the LORD and need to call on Him as your Savior and LORD, or you do know Him and He wants to use you to be a Moses, Aaron, Jephthah, or Samuel, in someone’s life. Regardless, if you are without hope and your world is falling apart, only the LORD can put the pieces back together again and give you the hope, peace, and the joy you seek. Hear me. I am not saying that things will be easy. I am saying that you will have someone who will forgive you all your sins, give you a new start, bring you into fellowship with God, give you eternal life, and never leave you nor forsake you. What this means for us here on earth is that regardless of what we must endure, we will be able to endure it with peace and joy. Why? Because, “It is the LORD.” For those of us who God wants to use to serve others and be a blessing, be salt, and be light, in this dark, wicked, and corrupt, world, He will use us if we are willing. Why? Because, “It is the LORD.” I do not think that I have to spell out the bottom line here, but I will. Regardless of where we are in life, God has a desire that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). He has a desire to use us for His glory and do great things in us and through us. However, we will fail miserably if we think that it is all about us, our talents, or our abilities. When we see the world succeeding, by the world’s standards, envy them not, and do not desire to have what they have (as Israel did) and sell ourselves short by desiring their king(s) over our KING. In this life, we can have heavenly success. We can experience true peace and joy, even in the midst of the toughest trials. We can overcome tremendous obstacles, regardless of how challenging, if we are willing to realize that it is not us, “It is the LORD.”
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, February 22, 2019
He Is Our Greatest Witness
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 12:5, He said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”
Israel is stepping into a new chapter in their history. They are now officially transitioning leadership from the Prophet Samuel to King Saul. Until this time, Samuel has not addressed the people regarding his own leadership. He has remained humble before them and not called them on the carpet regarding their decision to request a king, when Samuel had led them with honesty and integrity. God now gives Samuel the opportunity to speak to the people and set the record straight. This is a very important lesson in our lives. Far too often, we try to defend ourselves against words wrongly spoken about us or accusations made against us that are simply not true. There will be times when speaking up is the last thing we should do. This can be very difficult to do, as there will be times when the intentions behind our actions will be construed as selfishly motivated. In those times we will be greatly tempted to defend ourselves. These are the times when we must do as Jesus did and not give an answer. In Matthew 27:11-14 we read, “Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say.’ 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. 13 Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?’ 14 And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.” In 1 Peter 2:21-24 we are also told, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” So it was with Samuel. Let us stop and think for a moment. If we hear that someone we know has been demoted or fired from a position at their place of employment, do we first think that maybe this was done unjustly, or do we immediately think, “I wonder what they did to get demoted or fired?” We then go on the hunt for the juicy tidbits. So it may have been with Samuel. We forget, when we read our Bibles, that there is nothing new under the sun, and there were probably those in the crowd who thought, based on Samuel’s sons’ ill reputation, that a king was being requested because of some crooked thing in Samuel’s life that they did not know about. Yet, Samuel did not spoke up until God opened the door on this occasion. Sometimes it is best to be silent and just let someone else come to our defense and speak good things about us and our character. Proverbs 27:2 tells us, “Let another praise you, and not your mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Ultimately, the best Witness we can have in respect to the intentions of our actions and our character is God. Samuel took the people into account, asking them if he had ever defrauded them in any way, in verses 3 and 4. He called them out publicly, as their rejection of his leadership, and of God, was also public. Will our intentions always be purely motivated? Of course not, we are all flawed. However, there are times when we are doing what we do from an honest heart and pure intentions. However, not everyone will see that. Ultimately, if we have been pure in heart in our intentions, we too can say what Samuel said here, “He is witness.” All the while that Jesus did not defend Himself, God became His Witness at the Cross. In Matthew 27:54 we read this about what the Centurion said about Him as He hung on the Cross, “Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” In the end, God will vindicate us against those that falsely accuse us or judge our intentions falsely. He is our greatest Witness.
