Saturday, September 28, 2019
Testimony of a Fool
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:2-3, Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.
It always amazes me that Christians continually fall for the whole “prosperity preaching” thing. This whole idea that being rich equals being right with God is nonsense and non-biblical. This is not to say that God will not bless His people. We have plenty of examples of God blessing His people with riches, such as Job, Abraham, and Solomon, just to name a few (who, by the way, were far from perfect). Here we have Nabal, whose name means “a fool”. A man blessed with riches, yet a man of poor character, describe by God’s Word as “harsh and evil in his doings”. Far too often we who are followers of Christ covet the wrong things. Psalm 37:16 tells us, “A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.” The sad part about this man’s testimony is that not only was he blessed with riches, but he was blessed with something that is far more valuable, a wife who was “a woman of good understanding and beautiful in appearance”. In other words, she was beautiful both inside and outside. That, my brothers and sisters, is a true blessing to be treasured even more than worldly gain and riches. Too many of God’s people get sidetracked chasing the wrong things in life. As born again believers, our goal is to live a life that glorifies the Lord. Instead, we chase money, material gain, status in society, promotions at our jobs, etc. It is not wrong to have riches or success, as long as we put them in their proper place and priority. When we begin to live a life that puts distance between us and the Lord, we cannot honestly equate it with being right with Him, no matter how much we gain. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus clearly stated, “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.” In Matthew 45b Jesus also said, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” In Matthew 6 Jesus clearly teaches that we are to focus our attention on the Kingdom of God and He will be faithful to provide all that we need. If the Lord then decides to add to that and bless us with riches, there is nothing wrong with that. The problem with gaining riches, for many, is that once we get a taste of what the world has to offer, material things become our gods. We then do whatever it takes to gain those riches and we become a Nabal. When we begin to covet the world’s offerings, we sacrifice our relationship with the Lord, our spouse, and family in general; all to gain what we cannot take with us in the end. Psalm 49:16-20 warns, “Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house is increased; 17 for when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lives he blesses himself (for men will praise you when you do well for yourself), 19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. 20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.” 1 Timothy 6:7-10 states it this way, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” So I ask, “What are we coveting?” Do we seek after righteousness, and godliness, or are we sacrificing our testimony and service to the Lord for the empty riches of this world? Do we have all those things that bring us praise from the world, yet fall short in our relationship with the Lord? Has the Lord blessed us with a spouse who is of good understanding and beauty (inside and out), but we are sacrificing them on the altar of worldly gain? It is better to live a life that pleases God than one that brings us fame and popularity in this world, but labels us “a fool” before the Lord.
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, September 26, 2019
Finding Hope in the Wilderness
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:1, Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
There are those times in life, and our walk with the Lord, that we stop and ask ourselves, “Can things get any worse?” David, who was on the path to becoming Israel’s next king, could have very easily gotten discouraged and just “thrown in the towel”. Even though Saul had stopped pursuing him for the time being, he knew better and chose to return to his stronghold (1 Samuel 24:22). Here, we read that the one person who was David’s greatest supporter had died. After mourning with Israel over the death of his friend Samuel, David returned to the wilderness. The Wilderness of Paran is where the Israelites wandered for their refusal to trust the Lord to give them the Promise Land, after God led them out of Egypt. David, as we know from reading his Psalms, suffered much while running from Saul. There were instances when he drowned in his own tears, and cried out to the Lord in distress. There were even moments when he chose the wrong thing to do, as we saw in earlier devotional messages, because of his distress. However, no matter what the Lord allowed him to endure, he always ended up praising the Lord because he knew the Lord never forsook him, even during his time in the Wilderness. The fact of the matter is that none of us are immune from “wilderness moments”. As God’s children, we will find ourselves living through times when everything and everyone seems to be against us, and when nothing seems to work in our favor. We suffer hurts, emotionally, maybe physically, and become discouraged spiritually. Sometimes, those discouragements come because of our own decisions, other times they come because of other people’s decisions, and they even seem to just come out of nowhere. Regardless of the source, there is one thing that we can be certain of, God is in those “wilderness moments” and He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5-6). All the while Israel wandered in the wilderness, in spite of their rebellious attitude at times; God took care of them and met all their needs. Deuteronomy 8:4 tells us, “Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.” Deuteronomy 29:5 also reiterated, “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.” We may see the wilderness as a place of suffering, but in reality the wilderness is a place where we find comfort. Just like God took care of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, it also served as a reminder to David that God was His Comforter in this sorrowful time in his life. