Friday, May 31, 2019
Aim for Humility
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 18:10-11, And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.
Once again we see the “distressing spirit from God” moving in Saul’s life. It is a distressing spirit that accentuated Saul’s pride, insecurities and jealousies toward David. Once Saul became jealous of David, his aim became to kill David. However, we will get back to Saul later. Right now I would like us to focus on David and his attitude toward serving Saul. Here we have a young man who was originally brought into the palace to play for Saul, but we soon after find him back at home taking care of his family’s sheep, as before (1 Samuel 16). Then he goes out to the battlefield, challenges and defeats Goliath, and is promoted by Saul (1 Samuel 17-18). He serves Saul wisely, and is successful in leading the men in battle against the Philistines. He earns praise from the people, but it also wins him persecution from the one who we are told loved him, Saul (1 Samuel 16; 18). It is easy to say that David’s life is one of excitement and one that would make any young man be filled with pride. Sadly, I see far too many of us become prideful when God begins to use us and accomplish great things through us. We quickly forget that all our accomplishments are for the glory of God and not self. This is the reason why we must actively remind ourselves that we are to decrease and the Lord increase in our lives, so that others see more of Him than they see of us, in our attitude and actions (John 3:30). David did not see serving Saul, using his musical ability, as being beneath him simply because he was now a successful warrior who had great successes on the battlefield. We go down a slippery slope when we begin to think more of ourselves than we should. Romans 12:3 reminds us, “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 warns, “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Saul’s aim was to kill David, while David’s aim was to continue serving God with humility, even if it meant trying to serve Saul, the man who wanted to take his life. When we are tempted to see some task or service as beneath us, let us remember James 4:6, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” Regardless of where God leads us, or how He uses us, our aim in serving should always be to do it with humility; as we are told in Colossians 3:12, Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering”.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Destructive Jealousy
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 18:8-9, Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
Insecurity and jealousy can be very destructive in the life of a Christian. Saul had every reason to rejoice, as a king. He had gained a man who would lead his men, and country, to victories over their enemies. Yet, he allowed his selfish motives, insecurities, and jealousies lead him down a path of destruction. In verses 5-7 we read, “So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sand as they danced, and said: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’” We see that Saul was so well-pleased with David’s dedication and service to him that he set him over the men of war. All this was well and good until David began to receive greater praises than he received. How often do we look upon others, whom God prospers, with envy and wonder why God has not done the same for us? How often do we measure our service and success to others, when in fact we should be keeping our eyes on Jesus and stay in our own lane of service to Him? In John 21 when Peter questioned Jesus about John’s future, Jesus responded to him in verse 22, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” That is great advice for each of us. We need to take our eyes off what God is doing in the lives of others, that is none of our business, and simply follow Him. Our insecurities and jealousies can be very destructive to the local church, and even in our personal relationships. 1 Corinthians 3:3 warns, “for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” James 3:14-16 clearly tells us, “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.” The devils love nothing more than causing division within the body of Jesus. When we allow our insecurities and jealousies to get the best of us, we put ourselves in a position to be used as tools in the devils’ hands for causing division. Along with being the cause of division, we can also find ourselves on the other side of that coin, as David did. We may find that others will be jealous of how God is using us and blessing us, and find ourselves on the receiving end of the jealous actions towards us. When we do, we must continue to do as David did, whose commitment to God did not waver, and who refused to compromise who he was or what God expected of him, regardless of how much he suffered due to Saul’s jealousy. If we find ourselves on the side of the coin where we are the ones gossiping and causing division because of our insecurities and jealousy, then we need to repent, confess it, and get right with the LORD and those whom we have persecuted. If we are on the other side of that coin, then we need to continue to be steadfast in our service to the Lord and continue living for His glory, trusting Him to intervene and take vengeance on those who choose to persecute us because of their own jealousies.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, May 27, 2019
True Freedom Only Found in Jesus