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, February 21, 2019
Where Are Our Thoughts?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:14-15, Then Samuel said to the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before Jehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
In these verses we see the consequences of King Saul’s choice to forgive, rather than exact vengeance on those who rebelled against him at the outset of his reign as king. As God’s children, we must not forget that the choices we make have consequences, both good and bad. However, the one thing that remains constant is that God does not forsake us. Israel made some bad choices up to this point in their history, and made many more after this. Nonetheless, the one thing that was a constant was that God was faithful to Israel, even in their unfaithfulness. King Saul’s choice to forgive led to a celebration of God’s goodness in giving them victory over the Ammonites, and also opened up an opportunity for Saul to be installed as king, once again, but this time by the people themselves. Note, that even when we are tempted of our own accord, or when others tempt us, to focus on the negative things in life, we have a choice to focus on the positive, and God’s blessings. It does not mean that the negative will go away right away or never rear its ugly head again, but it helps us to preserve our peace and joy in Christ. The devils will do all they can to steal our joy by reminding us of our past mistakes and bringing to remembrance the things people have done to us, in order to put us in negative mindset, focusing on things that will lead us away from God’s peace and joy, and hinder our fellowship with Jesus. At times, what it takes for us to begin to focus on the blessings in our lives is for us to go back to our beginnings. The people went to Gilgal. One commentator wrote that Gilgal was the place where Israel first encamped after passing over the Jordan (Joshua 5). It was the place where the Tabernacle and the Ark were located, as well as the first place an altar was built (Joshua 22). In those moments when I cannot seem to focus on, or think of any of, God’s blessings in my life, because of tough circumstances I may be facing, I begin by thanking Him, in prayer, for my salvation, His mercy, grace, love, forgiveness, and so on. Before I know it, the blessings come into mind like a flood, and I realize that I am truly blessed, regardless of whatever circumstances, trials, or tribulations He might be currently allowing. Now it becomes my choice as to whether I focus on the negative or the positive. The following verses are very familiar to many of us, Philippians 4:6-7, “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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” How often do we read past these verses to see what follows? Verses 8 and 9 continue, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Our ability to make choices that put our focus on the blessings in our lives, rather than the negative that the devils want to point out, is a process. It is not something that happens magically. It is something we must practice; but in order to practice this, it means that God must allow some tough times to come our way. If we begin by bringing whatever the situation is to God in prayer, and truly leaving with Him, we must then focus our thinking on the Lord’s goodness in giving us salvation and, if needed, opening the Bible and thinking on the list that is given to us in Philippians 4. The bottom line is that we choose where we focus. We can allow the enemy to destroy us by taking hold of our minds, or we can give it over to Jesus, and in spite of the sorrow, pain, or whatever else we are experiences in our current circumstances, we can override it with an inner peace and joy that will baffle the unsaved, encourage the believer, and completely enrage those who desire to see us miserable and suffering. In the end, we give Jesus the victory in the situation and we enjoy the blessings, just as King Saul enjoyed the blessing of being a national hero and being acknowledged and installed as Israel’s king, by the people themselves.
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, February 20, 2019
It Always Belongs to God
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:12-13, Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.”
What a great opportunity! Which one you ask? The opportunity to get vengeance for what the men who rebelled against King Saul did, right at the outset of his reign as king. If you recall, we read this in chapter 10, verse 27, “But certain worthless men said, ‘How can this one deliver us?’ And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.” Now, as God gave King Saul, Samuel, and Israel, victory over their enemies, the people were ready to go after those who doubted and rebelled against the king chosen for them by God. King Saul was in a position to take vengeance, with the approval of the people. As king, he would have had every right and no one would have questioned or blamed him. However, once again, we see King Saul’s humility; a humility that would have served him and Israel well, had he maintained it. He did not allow his pride to put him in the mindset of, “Who do these worthless men think they are to reject me, the king?” Instead, he left vengeance right where it ALWAYS belongs…with God! Romans 12:14-21 puts it very plainly, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord. 20 ‘BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.’ 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The only thing we accomplish, by putting ourselves on a path to seek revenge for a wrong done to us, is setting ourselves up for misery. It will affect our relationship with God. It will rob us of our peace, joy, and tranquility. It will cause us emotional and mental anguish, stir up our anger to the point of sin, and ultimately, if it lingers too long, it will begin to affect us physically. Seeking vengeance, which is a clear indication of an unwillingness to forgive, will cause more damage in our lives than in the life of the person we are trying to exact revenge on. There is a very good reason that God calls us to forgive at all times. Ephesians 4:30-32 commands, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” When we choose vengeance over forgiveness, we grieve the Holy Spirit of God who indwells us. This is the greatest damage we inflict in our lives when we seek vengeance, because we fracture our relationship with God. I am not saying we lose our salvation. I am saying that we hinder our prayer life and our ability to hear from God, who desires to speak to us, especially during these moments when we are tempted to hold on to bitterness, anger, and feelings of vengeance. We must acknowledge and give King Saul much credit for his response to those who sought to do harm to the men who rebelled against their king. Before we choose revenge for a wrong done to us, we must stop and consider how often we have betrayed and sinned against God, and how often He has forgiven and restored us to fellowship with Him. If it was not for His love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness, we would all be bound on a path to eternal condemnation in Hell and the Lake of Fire. If we find ourselves in a place where we are tempted to seek vengeance, we must stop and consider instead the blessings God bestows upon us. That is what King Saul did. Rather than focus on worthless men, he turned the people’s focus to the deliverance by, and the blessings of, a Worthy 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).