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness and God allowed David to wait almost 15 years before he become king of Judah, running from Saul a good portion of that time. It was not until some years later that he became king over all Israel. If any of us are currently living in the wilderness, we may not know how long we are going to remain there. We may feel like we are ready to break and just cannot live one more day in our circumstances, but we can be assured of this: God will take care of us in the wilderness and be our strength. The wilderness is a good place to find comfort and intimacy with the Lord. It is not just a time or place of suffering; it is a time for growth and learning who the Lord is in our lives. It is an opportunity to learn how to trust God in the darkest of times. The bottom line is that oftentimes God leads us through the wilderness to get us to the place He wants us to ultimately reach. Let us not waste the wilderness moments, and let us not prolong our time there by refusing to trust the Lord. Instead, we must put our eyes on Jesus as He leads us through it, and trust Him to do whatever necessary so that we grow and finally get to the place where He will be glorified most in our lives. In the end, it is all about Him and how He is glorified in all He allows us to go through. The wilderness does not always have to be a place of sorrow; it can also be a place of hope.
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, September 22, 2019
When Solitude Turns to Loneliness
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:1, Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
The Prophet Samuel had a very interesting life in service to the LORD. He was dedicated and left to the LORD by his mother Hannah. He served God faithfully, yet was later rejected by the people, as they chose instead to have an earthly king rule over them, even though the King of kings was already ruling and leading them. He, like David, was not liked by King Saul. The difference was that Saul feared Samuel because he knew without a shadow of a doubt that Samuel was God’s prophet. Nonetheless, Samuel’s last days were ones of solitude, sometimes even in fear over Saul’s disdain toward him. We do not read much about Samuel once the story shifts to David and his journey to the throne. Here we read that “Samuel died”. There is both a joy and sadness that comes to mind when I read this. A joy because there does come a time in our service when our rest will come. The final and greatest rest is when we are finally home with our God. The Bible tells us in Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” Precious because it means that we are finally going home to be with Jesus, with no more suffering, no more tears, no more trials. There is something to be said about enjoying solitude, versus suffering in loneliness. Yet, in our solitude, there is a danger of suffering from loneliness. Although there are times when we grave the quietness of the day, with no noise and no distractions, the quietness can easily turn to loneliness. The loneliness of being rejected. Although Samuel served God faithfully, it did not exempt him from being rejected by the people. So it is with us that people will reject us for any number of reasons. Sometimes the rejection will come because we are serving God and people are offended by what we have to say about God’s truth. Other times we may be rejected because we stumbled and people choose to not forgive or restore us. Sometimes we are rejected for no apparent reason, even by those we love. However, when our solitude turns to loneliness, when our rejection by those we know and love becomes too much for us to handle, we have One who is always there. Psalm 27:10 reminds us, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me.” When the loneliness is the result of our own doing, maybe a consequence of our own sin, Psalm 25:16-18 remind us that we can call upon the One who never forsakes us. It reads, “Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate (lonely) and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged; bring me out of my distress! 18 Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.” Sadly, the more I talk to people, especially other Christians, the more I find (even in my own life) that Christianity can be lonely. Far too many Christians refuse to forgive each other when we sin. Yet, God commands us to (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; Luke 17:3-4). Jesus even set the example for us, as He forgave those that the religious people of His day rejected. Yet, Christianity today has a tendency to be more pharisaical in its approach, in people’s attempts to make themselves feel better about their own shortcomings. This is not to say that we excuse sin, but we must be careful that we not isolate those who sin, truly repent, are forgiven by the LORD, but we choose to reject because of our own sense self-righteousness in wrongfully judging another. I find it curious that the same people who rejected Samuel and sent him into a life of solitude, which by the way…God already knew and allowed, were the same people who then gathered together and lamented his death. Will we be no different? Will we reject others, refuse to forgive, bad mouth one another, gossip about one another, condemn them to isolation and loneliness because of our lack of love, then mourn them when we hear the news of their death? How often I have heard, “I heard so and so passed away. I hadn’t seen him/her in a while and I wondered what ever became of them.” My thought to this kind of statement is always, “Did you think enough to call them and find out, since you claim to wonder ‘what ever happened to them?’” Today, there are many who, outside of enjoying the solitude, or the quiet moments in life, also suffer from the loneliness of having no one around…family, friends, so-called brothers/sisters in Christ. What are we doing today to reach out to those who are suffering quietly in loneliness and despair? For those of us who may be those very people, we do have One who does care, and who will never forsake us. His Name is Jesus. In the end, all that will be said of any of us, regardless of the life we lived is, “Then ________ died.” For some, it will not even be said that others gathered together and lamented for them. However, for those of us that know Jesus, what will ALWAYS be said by God in His Word is, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints”, because we will finally be home with our Savior.