Verse of the Day: Galatians 5:1, Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Today, in our country, we celebrate those who gave their lives so that we can live free. Someone once said, “All gave some, but some gave all.” There are many who have given their lives in order that we could enjoy the freedoms we have today. However, many are working to take those freedoms away from us and enslave us again; not in way that is noticeable by all, and would cause us to stand up and fight for them, but in a subtle way that will cause us one day to wake up and wonder how it was that we lost them. It is like the illustration of the frog that in placed in a pot of cold water and as the water is slowly heated the frog adjusts its body temperature, not realizing that it is going to eventually meet its demise. The fact of the matter is that there is really no freedom like that which is found only in Christ Jesus. John 8:31-32 tells us, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The freedom we have in Christ came to us much like the freedom we have in our country came to us; someone died in order that we might have it. John 3:16 clearly states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” As many of us see today, the freedom gained for us by those who died fighting for it can be taken from us if we are not careful to guard it and cherish it. If we are not vigilant, we will find ourselves enslaved to those who want to take those freedoms from us. In this verse, in Galatians, the Apostle Paul admonishes us not to entangle ourselves again, or enslave ourselves again, to the rituals and works that do nothing to earn us the freedom we have in Jesus Christ when we call upon Him, by faith, to be our Savior and Lord. Verse 4 of Galatians 5 reminds us that we do not need to be enslaved to the law if we a personal relationship with Jesus. It reads, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” The bottom line is that the greatest freedom we can celebrate and enjoy is the freedom we gain in having a saving knowledge and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. It is a freedom that we will never lose, because no one can take us out of His hands as we are told in John 10:28-30, which reads, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.” Today, as we celebrate the freedom that so many gave their lives for, let us also remember, and celebrate, the true freedom we enjoy in Christ Jesus. We must refuse to give our freedom over to the devils by refusing to be entangled again to sin, rituals, and works that do nothing but hinder our relationship with the One who made the ultimate sacrifice, willingly, and in love, so that we could have the hope of spending eternity with Him and enjoy the freedom, here and now, that we have in Jesus and Jesus alone.
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, May 23, 2019
Seek Wisdom in All We Do
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 18:5, So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
This verse says much about David’s character and relationship with God. Our Christianity must extend itself beyond the church building walls. Far too many of us are great Christians within the local church building but lack much once we set foot outside the building. We get into our cars and before we make it to the end of the parking lot, we are cutting people off and refusing to give others the right of way. We go home and the person we were in the church building with our family was left in the church building and we are someone different before our spouse and children. We go to work, and if it were not for the times that we speak of the Lord (in between the inappropriate jokes and language) no one would really know we were Christians. Our work ethic is less than admirable and those who truly want to glorify the Lord would prefer that we not publicly identify ourselves as Christians in the work place because of our less than glorifying attitude. I say all this to point out that David, whether tending to his family’s sheep or serving Saul, carried out his duties with God-honoring wisdom. 1 Corinthians 10:31 clearly states, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” I have seen Christians who have tried to, and in some cases have succeeded to, climb the ladder of success at work using the world’s approach. However, it cost them their testimony for Jesus. Like David, regardless of whether we are at home, work, or out socially, we need to live life with godly wisdom. James 1:5 promises, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Proverbs 22:1 tells us, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” As followers of Jesus, this ought to be our goal in all that we do, and in every aspect of our lives; as glorifying Him and bringing honor to His Name should always be at the forefront of our thinking. Verses that always comes to mind in respect to what kind of employees and servants we should be is Colossians 3:23-24, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” When we work for others, or have an opportunity to serve others, whatever we do, as born again believers, we are doing “as to the Lord”. The Word of God promises that if we seek wisdom, we will find her. Proverbs 2:3-8 promises, “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord give wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8 He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints.” We must avoid seeking man’s favor over what we know is right before God. David sought to be wise before God, and in seeking the favor of God he also gained favor with men. It is always best to move ahead in life using godly wisdom and preserving our testimony for Jesus, rather than to gain all the world has to offer, but blemish the Name of our Lord and Savior. What we gain here is temporary, but heavenly reward is eternal. If we ever wonder if our wisdom is truly from God, then we can use James 3:13-17 as a measure; it says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 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. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
The Changing of Garments
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 18:3-4, Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
