Thursday, October 31, 2019
Seeing It For Ourselves
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:3-4, And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had indeed come.
Over the years there has been one thing I have observed that has become a danger to us as a society, especially as Christians. We have become a society of non-thinkers. We have adopted the “television” mentality. This is the mentality where we allow others to think for us. We rely too heavily on others to “feed” us the information we should be searching out and gathering for ourselves, rather than sorting it wisely and picking it apart in order to understand what is really going on. We follow news stations and propaganda like dumb sheep being led to the slaughter. We do this with everyday life, and far too many of God’s children do this with the Word of God. David, in hearing rumors that Saul was in pursuit of him, once again, did not just assume this to be true. Instead, he began to have his men do recon, bring him report, then go out for himself and lay eyes on the location where Saul had camped with his men. In verse 5 it says, “So David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul lay within the camp, with the people encamped all around him.” As born again believers, who desire to worship the Lord with our lives, it is very important that we take every step to make sure that we are not jumping to conclusions about the things we hear. The first place to begin our “recon mission” is in God’s Word. The best way to know if the rumors we hear about what is happening in the world, the best way to know whether or not a sermon or teaching we heard is based on truth, and the best way to know how to respond to the gossip we hear about someone or a situation, is to search the Word of God. Once we have done our own investigating, based on God’s Word, then we can draw our own conclusions, based on the Spirit’s leading. There is plenty of good, solid, information out there, if we will only take the time to do the research, and not just believe the first thing we hear. Before we came to know Jesus as Savior, we most likely had a picture in our minds of who God was and what He was all about. Where did that mental picture come from? That picture maybe came from our parents, grandparents, someone we look up to or even the world’s view of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 we read, “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” How do we form a true picture of who Christ is, and dismantle the false picture that has been planted in our thinking? We dismantle the lies and the corrupt picture of God by taking in new information; by taking in truth. Romans 12:2 tells us how to do this; it reads, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” When the Bereans heard the Apostle Paul preach, they did not just accept it as they heard it; the Word of God commends them because they went back to the Scriptures they had to verify his message in Acts 17:10-12. When we hear rumors and gossip about a person we do not know, or maybe even someone we do know, do we allow that to influence how we see and treat that person? Do we just follow blindly along and possibly treat that person unfairly, based on someone else’s possible false information? Do we fall into the trap of causing further division of the body of believers because we followed juicy gossip, rather than turn to God’s Word to see how we should respond? Philippians 2:3 clearly tells us, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” When the Samaritan woman went back to her village and told everyone about Jesus, some believed, and others went and saw for themselves; then believed (John 4). As God’s children, we need to be wise about life in general. This means that we should not just allow ourselves to be led along blindly by every little whisper we hear. We must start with God and His Word and see for ourselves.
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, October 29, 2019
Do Not Fear the Troublemakers
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 26:1-2, Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph.
What possible reason would the Ziphites have for instigating this trouble in David’s life? The passage does not tell us. Nonetheless, whether to find themselves in favor with Saul or to just cause trouble for David, the Ziphites decided that this is what they would do. As we watch this event unfold, we learn many things about God and the Christian life. As followers of Jesus, we must not deceive ourselves into thinking that it will always be smooth sailing. The fact of the matter is that in this life we will have troubles. Jesus promised that in John 16:33. But in that same verse He promised that we can be overcomers in Him. Even Jesus’ Disciples found themselves in the midst of a storm while Jesus was in the boat with them (Mark 4:35-41). The fact of the matter is that there will times when troubles will come of our own making, by the choices we make, and other times it will just be because we live in a fallen world and that are troublemakers in the world. The Lord will not always choose to shield us from those troubles, but He does promise not to forsake us no matter how intense the trial gets. In Hebrews 13 He promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Instead, He uses those times of trouble to help us grow our faith and become more like our Savior in response to those trials. David had already shown Saul that he was loyal to him by sparing his life once before. Although Saul went his way, and stopped pursuing David, it did not take much to put him back on that path once again. However, we will see that even though Saul pursues David with three thousand chosen men, his attempts on his life are futile because there was not an army big enough that he could gather that was bigger than God or that could circumvent God’s plan for David. Knowing this, we can find reassurance in knowing that no one can stop God’s plan for our lives, not even us. God will have His way sooner or later. Romans 16:17-18 tells us what to do when we encounter troublemakers, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” Whether we like it or not, even within Christian circles, there will be those who insist on causing division for their own gain. Some will cause difficulties in our lives because they thrive off the drama and gossip. In the world, especially, we will encounter those who will want to gain favor in order to gain status or a more lucrative position, and will do whatever it takes to get there; even lying about us and causing others to see us in a bad light. When this happens, we should not be surprised. 1 Peter 4:12-13 clearly states, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” In all this new trouble that David is about to encounter the one thing he can count on, the one constant, is that God will see Him through it. He does not hinder Saul from coming and pursuing David, but instead uses it as an opportunity, once again, to prove to Saul that he will not bring any harm to David as long as He is protecting him, and at the same time proves to David that Saul and his army are not threat to him and the plan God has for his life as the future king of Israel. Even though the armies of Satan come after us, we have nothing to worry about. Isaiah 54:17 tells us, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,’ says the LORD.” When we begin to fold under the pressure of the world’s troubles and its troublemakers, remember Psalm 18:2, “The LORD is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in whom I will trust; my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold.”