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, September 21, 2019
Is God's Grace Changing Us?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:20 & 22, And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Is God’s grace changing us? Since the time that we accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, how much have we allowed the grace of God to change us? Are we still holding on to grudges? Has our attitude toward God and man changed? We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” As new creatures in Christ, the Holy Spirit begins to work in us to change us and make us more like Christ. We read the interaction between David and Saul, and we see what appears to be remorse on the part of Saul, yet, even though God has shown him much grace by way of David’s actions toward him, Saul’s remorse did not lead to any real change. Saul’s words are words that would probably convince the average Christian that there was true repentance and change in Saul’s heart, but we later read that Saul continues to pursue David (1 Samuel 26). How often has God shown us undeserved grace, only for us to turn around and trample all over it when we go out unchanged? The fact of the matter is that a Christian who does not see change in their life must stop and re-evaluate whether they have truly put their faith in, and trusted, Jesus as his/her Savior. This is not to say that we are never going to stumble. If that were so, there would be no need to include 1 John 1:8-10 in the Bible. As children of God, in our private life, and in our public life, in dealing with others, there should be a noticeable, genuine change in us, as God’s grace works in us to change us. Saul’s so-called reconciliation with David was nothing more than a smoke screen. How often have we put up a smoke screen in dealing with someone we hold a grudge against, only to go away harboring bitterness and a lack of forgiveness in our hearts? Saul acknowledged once again that David would someday take his place as king, but in his heart he continued to hold on to bitterness. David was very wise in heading back to his stronghold rather than return home with Saul. The Bible tells us, in Matthew 10:16, to be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. This was the approach David took. In dealing with those who we are in conflict with, and who claim that they want to be truly reconciled to us, we must approach carefully and see if the grace of God has really changed their hearts. The only way to truly know is to observe their actions toward us in future dealings and interactions. This also applies to us personally. What do our actions say about God changing us? When we sin, make poor decisions, behave in ways that bring shame to the Name of Jesus, and He convicts us, and shows us grace by continuing to shower us with His love, forgiveness, and mercy, does it change us at all, or do we go away as Saul did? The best way to know whether God’s grace is truly changing us is to ask God, as David did in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties, 24 and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Once He reveals to us what is there, we must bring it to Him with true repentance, ready to allow Him to make the changes in our heart and lives that will ultimately bring Him 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).
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The "Hamster Wheel" of Sin
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:17, Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.