What a wonderful picture we see here in the love relationship between Jonathan and David and what Jesus did for us. Jonathan, in seeing David arrayed in the clothing of a poor shepherd boy, took off his own royal garments, armor, and weapons, and put them on David. What drove these actions? It was the love Jonathan had for David. In this case, David earned the honor of wearing such apparel, and Jonathan seemed to recognize this. In an instant, those who looked upon David would no longer see a shepherd boy, but one fit to be a prince and future king. Even though we see some similarities here to what Jesus did for us, there are some great and very significant differences. First, we must note that even though Jonathan dresses David with his clothing and weapons, he does not take on David’s clothing, staff, or sling. Jesus on the other hand took on our sins. What drove Him to do this? His love for us, as recorded for us in John 3:16, led Him to the Cross. He took on our dirty clothing before He clothed us with His righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24 tells us, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 clearly tells us, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Isaiah 61:10 reminds us, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Jesus has clothed us in His righteousness (Philippians 3:9). We were poor and broken, and unlike David, we cannot prove that we are worthy of such royalty, because we are unrighteous sinners and all have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Yet, being clothed in Jesus’ righteousness we have been made a royal priesthood of believers. 1 Peter 2:9-10 state, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” While David proved his worth in being able to wear the royal garments, we are told that there is nothing we can do to prove ourselves or earn the salvation that is only available in Christ Jesus (Isaiah 64:6; John 14:6). Instead, we are told that God’s free gift in Jesus Christ is only obtained by God’s grace, when we put our faith in, and call upon, Jesus as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:13). Titus 3:4-7 assures 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.” In saying all this, I will remind us all that we may not be able to prove ourselves worthy of such an unworthy and wonderful gift, but we can certainly prove that we have received it by the way we live for the Lord. Doing the most we can, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a life of faith, of righteous living, for the glory of God, will prove to the world that we are the children of God. It will also open opportunities for us to share this most wonderful gift with the lost a dying world.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Friendship Bound in the Spirit
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 18:1, Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
When we stop and consider who Jonathan and David were, it is utterly amazing that they had this kind of relationship. Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne, being Saul’s son. David was a shepherd boy. Two men from two completely different backgrounds, yet they shared a friendship and love for each other that could only be explained by the bonding that takes place between two people who know the Lord intimately. Jonathan, like David, demonstrated his faith in the Lord when he courageously attacked the Philistines along with his armorbearer in chapters 13 and 14. These young men shared a common faith that bridged the differences in their family backgrounds. There is nothing that brings a blemish to the Name of Jesus more than a Christian, or Christians, who discriminate against another Christian(s) or unsaved person, based on their background or status in society. As brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to love one another. In John 13:34-35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The relationships we have with each other speak volumes to the unsaved world. How do we convince the unsaved that there is love within the body of Christ, when we cannot get along with each other? How do we convince the world that we are true followers of Jesus, who know how to love one another, when we cannot even bring ourselves to show the love of Christ and do good for one another? Galatians 6:9-10 clearly state, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” There have been times when I have met another brother in Christ where a bond was created that made us feel like that was not our first meeting, and like we had known each other for years. What made the difference? The Holy Spirit of God made the difference. We are not to discount, in this case, that God had already anointed David to be king, and God was the One who gave favor to each man with the other. However, we must also not discount free will, and the fact that Jonathan could have chosen to be jealous of David, as his father Saul eventually was, and become David’s enemy also. Jonathan’s love for David was deep-rooted. This love surfaced as Jonathan heard David’s testimony to Saul. There is a common bond that brings us together when we hear each other sharing testimony of how God is working in our lives, and we realize that we share love for Christ. This is why it is so important that we not forsake the assembling with one another, as we are commanded in Hebrews 10:24-25. The times we gather together are not only times of encouraging one another, but they are also opportunities for us to bond with other believers. The Lord did not intend for us to fight in this battle alone. He wants unity in His church because our enemy also has an army that is united, as we know from Ephesians 6. In 2 Samuel 1:26, David said this about his love for Jonathan, “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.” There was nothing inappropriate about David and Jonathan’s love for each. It was a pure love that came from having a common faith in the one true God. As we continue to see their love for each other, we will see that their love was an unselfish love; a love that was a great picture of Jesus’ love for us; a love we will discuss in greater detail in the next devotional.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Who Are We Trying to Impress?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:55, When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