Monday, February 18, 2019
There Should Never Be A Doubt
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:9, They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
The Spirit of God had come upon Saul, kindling his anger, and prompting him to put forth his plan to help the people of Jabesh-gilead. What I would like us to observe is the confidence with which King Saul sends his message. Why such confidence in such potentially dire circumstances? How could he be so sure that he would have victory in the coming conflict? His confidence was not in his own ability to plan and gather the needed bodies to confront the enemy. His confidence was in knowing that it was God who was going to deliver the enemy and give King Saul and his men the victory. If the king, who had the Spirit “come upon” him, could have such confidence in facing Israel’s enemy, how is it that we, God’s children, who have the Spirit of God indwelling us (1 Corinthians 6:19), should fear and doubt so much when our old enemies, the devils, declare war on us? When troubling times come knocking on our door, we often forget that they first had to get past God to get to us. God is our “problem Filter”. Nothing touches our lives unless God allows it, and even then God is the One who sets the boundaries of those trials (Job 1 & 2). When God allowed Satan to attack Job, He set boundaries that the devil would not cross. Sad commentary to know that even Satan is more obedient than some of us in not crossing boundaries set by God. Nonetheless, when the attacks come, why do we doubt that God can give us the victory? Why do we not face our trials and tribulations with the same confidence that we see here? God did not indwell King Saul. We are His temple. Why then the doubt? Not only do we not need to fear Satan and his devils, but we need not fear man either. We must not forget that regardless of who is standing before us, man is not our enemy. Satan will use people to cause conflict in our lives, yes, even Christians, but people are not our enemies. That is why God calls us to love our enemies (Matthew 5). When we are attacked by people, we lash out at them in return because flesh and blood is what we see physically. However, Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Satan and his demons are in the business of destroying lives and relationships. He sends his minions to go after Christians (1 Peter 5:8-9). He wants to destroy godly homes and local churches. He wants to make us, as a whole, useless for God’s use in spreading the Gospel message. He wants our reputation as Christ followers marred so that the world will see us as hypocrites and reject us when we proclaim the Name of Jesus. Sadly, we give the devils plenty of ammunition by the ungodly way that far too many of us live. When the attacks grow stronger, we begin to doubt and even begin to think that God has abandoned us. We begin to reflect on past sins and allow the devils to convince us that God is punishing us and that He will not rescue us from this overwhelming storm. I want to encourage each of us to stop thinking this way, and instead, fight this fight the way Jesus did when Satan tried to attach Him directly in the wilderness (Matthew 4). Jesus’ weapon against Satan was His Word. God has not left us alone in our everyday battles. Hebrews 13:5-6 clearly states, “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 you may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” Not only is He always with us and is our Helper, He has also provided us with the armor we need to withstand devilish attacks. Ephesians 6:13-17 instructs us, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Finally, we are to put on this armor, but we are to fight in the power of God’s might (Ephesians 6:10). How do we do this? We do this be drawing near to God and praying always (Ephesians 6:18). James 4:7-8 promises, “Submit therefore 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 doubleminded.” The bottom line is that in Christ we have the ultimate victory. We may not see that victory right away, as war is never a pretty thing. It gets bloody and people get hurt and killed. Nonetheless, Jesus promised that in Him we always have the victory, regardless of what it may seem like to us as we go through it. Let us march forward, making sure we have God’s armor securely in place, praying always, and staying close to the One who will fight the battle for us and give us the ultimate victory.
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, February 17, 2019
We Should Do it Because We Love Him
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:5, Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
King Saul, in hearing the people weep, immediately inquired. As a humble king, he had concern for the people he had now been given charge over. He could have very easily gone about his business and disregarded the people’s distress, but instead he chose to concern himself with the needs of the people. As born again Christians, we have two things in our everyday life that we must concern ourselves with, above all else. These two things are not original to me; they are original to Jesus. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” How do we respond to the needs of others? How do we respond when we learn that someone we know, whether a close friend or an acquaintance, is going through tough times? Do we ever stop and ask others how they are doing and really mean it, or is it something we just ask in passing with no genuine interest in how the person is really doing? The fact of the matter is that not everyone around us who is hurting is showing it. Some people hide their sorrows behind smiling masks and facades they have put on, or build, in order to camouflage the pain they harbor inside. We never stop to really consider that there are people around us who always seem to be in a good mood and smiling, but inside they are dying. If we do actually take the time to care enough to ask, my next question would be, “Are we ready to do something about it, if it is within our power to do so?” You see, it is not enough to just inquire and learn of another person’s need or pain. We must also be ready to allow God to use us to meet that need, if He so chooses to use us. Are we going to meet everyone’s needs that we encounter? Realistically, the answer is “no”. However, sometimes, all a person, our neighbor, is looking for is an “ear”, a word of encouragement, someone to just sit, listen, and even weep with them. Do we love God enough and our neighbor enough to take time out of our busy, self-absorbed, schedules to simply talk to someone? Are we willing to use whatever resources God has blessed us with to bless those He leads us to? Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Galatians 6:9-10 also says, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” 1 John 3:17-18 reminds us, “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” The funny thing about what Jesus said about loving God and loving our neighbor is that when we truly love God, we will do all we can to love our neighbor, and when we truly love our neighbor, we will demonstrate how much we love God. I will close this with Jesus very words about how He sees our deeds towards other in relation to our relationship to Him. In Matthew 25:34-40 Jesus said this about His return and how our deeds towards other will be judged, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”
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, February 15, 2019
Getting Angry Is Not Always Bad
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:6, Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