What a statement, and what a testimony. Could what was said of David be said of any of us in dealing with those who persecute us or mistreat us? David’s enemy, Saul, who had no real basis for his animosity, acknowledged David’s righteousness in the situation, and also acknowledged that his own action were less than honorable. David, in being given opportunity to take the life of the one who pursued him, instead chose to spare his life and leave vengeance in God’s hands (Romans 12:14-21). However, if we look closely at Saul’s statement we can see evidence of Saul unrepentance. It will become plain to see later, when he once again pursues David, that the words spoken for this moment in time are merely lip service. Quite often, when we are brought face to face with our sinful ways, we admit that we are sinning, but we fail to acknowledge it as God sees it. Depending on the circumstances behind the discovery, what often happens is that we admit what we have done, but along with the admission there is a series of explanations justifying why we did it, or why we are doing it. What ultimately happens is that there is confession without repentance, which then leads to repetition, once the immediate consequences die down. Essentially, we end up on the “hamster wheel” of sin; no matter how often we confess it, we end up going nowhere fast in our walk with Jesus. In Saul’s confession of David’s righteousness, and his (Saul’s) own unrighteous actions, he never admits to being a wicked man. Far too often, this is how we confess. We admit our actions, but we fail to call it sin as God calls it sin, and we fail to acknowledge who we really are, wretched sinners saved by grace caught in the middle of a war between the spirit and the flesh. Galatians 5:16-18 puts it this way, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” The fact of the matter is that all of us, at some point in our lives, will find ourselves on either side of the fence. We will either be a “David” who is persecuted and mistreated for no valid reason, and have an opportunity to demonstrate our trust in the Lord by not returning evil for evil, but instead returning good for evil, or we will be a “Saul”, falsely persecuting and sinning against another, willing to confess it when caught, but failing to repent of, or turning completely from, our sinful ways. When we find ourselves in this place, let us not just give God our lip service. 1 John 1:8-10 reminds us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” Confession is not enough to take us off the “hamster wheel” of sin. I can confess that I am slapping you, while I am still slapping you, and continue to do so, unless I choose to repent, or turn from doing what I am doing, and stop the wrong action against you. Saul’s words sounded good. The fact that his life was spared caused him to refrain from harming David, but his heart was still far from God; thereby only delaying his sinfulness from resurfacing. In Matthew 15:7-8 Jesus put it this way, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.’” It is time for us to get off the “hamster wheel” and get back on solid ground, walking in righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus, for the sake of honoring Him with our lives.
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, September 9, 2019
Our Best Witness and Judge
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:12 & 15, “Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.” 15 “Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”
How often have we heard someone say, or how often have we said, “God is my Witness”? Have we ever stopped to think of the gravity of that statement? What are we claiming when we call upon God as our Witness? Far too often, Christians use this statement as a means of convincing someone that they are being truthful in what they are claiming or saying. Sadly, it is often said knowing that they are not being “completely” honest. Jesus warned in Matthew 12:36-37, “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.” David knew, in his heart, that he had never stood against Saul and he proved it when he refused to take his life in the cave. When he finally confronted Saul, he knew that he could call upon God as his Witness and Judge, with confidence, because he knew he stood upright before the Lord in this matter. Before we try to use God to prove our point or “win” a debate or argument, we need to remind ourselves of some very important truths. First, we ought to live our lives as people who are known for our honesty. We should be people, as Christians, whose word can be trusted. Jesus commanded in Matthew 5:37, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Secondly, we must remember that God sees beyond our words and action to the intentions and true motivations behind our words and actions. Psalm 44:21 clearly tells us, “Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” The bottom line is that regardless of what the circumstance or situation are, if we are truly being honest in our intentions, we can completely trust God to be our Witness and Judge in the matter. Who better to stand on our behalf than the God of the universe whose judgments are always just and right? David did not concern himself with exacting vengeance against Saul because he knew that God knew his heart in the matter at hand. He was even willing to suffer at the hands of the LORD if in fact he was the one who was wrong. Quite often we get upset when we end up suffering some sort of injury or loss (whether physical or emotional) in circumstances where we think the other person is at fault; yet, we fail to see that maybe God is trying to show us that we had some responsibility for why things went sideways to begin with. We must be careful, in every situation, to do some self evaluating and ask God to show us what the intentions of our own hearts were, before we call upon God to side with us. If anything, the fear of having to give an account for false words or accusations should make us very apprehensive about calling God as our witness in any matter or situation. His Name is not one to be toyed with, and our God will not be a false witness for us, regardless of how right we think we might be in our own hearts and minds. David was willing to put himself in such a vulnerable position as to have God as his Witness and Judge because he feared and revered the Lord, and knew that his actions were driven by this fear and reverence. If this be the case for us, then God is truly our best Witness and Judge we could ever call upon.
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, September 8, 2019
A Humble Approach
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:9, And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’?