A good question to ask ourselves every day, and often, is, “Who am I trying to impress?” Far too often we waste a lot of time trying to impress people who are not impressed or only impressed for a short period of time. We sin against God, we stray from truth, we do silly things that have no heavenly worth, in our futile, wasted, attempts to impress people. Our pride drives us to do whatever we need to do to get the accolades and pat on the back. In Matthew 6:1-2 Jesus said, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” Sadly, many of us put more value in receiving compliments from people than we do in living right before God. If we do what is right before God, we do it in such a way as to seek man’s approval by having them announce what a good deed we have done. I say all of this because we make the mistake of trading heavenly reward for 5 seconds of fame. David has just defeated an enemy that everyone else was afraid to confront. His actions motivated King Saul and Israel to pursue the Philistines in victory. Yet, here we have Saul inquiring about who David was. This said something about both David and Saul. First, Saul should have known who David was, considering David was the one who played music for him to calm him whenever the distressing spirit came upon him in chapter 16. As a matter of fact, that same chapter tells us that Saul loved David and made him his armorbearer. Wait…let’s take it one step further. Did not Saul put armor on David right before he went out to fight Goliath? Did not he and David have a dialogue about how God delivered the lion and bear into David’s hands, and how this was why David was so confident that God would do the same with Goliath? Had David done all this to impress Saul, it would have been wasted because Saul had already forgotten who David was in such a short period of time, and demonstrated that he had no real interest in knowing who David was (until it benefited him). Jesus experienced the same thing when He had His triumphant entry to Jerusalem and the people cried, “Hosanna!” Yet, a short while later these same people cried, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 21:9; 27:16-26). David, on the other hand, did not look to impress Saul. After being made the king’s armorbearer, he returned home to tend to his family’s sheep. When he shared what was done with the lion and the bear, he did not take credit in order to make Saul think that he was some mighty warrior. Instead, he shared it in such a way as to give God the glory. When we do what we do or share testimony of what we accomplish, who are we trying to impress? Are we trying to impress men/women who have short memories and will condemn us just as quickly as they will pat us on the back, or are we more interested in lifting God up in our lives for His glory? I must remind us that the things we think are impressive, and may impress people, are not going to impress God. He will reward us for that which is reward-worthy, but until we can create by simply speaking or bring ourselves back from the grave on our own, we are not going to impress God. Let us put our pride in check, stop wasting time trying to impress people, and humbly live for, and serve, the only One with whom we need to be right with…Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I have said this before, but it bears repeating. This life is not about us. It is about our Lord, our 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).
Saturday, May 18, 2019
It Only Takes One
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:52, Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron.
How do we affect those around us? Would we be accused of being an encourager or are we more of a discourager? Are we the kind of Christian that motivates others by our willingness to take action, or are we spiritual vampires, sucking the spiritual life out of others with our negativity and unwillingness to get involved? Israel was afraid, discouraged, and unwilling to step forward and fight for the glory of God. Along comes a humble shepherd boy, who in trusting the Lord, stepped forward and did something that no one else was willing to do. When everyone else failed because they could not look past their own limitations, David looked upon God and did what seemed impossible. Do we live with this kind of faith? Do we encourage other by the way that we serve the Lord? Hebrews 10 reminds us that some of us have lived through difficult times, but have endured (Hebrew 10:32ff). As we continue to walk with the Lord, we must not shrink back, but move forward. In those times that we take courage, as David did, in the Lord and serve Him in areas where no one else is willing to, or in ways no one else is willing to, we never know who else will be encouraged. When we serve God in such a manner, we may not see the results right away, but the Lord may give us opportunity to share the testimony of how He used us, and in sharing this we may encourage someone else who has been on the fence about stepping out in faith. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” The Lord knows that these days are very discouraging for us as followers of Jesus. At times, it may even seem like it is no longer worth trying to tell others about Jesus. The devils will take advantage of these times when the persecution of Christians seems to be increasing. It is for this reason that we must be diligent about encouraging one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” King Saul and the Israelites allowed their fear to keep them from meeting the Philistines’ and Goliath’s challenge. However, when they saw David’s courage, which came from his faith in the Lord, this melted away their fear and they marched forward as the army of God to defeat the enemy. Far too many of us are waiting for someone else to step forward. We are waiting on the sideline to see how it all turns out, after someone else has stepped out by faith. I want to ask this one simple question. “Why are we waiting?” “Why can’t you or I be the first to step out by faith?” In the case of Goliath and the Philistines, it only took one. It only took one humble shepherd boy to step out by faith and bring the kind of glory to God that moved a whole army of men. In our local churches, in our neighborhoods, in our families, it only takes one follower of Jesus to step forward and make a difference for the cause of Christ. Will you or I be the one? We never know what God will do with one Christian who is willing to be used to do the impossible; for nothing is impossible with 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).