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, October 26, 2019
Looking Ahead to the Promise
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:40-41, When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, “David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife.” 41 Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
This is a very interesting proposal by David, and acceptance by Abigail, who was married to a very wealthy man, and was now a widow. We may not think much of what is written here, but stop and ponder what is happening and how it pictures us and our Savior. David, who was already anointed to be king of Israel was running and hiding from Saul, who sought to take his life. Abigail, who had everything she could want, as far as the world is concerned, left all to accept David’s proposal and be with him in the wilderness. Why would she do such a thing? Why not stay and live comfortably, rather than turn to a life of suffering with a man who has not offered her much in exchange for a “yes” to his proposal? The answer is found in what Abigail said to David in verses 30-31, “And it shall come to pass, when the LORD has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” It was obvious that Abigail had already heard that someday David would officially be crowned king of Israel. Although all that she could gain for the moment was a life of wandering and hiding in the wilderness, she was willing to suffer and leave her earthly possessions behind to be joined to a man who would someday be king; not because he made the promise, but because she was relying on God’s promise to elevate David. That is an acceptance of a proposal by faith. All that was visible to Abigail was a man who was running for his life. Yet, by faith she trusted that God would be faithful to the promise made to David. Note her humble response to said proposal. She did not become arrogant or self-righteous about her standing as the wife of a future king. No, instead, she immediately humbled herself to be a servant to those who serve her future husband (a servant to servants). Wow! Would that not transform us as followers of Jesus if we had the same attitude in respect to leaving the world behind and serving the Lord with humility? Those of us who have called upon Jesus, the Lamb who laid down His life for us, have yet to see what the Lord has in store for us. We accepted His proposal to be His bride, looking ahead to the promise of eternal life and His coming Kingdom, when He will return, not as a Lamb, but as a Lion, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Knowing that God is faithful to His Word and keeps every promise, do we now serve Him with humility, willing to be a servant to whomever He chooses for us to serve? Do we see others as better than ourselves, with a willingness to perform the lowest of duties in order to be obedient in our service to the Lord? Do we serve with the humility stated in Philippians 2:3-4, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”? Have we truly forsaken the world and its worthless offerings now that we are following Jesus or are we still friends of the world (James 4:4)? Are we taking up our cross daily and following the Lord (Luke 9)? Abigail was truly a woman to be admired, and David was blessed to have her as his wife. He wisely recognized her inner beauty. Outer beauty fades, but inner beauty is lasting. So it should be with us as followers of Jesus. We must allow the Holy Spirit to change us and make us beautiful from the inside out. As we will see in future devotionals, Abigail was choosing to follow a man who, although was a man after God’s own heart, was far from perfect. She would nonetheless not waver in her role as his wife and would continue to follow him, even in those days when his faith would falter and he would make choices that were not the wisest. Yet, she was willing to suffer in order to see the promise fulfilled of her husband becoming the future king. Are we enduring, by faith, the suffering we are called to endure for the glory of God? Are we willing to walk through wilderness times, being steadfast, and continuing to serve, even though what we see may seem hopeless? Are we holding on to the hope we have in the promises made to us by the Lord Himself and not turning back to the comforts of the world? The bottom line is that as we walk with the Lord, whatever we are called to endure will not compare to what lies ahead for us who have inherited the Kingdom in Christ. Romans 8:18 states it best, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Are we looking ahead to the promise?