What a wonderful example of how we should approach our brothers and sisters in Christ when they sin. This is a very rare thing today that we would actually watch each other’s backs when it comes to walking our faith walk. The Word of God tells us to confess our sins to one another. James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” For what purpose are we to do this? Based on James 5:16, so that we can be healed as we pray for one another. Sadly, as Christians, we have utterly failed in this regard. We spend way too much time judging each other and putting each other down when we find out that someone has stumbled. Rather than seeing it as an opportunity to lift up one another, far too often it becomes an opportunity to gossip and feel better about ourselves because, “I would NEVER do anything like that!” Yeah, right…some of us are just better at covering up our own secret sins. Nonetheless, I digress. I cannot say this enough, “We must approach each other with humility, never forgetting who we are and where the Lord has brought us from.” Galatians 6:1-3 clearly admonishes us, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” David knew that someday he would be king, and even though God gave him opportunity to remove Saul as an obstacle in his path, David chose obedience to God and humility toward God and King Saul. Here, as he addressed Saul, no one would have blamed him for just laying it down and giving him a piece of his mind for pursuing him without valid reason. Yet, David chose humility and love in addressing Saul about his sin. This is where we drop the ball in dealing with each other. We chasten those who sin, who are our brothers and sisters in Christ, in anger and indignation. We become self-righteous in our attitude, and then further bad mouth the person we have injured with our words and accuse them of being unrepentant, rather than taking a look inwardly and realizing that we made the situation worse with our own attitude. This is one reason the Word of God tells us in James 1:19-20, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” In 1 Peter 4:8 the Apostle reminds us, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” Note what David said. He made this “hard pill to swallow” for Saul in admitting he was wrong, by suggesting that his false thinking was brought on by the words of others, rather than of his own volition. David did not skirt around the issue at hand, he simply chose mercy and kindness in confronting King Saul about his sin against him. Oh that we, as God’s children, would learn to be merciful and kind to each other, as the Lord has been merciful and kind to us in accepting us and forgiving us our trespasses against Him; of which we are ALL guilty. Although David would not lay a hand on Saul to harm him physically, he did the right thing in bringing him face to face with his own sin. We are cruel friends if we choose to allow those we call brothers and friends to continue on a path of destruction, rather than lovingly approach them, bring their sin to their attention, but also offer to be a help in restoring them. Proverbs 27:6 tells us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. Romans 15:1 also reminds us, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” When we lack love, humility, mercy and kindness toward those who stumble, we push them right into the devils’ hands by causing them to choose isolation rather than trust us with their confessions of sin. Jesus challenged the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees when they brought the woman caught in adultery to Him to be stoned in John 8:7 when He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” I would challenge us to ask ourselves the same question the next time we are presented with an opportunity to lovingly confront and admonish one who has stumbled and finds himself/herself in need of restoration.
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, September 7, 2019
Do Not Respond As They Do
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:8, David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.
As if passing up an opportunity to end his running were not enough, David now puts himself in the most vulnerable position he could possibly put himself in bowing down before the one who desired to take his life. Sadly, in this day and age many would say we were foolish if we did the same in a situation where we were finally confronting one who sought our harm. Yet, David had good reason for making himself this vulnerable. First, he completely trusted God to keep him safe from any harm Saul intended, as God had already proven this to David. His confidence in God’s protection also came from the fact that David was doing what was right before the LORD, and he trusted that God would honor his decision to do what was right in confronting and addressing King Saul in this manner. David knew God’s plan for the future of his life, and chose to trust that God was faithful and would fulfill His Word. When I read and hear much of what Christians are posting and saying, I cannot help but think that God is not pleased with most, if not all, of it. We allow ourselves to get caught up in the political nonsense and end up behaving exactly like the unsaved with the language we use and the harsh ungodly criticism we vomit. Yet, when I read the Word of God I see that we are commanded and directed to respond to such things in just the opposite manner from the way the unsaved world responds. In Matthew 22, when the Pharisee’s were trying to find a way to trip Jesus up and get him to say something against Rome’s government, they challenged Him in regards to paying taxes. Jesus’ response in verse 21 was, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Although He was unfairly treated, falsely accused, and reviled, He did not do the same in return. In 1 Peter 2 the Apostle urged servants to submit to their masters, not just the good ones, but the harsh ones