Friday, May 17, 2019
Faith in Action
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:48, So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
All that we have seen of David’s interactions with his brothers, with King Saul, and with Goliath were leading up to this moment. This is the moment that would truly test David’s faith. This was the crossroad that would finally demonstrate whether David’s faith in the LORD was true or not. How often have we said we had faith, but then reached this stage of proving our faith, and just fell flat on our faces? If we recall, David showed up, found out what was going on and immediately spoke up. He was rebuked by his brothers, yet he did not allow that to discourage him. He inquired as to what would happen to the one who defeated Goliath, and volunteered to take on the giant. Next he stood before Saul who tried to outfit him with warrior’s armor, but David refused it. Now the real test was about to begin. David finally confronts Goliath, and the giant tries to once again use intimidation tactics to discourage this brave young man. In 1 Samuel 17:43-44 we read, “So the Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!’” How many of us reach that point of putting our faith to work, but then back out at the last minute because we become discouraged or the devils’ put thoughts in our minds that cause us to fear? How often have we approached a situation with great excitement because of the Lord’s initial conviction that moved us to action, but then fear of failure took over once the moment of conviction had long passed? David’s faith was such and his confidence in the Lord was such that he would not relent, he would not back down even an inch. In 1 Samuel 17:45-47 we read David’s response, “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.’” David’s response was not just a bunch of hot air. David’s motivation was not about proving his own courage or an attempt at seeking personal honor or accolades. David’s motivation in facing this giant was to prove to those who were watching that God is God and that there is no one like Him. He was out to prove that God would not fail those who go forward in faith to face those who seek to dishonor and belittle the King of kings and Lord of lords. David knew in his heart that with God what was impossible with man was not impossible with God. By David’s words we know that he was fully aware that in his own strength this was a losing battle, but with God on His side defeating this giant was no great challenge. James describes this kind of faith this way in James 2:18, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” As followers of Jesus, our faith must be more than lip service. If we say that we are born again believers who love Jesus, do our works demonstrate it? Are we facing life and its challenges with a faith that is demonstrated by our willingness to face each challenge, each trial, with actions that prove that we are trusting God to do what is impossible for us to do? David fought against a giant warrior who could have literally torn him to pieces, just like the lion and bear could have done when he was shepherding his family’s sheep. However, David knew that God would once again deliver this enemy into his hands, and he would not just spout a bunch of “good sounding” words that would prove to be empty. Instead, he charged the giant with just a few stones, and ultimately proved his faith by his willingness to back up his words with actions that many of the onlookers may have considered insane. In the end, he proved that God is the only true God who is faithful to those who completely trust Him and put their lives in His hands by faith.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Who We Are Intended to Be
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:38-39, So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.
David is now preparing to do battle with Goliath. However, we see that Saul, still in his carnal thinking, assumes that David’s victory will be dependent upon the armor supplied to him by man, rather than by the power of God. Saul is trying to turn David into a warrior who can stand up against Goliath, when the only one who can do that is God. David, on the other hand, stands his ground, after allowing Saul to dress him in battle armor, refuses to utilize it for this giant challenge. Sometimes, in certain circumstances, our biggest challenge is not the circumstance itself, but what people expect of us. It may even be our own expectation and aspirations that stand in the way of us becoming who we are intended to be in life and any given situation. The greatest battle is often fought in our own mind as to who we think we are supposed to be (or would like to be), who others expect us to be, and who God intends us to be. David’s focus was on taking down this uncircumcised Philistines who was insulting God, and he refused to used carnal means to engage and win a spiritual battle. Far too often we allow our own desires and goals to supersede what God’s will and plan is for our lives. We often care far more about people’s opinions about how we should live life or handle a situation, rather than focus on the Lord and what He is calling us to do. In this case David had to choose between his faith in God’s ability to deliver Goliath into his hands, and Saul’s opinion about how David should fight this giant. Psalm 118:8-9 clearly says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” Psalm 20:7-8 also says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8 They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.” Saul and Israel were trusting in their armor, weapons, and own abilities to go up against Goliath and the Philistines; yet, all they were left with was fear and cowardice. David, on the