Managing our emotions can be a very tricky venture. Today, we see an increasing push toward taking a pill, or several pills, to control this emotion or that emotion. If we are sad, we are led to believe that there is something wrong with us. If we get angry, we are demonized and told that there is something wrong with us that can only be fixed by taking some new medication that will not only fix our anger and depression, but can also, potentially, cause all kinds of physical or mental problems we do not already suffer from, even thoughts of suicide. What? Are we that naïve, or are we that unlearned in the Scriptures that we cannot see that our emotions can actually be a help and not a hindrance? It is when we allow our emotions to run wild that we get into trouble. When we fail to trust God in the circumstances of our lives, this is best time for the devils to use the emotions that God blessed us with to be pressure release valves, as weapons to self destruct. King Saul became angry when he heard the reason God’s people were overcome with grief. Note that his anger came after the Spirit of God came upon him. Yes my brothers and sisters, there will be times that our anger will come from the Spirit of God inside us, when we witness an injustice against God and His people. When society decides that living for the Lord and doing what is right is to be labeled “intolerance and evil”. Becoming angry because laws are established that clearly violate God’s Word is not wrong. Our anger becomes sin when we channel that anger in ungodly ways. Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry and do not sin.” Our tendency to sin in our anger is when we respond in anger to actions or situations that involve our personal hurt. This usually happens when our pride is hurt, when someone does something toward us directly, such as reject us, disrespect us, slander us, or do something that is meant specifically for our hurt. Sometimes, the anger comes from a misunderstanding; when we perceive something to be hurtful toward us, when it was not the intention of the person who caused the hurt. This kind of anger becomes sin because it is an anger that is founded on selfishness. “How could they have done that to me?” As if any of us are exempt from people treating us badly. King Saul was angry because of the injustice against God’s people, and God used that anger to establish and confirm him as Israel’s king. In Exodus 32:19-20 we read of Moses’ anger, “It came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it.” This was not a common characteristic for Moses personally, as we are told in Number 12:3, (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.) I point this particular verse out because in Numbers 12, this is said of him in a situation where Miriam and Aaron were speaking against Moses because he was married to a Cushite woman. We see that when the attack was against him personally, Moses did not react as he did when the injustice was against God. Moses’ reaction in Numbers was the reaction that we are instructed to have when an occasion arises for our anger to be kindled. James 1:19-20 clearly states, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Our reaction to personal attacks will easily lead us down the “sin path”. There were occasions when Jesus became angry, when He healed the man’s withered hand in Mark 3, verse 5 tells us that Jesus became angry at the hardness of the heart of the people in the synagogue. In Matthew 21 and Luke 19, Jesus became angry because the Temple was being used as a den of thieves. The bottom line is that it is not a bad thing to display our emotions. Anger in and of itself is not sinful. However, what we do with our anger is what makes it sin. We can be angry because of an injustice or because of circumstances, but we can be constructive in how we release that anger, never using that anger as justification to return evil for evil. If the injustice is toward us personally, then our response should be a slow tendency to get angry. Instead, we should be seeking to do our best to be at peace with whoever caused the injustice, always being ready to forgive, and allowing God to be the Avenger of whatever was done against 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).
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Real Humility In Action
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:5, Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
Although King Saul’s end was not admirable, his beginnings were a great example of what humility looks like. Samuel had already anointed him king and the announcement had been officially made before all of Israel, and confirmed by God Himself. Yet, here we find King Saul in the last place you would expect to find a king; still working in the field. He did not immediately begin to exalt himself or take away from Samuel that which still belonged to Samuel in his role as God’s prophet. This will change later on in his life, but right now he is demonstrating what humility looks like in action. Saul modeled for us what was said of Jesus in Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, did not come and exalt Himself as God and King, even though He had every right and had the power to do so. Instead, He chose humility and submission, and allowed His Father to exalt Him in due time, as we are told in Philippians 2:9-11. It reads, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What does this look like in our lives as God’s children, who are supposed to be growing to be more and more like our Lord and Savior? If we are truly seeking to be as humble as Jesus in the way we live, then it will show in every aspect of our lives. Whether we are at home, at work, at play, or just dealing with a complete stranger as we carry out the duties and tasks of the day, humility will shine bright in the way we treat others. It will shine bright in the way we carry out our responsibilities and what tasks we are willing to undertake. Ephesians 4:1-3 says, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Philippians 2:3-4 further instructs, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Is there any task that we are not willing to undertake, simply because we are “too good” to do it? Do we come across to others as if certain task or duties are beneath us? Jesus, God Himself, our Lord, did not think it beneath Him to wash the dirty and most likely stinky feet of His disciples. As a matter of fact, let us read what is said of that particular incident. In John 13:2-5 it says, “During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. 5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” Did anyone observe what just happened? Not only did Jesus humble himself by taking off his own garments and putting on a towel, which He used to dry the disciples’ feet, he also poured the water Himself, and washed the feet of ALL the disciples. He did not just wash the feet of the eleven that did not betray Him. He washed the feet of His betrayer, Judas Iscariot. Jesus, knowing what Judas was about to do, humbled Himself at the feet of His betrayer and showed him the love of Jesus, up close and personal. How many of us can honestly say that we can demonstrate that kind of love and humility? I have to admit, that this would be really difficult to do. King Saul, even though already king of Israel, did not think it beneath him to continue working in the field, even as king. If we are to demonstrate true humility in our lives, then we will see others as better than ourselves, and we will tackle any task that needs to get done, regardless of how menial it may seem. Ultimately, all we do for others or anything we take on, we do as servants of Jesus, not men, for the purpose of honoring and exalting Jesus in our 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).