also. He went on to use Jesus as the Example of how our behavior should be toward those who are placed in authority over us. Verses 22 and 23 read, “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;”. For us today, we are further commanded in Romans 13:7, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Regardless of our personal opinions about how things are being done, unless we are being told to do something that violates the Word of God, we need not involve ourselves in behaving or expressing ourselves in ungodly ways just because everyone else is doing it. We are called to submit to those in authority and give honor where honor is due, just like David did with Saul. It often makes me wonder if Christians today are reading their Bibles. I say this, because if we are, then we know that the direction in which the world, in general, is headed, is exactly where God Himself has already told us it was headed. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 clearly tells us, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” Having this kind of knowledge that God Himself has provided for us, His children, why do we insist in insulting others and behaving in such a manner that dishonors God? Why do we waste our time with futile arguments over what we know we cannot stop? Would it not be better to simply spend more time encouraging one another as we are admonished to do in Hebrews 10:24-25? Would it not be better to tell others about Jesus, knowing that the time we have here is short and His coming could happen at any moment? 2 Peter 3:11-12 reminds us, “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?” Let us not be distracted by the devils, and the world, from what we are called to do as we wait for our Lord’s return. Let us choose to honor God with our lives, and not be distracted by nonsense. We must be busy telling others about what Jesus did for us in giving His life for us so that they too can spend eternity with Him. Do not be distracted by the nonsense, keep your eyes on Jesus and do not respond as they do.
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).
Friday, September 6, 2019
Spiritual Sensitivity
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:5, Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe.
What did David do that brought on such a reaction on his part? Although He chose not to harm Saul in any way, his heart was troubled over doing something as seemingly insignificant as cutting a piece of Saul’s robe. Oh that we, as followers of Jesus, would be this sensitive to the Spirit’s conviction in our lives. The robe which Saul wore was a symbol of his royal appointment to the throne by God Himself. When we read carefully what David said in the next verse, we see that this conviction that struck David’s heart had more to do with his relationship with God than it did his relationship with Saul. Verse 6 reads, “And he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.’” Although he acknowledges Saul as one of authority over him, David’s real reason for the conviction he felt was the fact that Saul was “the LORD’s anointed” and “anointed of the LORD”. We see this same kind of conviction in the life of Joseph when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him in Genesis 39:8-9 which reads, “But he refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’” We must begin to prepare ourselves to avoid greater sin in our lives by becoming sensitive to even the smallest of sins in our lives. So often we dismiss the conviction over what we consider small sins. When we tell a small white lie (which by the way is a lie nonetheless), or we use corrupt, inappropriate, language, and feel that conviction in our hearts, we either convince ourselves that it was no big deal or we allow others to convince us that it was okay because these things are more widely acceptable in society today; thereby being easily justified. What we do not realize is that God is working in us, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, to make us more sensitive to His moving and working in our lives. The more we dismiss these seemingly insignificant instances in our lives, the easier it will be to give in to the greater sins that the world and the devils will put before us. I said in an earlier devotional that David’s men would have completely backed him had he chosen to strike Saul down in the cave. Yet, David’s conviction came as a result of being more concerned with what God saw and wanted than with what man thought or desired, even his own desires. Although David could have found great relief from the constant running away from Saul, he chose to do what was right before God, rather than give in to his desire to find rest from the chase. He chose to wait on God rather than make things happen on his own timetable. Our own personal desires and refusal to be patient will drive us to do things that are ultimately sin against God. It drives us to disobedience and self-sufficiency, making ourselves lords of our own lives. David’s reaction to what he did showed a heart that was sensitive to the Lord who was working in his life to make him king of His people. Are we the kind of servants that are this sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction in our lives? Our desire as born again Christians should be to have a relationship with the LORD that makes us ultra-sensitive to the leading and convicting of the Holy Spirit. The next time we feel conviction over one of our actions, attitudes, or something we said, before we dismiss it, let us stop and ask ourselves, “Was what I just did or said sin against God? Did it violate something in God’s Word?” If so, then let us repent and immediately go to the throne of grace and ask God to forgive us. Let us be the kind of Christian that is more concerned about being right with God than being popular with men.
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).
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