other hand, put his trust in the Lord, and the result was that he went forward into battle to face an enemy that was far greater than he was, with confidence. He did not need Saul’s armor or weapons to become the man God intended for him to be. He knew that his faith in the Lord and his humble approach as a lowly shepherd boy was all he needed for God to give him the victory. It was this kind of faith and surrender that allowed God to turn David into who the Lord intended him to be, one of the greatest kings we read about in the Word of God. The king from whose lineage the King of kings and the Lord of lords would come from, and who would be the Savior of the universe, Jesus Christ. There was nothing that Saul could offer David that would bring forth these kinds of results or lead David down the path that would make him who God intended for him to be. As my wife and I watched a movie last night, one of the characters in the movie said this, “It’s time for me to be who I am rather than who I’m supposed to be.” This can be both right and wrong. Some of us need to stop being who others think we are supposed to be, and just be who we are in Christ. Some of us also need to stop being who we are right now (based on other people’s opinions and our own selfish desires), and allow God to do the work in us, through the Holy Spirit, to make us who we are supposed to be for His glory. We need to stop fighting life’s battles with carnal minds and carnal weapons, and put on our spiritual armor with faith and prayer, trusting the LORD to supply us with the strength we need in Christ Jesus. Ultimately, it is God’s battle and this is all about Him, not us.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Faith to Conquer Giants
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
In spite of all the discouraging words that came from his own family, David now finds himself standing before King Saul. Even though the report went out that someone actually spoke words standing up against the giant, no one had actually accepted the challenge issued by Goliath. Here, before the king, David steps forth and accepts Goliath’s challenge, but is met with resistance. The resistance came from one who made a judgment based on David’s appearance. Here was this young man, a teenager, who was willing to fight against a man who was not only a giant, but a seasoned warrior. How often have we made a judgment about what another person was capable of, simply because of their outward appearance, or even their age? We sometimes make assumptions about others without knowing their story. David had a story that no one but God knew about, and now Saul was about to find out. In verses 34-37 David read David’s response, “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.’ 37 Moreover David said, ‘The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the LORD be with you!’” As David continued to speak, he spoke with more and more boldness. His initial response to Goliath’s threats was more of an inquiry, “Is anyone going to do anything about this? Is there not a cause?” (My paraphrase.) Now standing before the king, he volunteers to fight Goliath, but then makes the bold statement that he would kill Goliath. Where did this boldness come from? Well, it came from what God had already done in David’s life. Here is where it is of great importance for us to always remember how God is working in our lives. While David humbly served his family keeping the sheep, God used it as a training ground to prepare David for this very moment in time. As he began recalling how God delivered him from the lion and the bear, he conveying to King Saul that he was certain that God would deliver Goliath into his hands. This was the major difference in how Saul and David were looking at this situation. Saul approached this from a natural point-of-view, which compared David’s physical being and lack of military experience with Goliath’s physical stature and military experience. David, on the other hand, saw this as God’s fight, and was already quite aware of God’s ability to deliver him from challenges that were bigger and stronger than he was. David’s willingness to step forward and meet this challenge, that no one else would undertake, had nothing to do with being a prideful young man. It had everything to do with a young man, who based on what he had already seen God do in life, had the kind of faith that made him believe that nothing was impossible with God. How do we view the challenges in our life, especially when our faith is challenged? Do we cower from an enemy that is bigger and stronger than we are? The devils most certainly are stronger and bigger than we are, but we have Jesus on our side, if we are born again believers. We have been given spiritual armor in Ephesians 6 to help us stay in the fight. When we face such challenges, do we see it for what it is and immediately go to prayerfully putting on our armor? Are we doing this every single day as we go out into the world? Because quite honestly, every day that we go out into the world, whether we are going to work, running errands, or just out trying to enjoy our day, we may encounter a challenge from any number of giants. How will we respond? Will we run and hide, or will we go forward in the Name of Jesus and allow Him to conquer some giants 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).
Friday, May 10, 2019
Stand Your Ground
Verse
of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:28-29, Now Eliab his
oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was
aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom
have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the
insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 29 And
David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?”