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Giving the Right Impression
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:4, Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
What we see in this verse is the product of a broken relationship with God. This is the general state of mind and condition of the lost. Sadly, it is also what we see with Christians when we allow our relationship with the Lord to deteriorate. Our lack of prayer, study of God’s Word, and overall lack of living by faith, will lead us to those break downs we have when difficult times come upon us. We discussed previously how Israel’s despair drove them to seek a solution that did not include God. Here we see the immediate stress and anxiety that they experienced, that drove them to tears. How often have we found ourselves in situations that just seemed hopeless? How often have we reacted as if God could not handle our particular situation, or reacted as if He was not interested in our circumstances? I am sure many of us would not readily admit it. Well…let us be honest. I know that there have been moments when I have needed reminders that God does care, and that there really is no need to panic or feel overwhelmed to the point being completely distressed. Quite honestly, those moment occurred mostly during times when I neglected my relationship with the Lord. On the contrary, whenever I am diligent to be in prayer, reading and studying my Bible, and doing my best to be a doer and not just a hearer (James 1:22-25), I will immediately be reminded by the Spirit that I can cast my cares upon Him, because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7). Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The fact of the matter is that we stress out over circumstances far more then we need to. We have a God who promised never to leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5-6 promises, “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?’” Jesus promised in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” Proverbs 29:25 reminds us, “The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.” The bottom line is that regardless of the circumstances or the scenario, if we stay close to the Lord, trust Him, and continue to live by faith, we have nothing to fear, as far as man is concerned. Israel’s lack of relationship with the LORD sent them into a tailspin of panic and distress. So it is with us when we neglect our relationship with the Lord. It will not take much to launch us into a pit of emotional darkness when we fail to recognize and acknowledge God for who He is in our lives. If we fail to seek after Him as we should, the smallest of trials will seem bigger than they are. Our reaction may even give the impression to those who are observing our lives, that God is not big enough or powerful enough to handle our small problems or deliver us from those who seek our hurt. Let us not give the world that impression. Instead, let us give the right impression by trusting God in such a way that the world marvels at how powerful our God really is and how strong our faith is because we are trusting in such a powerful 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).
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Trust and Do Not Fear
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 11:1, Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.”
This is what happens when God’s people reject the LORD as King of their lives. The enemy rears its ugly head, and the people immediately turn to God. No…wait…they do not turn to God. When trouble showed up at Israel’s front door, rather than take a stand because Almighty God was the King who would fight for them, they cowered and sought to strike a deal with the enemy, and become their slaves. How sad is it when we, God’s children, become fearful of the trials, tribulations, and challenges in our lives, and instead of turning to God, we turn to man and our own wisdom in trying to find a solution. The evidence of who God really is in our lives will show up when trouble comes to visit. Regardless of how much we say we trust God, and regardless of how much we proclaim our faith, the evidence of whether or not we truly trust the Lord to take care of us will be seen clearly when the rug gets pulled out from under us. It does not matter where the trial originated. Whether of our own doing or someone else’s, God does not forsake us, and it is only when we have forsaken Him that we will step back and cower, when in fact we should be standing up boldly and humbly, knowing that the Lord is faithful and will carry us through whatever challenge He allows to show up in our lives. The Israelites immediately sought safety in a covenant with man; a covenant that could easily be broken if man chose to. Whereas a covenant with God is one that He will not break, because God is a God of His Word. Psalm 118:8-9 clearly states, “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to trust in princes.” Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Cursed in the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD.’” There is verse after verse that warns against trusting in man, or our own wisdom, over trusting in God. Proverbs 26:28 reads, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered.” What amazes me about what Israel chose here is that in spite of the hardness of their hearts, the Lord still used King Saul to deliver them from the potential oppression they were facing. Again, even though the trouble came as a result of their own rejection, God remained faithful to them. The one thing the devils love to do is convince us that when we sin against the Lord, this somehow lessens the love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace He shows toward us. That is a lie straight out of the pits of hell and contrary to God’s Word. There are consequences, but one of those consequences is never the loss of God’s love for us. We are to strive each day to live holy lives, but when we stumble, when we sin, God does not forsake us. He has given us the answer to those times when we stumble. In 1 John 1:8-10 we are told, “If we say we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us.” Romans 8 reminds us that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from His love. Had Israel not forsaken their God, and had they surrendered their lives to Him, being confident of the truth that He would never forsake them, instead of cowering and seeking a foolish and weak solution, they would have stood against their enemies knowing that God would fight for them as He already had in the past. When we have full confidence in who God is in our lives, we realize that there is no enemy who can stand up against our God or defeat Him. Romans 8:31 asks, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” The answer is a simple one, “No one.” I will leave us with this wonderful reminder from Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. 8 For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” If we trust in the LORD, we have no need to fear man or circumstances, but in order to avoid such fear, we must always be sure never to forsake our God, and trust Him completely.
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, February 9, 2019
A Lack of Favor Is Not Always Bad
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 10:26-27, Saul also went to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 27 But certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.
One of the toughest things to deal with, for many of us, is accepting rejection. As born again Christians seeking to obey the Lord’s Word, and living the life we are supposed to live as followers of Jesus, will definitely put us in a position to be rejected. However, along with rejection, there are those who readily accept us. We often waste a lot of precious time trying to win the favor of people God has chosen not to give us favor with. Israel wanted, and requested, a king to rule over them. God gave them exactly what they wanted. Yet, once a king was chosen and given to them, some refused to follow. This is the fickleness of men. Regardless of what we do, we will never please everyone. Nonetheless, there are people in our lives who God gives us favor with. In this passage, God touched the hearts of the men who would follow King Saul and protect him. However, let us observe that although God gave King Saul favor with some, He allowed others to immediately rebel against him. So it is in our lives. There will be those with whom we will have favor with, and at the same time be disliked and even despised by others. Joseph was despised by his brothers, but found favor with Potiphar (Genesis 37, 39). Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph, which led to his imprisonment, but God gave Joseph favor with the jailor (Genesis 39). In all that Joseph experienced in dealing with people, God used each of them to lead him right to where he wanted him (Genesis 41). In our walk with the Lord, there will be those whom we will find favor with because we are Christians, and others will hate us because we are Christians. In either case, God will use both to grow us in our relationship with Him. He will use them both to be a blessing in our lives, if we are willing to see that and embrace it. We all love to deal with people who love us and favor us because of who we are in Christ. However, we are quick to want nothing to do with those who hate us and make themselves our enemies; sometimes with reason and other times for no apparent reason. The first thing we need to remind ourselves of when we encounter the “haters” is that God is in control, regardless of how we are treated by others. When we encounter enemies in our lives, it opens up opportunities to learn to love like Jesus loves. In Matthew 5:43-48 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 and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Dealing with people who God chose not to give us favor with, regardless of the reason, is an opportunity to learn to forgive like Jesus forgives. Ephesians 4:30-32 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Saul may not have had a good ending to his story as a king, but his beginnings were admirable. His reaction toward these “worthless men”, who would not follow him, was very wise. Although, as king, he had the power to put them to death, he chose to just keep silent. When we deal with people whom God has chosen not to give us favor with, it is an opportunity to practice being slow to anger. James 1:19-20 tells us, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” The bottom line is that not all people are going to like us, what we stand for, or Who we stand with. God is well aware of the people in our lives and He will use them to grow us by giving us opportunities to be a blessing in their lives, use them to be a blessing in ours, or use them as the sandpaper that He will use to shape us into the servants of Christ we need to be for 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, February 8, 2019
Can God Not See?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 10:21, When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found.
This may seem like a strange approach in presenting Saul as the first king of Israel (humanly speaking, as God was their real first and only true King). However, this was a wise move in that by having all the clans gather and choosing Saul by lots, which was of the Lord, showed them that even though each clan had equal opportunity, it was God who made the ultimate decision. So it is in our lives. God has a plan for each of us, and He will be the One who chooses what that plan is, what role we will play in that plan, when and how it will play out and come to pass. This role that Saul would play as king was not one that God had to suddenly think of because of Israel's rejection. God had chosen Saul to be king long before Israel ever made the decision to request a king. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Galatians 1:15-16 also says, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood". So it was with Saul that God chose Him even before officially calling him; and so it is with us that God already had a plan for us, even before we were born. Knowing the hardness of Israel's heart, lots were cast to show them that there was no favoritism on Samuel's behalf in choosing the Tribe of Benjamin, Saul's family, or Saul himself. Saul, knowing that he was already chosen, as communicated to him previously by Samuel, chose to hide himself (v.22). This was either a great act of humility, or a result of fear; fear of the responsibility that would come with leading such a stiffnecked people. Possible evidence of Saul's tendencies to shrink away and hide were evident when he refused to go out and face Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Regardless of the reason, what we see here is that when God has chosen us for a task, or chosen us to accomplish something in His Name, no matter where we go in an attempt to escape, we cannot hide from God. In verse 22 the people sought Saul and could not find him, but God knew exactly where he was, and what he was doing. In Jeremiah 23:24 the Lord asked "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?" Psalm 139 clearly tells us that there is no place we can go, even the depths of hell, to escape God's presence. Jonah thought he could run and hide from God when God told him to go to Nineveh and preach to that evil nation. In the end, he found that there was no place he could run to, in order to escape what God had already planned for his life. Life can take all kinds of twists and turns. The detours may come from our own decisions, or the decisions and attempted interference by others. However, no matter what we do or others try, we have a God who is faithful, who will eventually bring us to the exact place He wants us to be, to accomplish exactly what He desires, for His glory. When we see Saul's hiding place, we cannot help but stop and think, "How foolish. Do you think that God cannot see you?" Well, maybe we need to stop and observe where we might be trying to go to hide from God and His plan for our lives, and ask ourselves the same exact question.
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).