Here
is a situation that we can relate to from both sides of the fence. David, who
was faithfully serving his family and being obedient to his father’s orders to
bring food to his brothers, is being rebuked by his oldest brother. What was
the root cause of this rebuke? The root cause was fear and judgment. This is
where we must use extreme caution when dealing with others. Yesterday we said
that we can get a glimpse of what is in a person’s heart by the words they
speak, as what is in the heart comes out in what they say (Luke 6:45). However,
this is where the danger exists for us to overstep our position and find
ourselves in a place that belongs only to God. Jeremiah 17:10 clearly says, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the
mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of
his doings.” Eliab falsely accused David of what his motives and intentions
were, based on making a judgment about what was in David’s heart. In making the
accusation, he showed his own insecurity about himself and his ability to fight
against Goliath, as he too was possibly a good choice among the men to face the
enemy, based on the description given of him in 1 Samuel 16:7. There is an
anger that comes through when we are put in a position to face the fear that we
are trying to mask. When someone stands up and speaks truth, or calls us out to
be courageous, and we know in our hearts that they are right, we generally lash
out at the person and try to mask it with angry false accusations against them.
Many of us have probably experienced this as both the receiver and giver of
such false assumptions and accusations. However, no matter how much we try to
hide what is in us, God knows the truth, and no matter what we think we know
about the other person’s intentions, some day we will give an account for our
words spoken against them. The real test for David came long before he faced
Goliath. Think about this for a moment. Goliath’s strategy in facing Israel was
to discourage them and cause fear with his words, a strategy that worked well
for him because of his stature and appearance. David was facing this same
challenge as his own family used the same approach against him in this very
instance. How discouraging is it when we, with the best of intentions, and in following
God’s will and plan, have been discouraged by the words of our closest family
members, friends, and even other “so-called” godly Christians? How often have
we been shot down by those who are supposed to come up beside us and serve side
by side with us? Before we begin to take on the role of the victim here, let me
ask this, “How often have we been the ones to shoot down someone else, simply
because we did not have the courage ourselves to step out in faith to do
something?” If David was going to have victory in his battle against Goliath,
he would first have to have victory in this battle of words with his own
brothers. Eliab’s words may have even caused those who were standing around to laugh
at this young man, who for all intents and purposes, did not look like much of
a warrior, never mind look like someone who could take on this seasoned giant
warrior who was threatening them. How many of us would have been discouraged
and simply walked away sulking because others laughed at us when we chose to
take a stand for God? How often have we discouraged and embarrassed others who
were trying to stand up for the LORD? Nonetheless, David had a victory before a
victory because he chose to stand his ground, knowing that his intentions were
pure, and that it was better to deal with this persecution than to back down
from doing what he knew was right to do before God. The fact of the matter is
that there will be times when the devils will try to use those closest to us,
and those who are suppose to go into battle with us (other Christians) to
discourage us and disappoint us. But if we keep our eyes on Jesus, and move
forward in accordance to what His will and plan is, it does not matter what man
thinks. Remember what we are told in Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man brings a
snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
Today,
God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom
6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance,
confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him,
and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Materially Minded vs. Spiritually Minded
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:25-26, So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
We already discussed how perspective made the difference in how Saul, Israel, and David, reacted to Goliath’s challenge and threat. Along a similar line of thinking, I would like to focus on what was in their hearts, based on what they were saying. Although only God can truly judge what is in our hearts and what our true motives are in doing what we do, we can catch a glimpse of what is in our heart, or the hearts of others, based on what they are focused on. In Luke 6:45 Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Note the difference between the focus of Israel and David. Israel was all about the material, the here and now. They concerned themselves with their reputation as a nation, and what the material reward would be for gaining victory over Goliath and the Philistines. David’s primary concern, however, was in protecting God’s reputation. David saw this as a threat made against God, and their failure to stand up would make it seem as if God was weak in comparison to a mere man. Although we see that David asked what would be done for the man who stood up to Goliath, we see his primary focus on the spiritual, and not the material. Jesus also promised us that if we focus on the spiritual, God would be faithful to fulfill the material. Matthew 6:25-34 promises that if our primary focus is the Kingdom of God, then God will take care of our physical needs. In verse 33 of that same chapter we read, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” It is not wrong to desire certain things in this life, but we must be careful that those desires do not become what drive us. We must guard our hearts from becoming covetous, and from making the material things our gods. Matthew 6:24 reminds us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Hebrews 13:5 also admonishes, “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.’” What motivates us? Do we view our life from a material point of view, or a spiritual point of view? The answer to this question is simple and will become evident by what our life goals are and by how much of our life is focused on living for own glory or for God’s glory.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