This may seem like a strange approach in presenting Saul as the first king of Israel (humanly speaking, as God was their real first and only true King). However, this was a wise move in that by having all the clans gather and choosing Saul by lots, which was of the Lord, showed them that even though each clan had equal opportunity, it was God who made the ultimate decision. So it is in our lives. God has a plan for each of us, and He will be the One who chooses what that plan is, what role we will play in that plan, when and how it will play out and come to pass. This role that Saul would play as king was not one that God had to suddenly think of because of Israel's rejection. God had chosen Saul to be king long before Israel ever made the decision to request a king. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Galatians 1:15-16 also says, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood". So it was with Saul that God chose Him even before officially calling him; and so it is with us that God already had a plan for us, even before we were born. Knowing the hardness of Israel's heart, lots were cast to show them that there was no favoritism on Samuel's behalf in choosing the Tribe of Benjamin, Saul's family, or Saul himself. Saul, knowing that he was already chosen, as communicated to him previously by Samuel, chose to hide himself (v.22). This was either a great act of humility, or a result of fear; fear of the responsibility that would come with leading such a stiffnecked people. Possible evidence of Saul's tendencies to shrink away and hide were evident when he refused to go out and face Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Regardless of the reason, what we see here is that when God has chosen us for a task, or chosen us to accomplish something in His Name, no matter where we go in an attempt to escape, we cannot hide from God. In verse 22 the people sought Saul and could not find him, but God knew exactly where he was, and what he was doing. In Jeremiah 23:24 the Lord asked "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?" Psalm 139 clearly tells us that there is no place we can go, even the depths of hell, to escape God's presence. Jonah thought he could run and hide from God when God told him to go to Nineveh and preach to that evil nation. In the end, he found that there was no place he could run to, in order to escape what God had already planned for his life. Life can take all kinds of twists and turns. The detours may come from our own decisions, or the decisions and attempted interference by others. However, no matter what we do or others try, we have a God who is faithful, who will eventually bring us to the exact place He wants us to be, to accomplish exactly what He desires, for His glory. When we see Saul's hiding place, we cannot help but stop and think, "How foolish. Do you think that God cannot see you?" Well, maybe we need to stop and observe where we might be trying to go to hide from God and His plan for our lives, and ask ourselves the same exact question.
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, February 7, 2019
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
One Day Better than a Thousand
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 10:19, But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
How soon we forget God’s goodness and favor. Israel expressed their rejection of God by choosing man’s rule over His rule. Through Samuel, God expressed His displeasure with their choice, but gave them freewill to choose, reminded them what they were giving up, and what they were going to receive. Far too often, we, as God’s children, choose man over God. Many of us know what God expects based on His Word, but choose instead to rationalize our choices based on what is acceptable before man. While the Lord was their King, He provided for them and delivered them from their enemies. On the occasions when He used judges to deliver them, it was the Lord who was really the Deliverer. In his mercy and goodness He chose to use men and women as His instruments of deliverance. Sadly, this is still a flaw that exists in our thinking, where we put more weight on the blessing than we do on the One who provided the blessing. We get into the mindset that we want what we want, when we want it, and it seems that nothing God does will change our hearts or minds. This sad state of existence begins when we fail to acknowledge God’s goodness, and fail to be content with what God provides, or chooses for us, in fulfilling His plan for our lives. When we find ourselves in the midst of trying times, we pray, we plead, God delivers, we give thanks, we praise, then we forget. When we forget, we begin to complain until we make ourselves miserable, then blame God for that misery. What then is left for us to do? In our own wisdom, we choose to seek our own happiness, regardless of what that might entail. Hebrews 3:5 reminds us, “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.’” Along with actively reminding ourselves to be content with what God has already blessed us with, we must consciously give thanks for those blessings and not focus on what we do not have. When we are tempted to forget God’s goodness to us, we need to read Psalm 77, especially verse 12, “I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.” It is always a good practice to recount how God has provided and delivered us in times past. If we do this continually, we will find peace in the present time when we are in the midst of difficult times, as well as have peace of mind not worrying about tomorrow. Psalm 9:1 says, “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.” In this day and age when so much is available to many of us, it is far too easy to become covetous and ungrateful. As time goes on, more and more Christians seem to desire a life of ease, rather than taking up our crosses and suffering for the cause of Christ. This results in us turning to the world, where there is plenty offered to make us comfortable (for the moment), but later becomes our burden. We turn to man and his ways because it allows us to fulfill our selfish wants and desires. When all of that comes crashing down around us, we then turn to God to rescue us from our own foolishness. I ask, “Why wait until we are in a state of desperation to turn to the Lord?” “Why not simply keep a consistent heart of thankfulness, practice being content, and just strive to be faithful to the One who is always faithful to us?” There is no one who will be as faithful to us, or as good to us, as our God. Our worst times in Christ are far better than the world’s best days without Him. I will leave us with Psalm 84:10, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
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, February 5, 2019
Monday, February 4, 2019
Best Not to Boast
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 10:15-16, And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.” 16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.