All In How We See It
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:26, Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
What was the secret to David’s courage in facing Goliath? The short answer? Perspective. Yes, perspective made the difference between how Saul and Israel responded to Goliath’s challenge and threats, and how David stood up to Goliath. In verse 25 we read, “So the men of Israel said, ‘Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.’” Note how the men of Israel saw the threat, “Surely he has come up to defy Israel”. Whereas David saw it this way, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Israel made this fatal error when God was trying to lead them in to the Promise Land. In Numbers 13:31-33 we are told, “But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.’ 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.’” In both these instances Israel compared their challenges to themselves, and saw themselves dwarfed in comparison. David, on the other hand, compared Goliath to God which dwarfed Goliath. As God’s children, as Jesus followers, we must remember what we are told in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Isaiah 54:17 also says that “No weapon formed against you shall prosper”. When we put faith in our own ability to accomplish a God-sized tasks, or when we view life’s challenges from the perspective of how big we are in comparison, we will always set ourselves up for failure. When we view life’s challenges, circumstances, and tasks, in comparison to how big God is, we cannot help but go forward with confidence, not in our ability to overcome, but in God’s ability to do what needs to be done to have the victory. In Christ, we can overcome whatever obstacles stand in our way, as long as we are walking intimately with Jesus, living out His will and plan for our lives. Jesus told us 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 bottom line? Our failures or victories will often be determined by our perspective. Are we putting our faith in ourselves or in 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, May 5, 2019
Humility and God's Timing
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:13-15, The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
Proverbs 18:12 tells us, “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility.” What an amazing picture of this verse we have here in the life of David. The three oldest sons of Jesse were passed over by God. David, their youngest brother, was chosen to be anointed the next king of Israel. As the Philistines challenged Israel using their champion Goliath, the three sons of Jesse, who were probably hoping to prove themselves better than the chosen brother, stood by silently while Israel was threatened. However, what I would like us to note is what David is doing while all this is taking place. Let us be mindful that David has already been chosen, by King Saul, to be his armorbearer. He could have been here, on the field with Saul, also ready to prove himself. Instead of letting his position, and honor, before the king make him think more of himself than he should have, we find David back among his father’s sheep, still in the role of a servant. Such humility is honorable amongst God’s people. Romans 12:3 admonishes us, “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 warns, “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” More importantly, James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 also warn that God resists the proud. What we see in David is a young man who did not see tending to his father’s sheep as being beneath him, simply because he had been given such a great honor in the palace. Far too many of us let our position in society or our position in the local church go to our heads. We also expend far too much energy going after something God may not have intended for us to have. It would be wiser for us to invest our time doing the things we are already doing, with humility, and trusting God and His timing in achieving that which God has called us to. Everything that was taking place was leading to God opening up an opportunity for David to shine, but it had to happen in God’s timing. I believe that we frustrate God’s plan for our lives because we allow our pride and ambition to supersede what God wants to do in our lives. Proverbs 16:9 clearly says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 also promises, “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.” I am not saying that we cannot have plans and ambitions when it comes to serving the Lord or trying to succeed in life. However, as God’s children we must be careful that our plans and ambitions do not become the idols in our lives. We must be willing to allow God to direct and change the course of our path as He sees fit. The best course of action any of us can take is to remain where we are until God moves us. When we seek after that which God has not chosen to give us, or that which God does not intend for us to have yet, we not only frustrate God’s plan for our live, but we will lead ourselves down the path of frustration, depression and the possibility of straying from God because He is not giving us what WE want, on our timetable. The three brothers, regardless of what they might have tried to accomplish in following Saul, were not going to frustrate God’s plan for David’s life; and David, because of his humility in serving God by serving his family, allowed God to work out His plan for him on the Lord’s timetable. For any of us who are followers of Jesus, the ultimate state of humility we should be striving for is expressed in Philippians 2:5-8, “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.” When we surrender our pride, and live humbly before God, we open up the door for Him to continue to write the story of our lives, in His way and His time, 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).
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