Saul’s beginnings as the first king of Israel were humble beginnings. What we see happen to Saul is what happens to many of us when God launches us on a path to success, which can easily end in failure if we do not keep our pride at bay. We start out thankful and humble for the undeserved opportunities, but not long afterwards we begin to think more of ourselves than we should, which the Word of God warns against (Romans 12; Galatians 6). Saul could have very easily taken the opportunity to boast about what was about to take place in his life. He could have attributed his success to his stature and appearance. He could have thought himself better than all the rest, since he was chosen, by God, over everyone else. Had he done that, he would have definitely started out on the wrong foot and placed himself in a dangerous place right from the outset. In Matthew 12:36-37 Jesus said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” When we think of idle words, we often think of profanity. In doing so, we give little thought to the fact that bragging and boasting are also idle words that are filled with pride. By keeping silent about what was going to take place in his being crowned king, Saul made a wise and humble decision. When we boast about what has not yet taken place, James tells us that this boasting is arrogant and evil (James 4:13-16). How often have we heard someone bragging about what God is doing in their life and what they are going to do for God? How often have we found ourselves in the same position and used a time of giving testimony to boast about what we did, and sprinkled a little God on it? How often have there been plans for something big that was in the works, and we could not resist bragging about the role we will play in getting these things going and what role we will play once the dust settles? The one thing we forget is that life is unpredictable, and the only one who knows exactly what tomorrow will bring is God. That is why James warned against boasting about tomorrow without counting on the Lord’s will (James 4). Matshona Dhliwayo said, “If you show off do not get upset when God doesn’t show up.” Many things can happen to our plans, even those we feel are God’s plan for our lives, that can sidetrack our progress. Even when God has plans for our lives, we do not always know His timing. In the end, we look like fools when we brag about “this and that”, but the time comes and goes, and nothing happens. Like Saul, it is best to remain silent and let God do whatever it is God is going to do, in His time. Proverbs 27:1-2 gives great advice when it comes to having wisdom in knowing when to speak and when to be silent; it says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Saul chose to let what Samuel told him play out as God desired for it to play out. We can learn a valuable lesson from that example. It is far better to let God use someone else to boast on our behalf and be elevated, than to steal God’s glory and put ourselves up on a pedestal that we can be knocked down from. Jesus put it best when He said this in Luke 14:8-11, “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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, February 3, 2019
Can It Be Seen?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 10:9, 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.
In this verse, and the ones that follow, we see something take place that can only be accomplished by God. As Saul turns away from Samuel, God gives him another heart. Here is a man who had no concern for the things of God, nor had any aspirations of becoming the first king of anything, let alone Israel. Yet, in going about doing his own thing (in this case, looking for his father’s lost donkeys), he has a life changing encounter with God, through his meeting with Samuel. It is usually in the carrying out of our everyday life tasks that God shows up and changes our lives forever, if we are willing. God will not force Himself on us, but will change our lives for His glory, if we are willing to serve Him. The people were astonished when they heard Saul, a man who was not religious, prophesying. A man with no care for the things of God was now speaking the things of God (v. 10-13). How did this change come about? Simply put, it was God. Verse 10 tells us that the Spirit of God came upon Saul, and it was then that he prophesied. Before this took place, God made a change in his heart. If we desire to have real, lasting, change in our lives, it must come from the inside out and not the other way around. Far too many people, even Christians, put more stock into what they do, than what God can do. Here is what I mean. The unsaved try to earn their salvation by way of their religion and their dedication to that religion. Yet, God clearly states that salvation comes by God’s grace alone. In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Titus 3:4-7 also tells us, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The Christian, on the other hand, often has the same mindset as the unsaved, in that they begin trusting Jesus for eternal life, but then begin to rely more on their works than God’s grace. The Apostle Paul said this to the saints at Galatia in Galatians 3:1-3 “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Our desire to work out our salvation (Philippians 2:12) should be grounded in our faith, and a result of our salvation and faith, and not the other way around (James 2). However, the change necessary for this to happen must come from God and God alone. Saul’s heart-change came from God. Whenever I get involved in discipleship and Bible study, I always remind the person I am studying with that I am not the one that will change them. I am there to simply guide them and it is God who makes the changes from the inside out. This also applies to us personally as we study and apply the Word of God to our lives. The proof a real heart-change will show up in our words, actions, and deeds. The change that took place in Saul was clearly evident to everyone around him. Can the same thing be said about us and our testimony for Jesus? Can those who knew us, and know us, truly say that they have seen, and see, a difference in the way we live since we called upon Jesus and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior? I am not talking about people seeing us going to church every week, sometimes twice, but then living like the devil when we are outside of the church building. I am talking about people seeing a genuine change in who we are. Are we kinder, more loving towards others, forgiving, patient, honest, and willing to give to the Lord and others? Have we forsaken the places we used to go to that encouraged us to do what is evil before God? Have we turned from relationships that caused us to live a life contrary to God’s will? Are we striving each day to live holy, righteous, lives, repenting and confessing every time we stumble and sin against God and others? We may pretend that we have changed, but God knows whether we have truly surrendered to the new heart God gives us in Christ Jesus.
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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