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, October 25, 2019
Who Knows About Tomorrow?
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:36, Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light.
Nabal is an interesting character. When we observe his foolishness, it serves as a warning to both the Christian and the unsaved person. He was man who gathered wealth, was selfish, proud, and had not one thought for the wellbeing of others. He had no inclination for helping those in need, as evident by his reaction and response to David. Here we find him partying like a king. Yet, he eats, drinks, and carries on merrily; not knowing that he was in danger of losing all he has by way of his own death. Although Abigail interceded on his behalf, he was completely ignorant of the fact that God used her to stop David from killing him and all his servants. In spite of that, he did not escape God’s judgment. The Christian who insists on seeking the world does not truly understand the loss that comes with making the world a priority in his or her life. As God’s children, when we make ourselves a friend of the world, we make ourselves the enemies of God. James 4:4-5 states it clearly, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?” Yet, how often do we put careers, the pursuit of riches, social status, people, and even hobbies, before God and our service to Him? All that we seek to gain here is dung in comparison to the riches God wants to reward us with when we finally stand before Him on that day of judgment when our works will be tested (1 Corinthians 3:9-15). Sadly, even as born again believers we place more attention on the “here and now” with little thought of what that equates to in loss of eternal reward. On the other hand, we have the unsaved person. The one who thinks that he will somehow live forever, and that his wealth and status will be his savior. Some will give away some of their wealth in hopes that enough good deeds will earn them favor with God. There is the other who says, “Let us party and be merry, and when we die we’ll all party in hell!” Well, I have a bit of bad news for those who think this way. Hell is not a “party place”; it is a place of suffering. Jesus described it this way in Matthew 41-42, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” The tragedy of this is that hell was not meant for us, but for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Man sends himself there when he or she rejects Jesus and the Gospel message. Jesus made it clear in John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” In Luke 12 Jesus told the parable of the rich fool who gathered and stored wealth, not know that tomorrow would be the end. In verses 20 and 21 He said, “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 ‘So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’” Do any of us know about tomorrow and what it will bring? No, we do not know. The only One who knows is God. For the one who does not know Jesus, who has not yet put his or her faith in Him and called upon Him for eternal life, the day to call on Him is today; the time is now. For us, the child of God, the born again believer, we must have the mindset and lifestyle described in Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” In other words, in Christ the world has no value to us, other than the souls we can bring to the Lord, and the world should have no use for us, in that we live in opposition to all it stands for, all for the glory of God in Christ Jesus, from whom we will receive the greatest of rewards (Romans 2:6; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9). We must not wait until tomorrow to either call upon Him for eternal life or to surrender our lives to serve Him, because none of us know about tomorrow and whether we will be here to see it.
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, October 24, 2019
Well Received Wisdom
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:32-33, Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.
There is so much that can be said about David and Abigail’s interaction. David was on his way to behave as foolishly as Nabal. What he set out to do, if he had accomplished it, would have left a blemish on his name and reputation. God, knowing David’s heart, sent Abigail to intercede and bring him words of wisdom that would keep him from ruining his future service to the Lord; but only if David himself was wise enough to recognize where the advice was really coming from. David’s response to Abigail made it clear that David knew exactly who was responsible for keeping him from committing a sin that would become a stumbling block to his future service to the Lord. Had he continued on this path and completed his intentions, he would have created doubt in the minds of the people of Israel once he became king. Although David praised Abigail for her boldness in coming to him and interceding on behalf of Nabal, his first praised was well placed in that he praised God first. Sadly, too many of us, when we receive well-meaning and wise advice, allow our pride to refuse the acceptance of wise admonishments that are meant for our own good. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” God’s advice, given through Abigail, moved David from a fool’s path to a path of wisdom. How often have we rejected wise counsel because it hurt our pride? How often did we foolishly lash out at someone who came to us and tried to give us wise advice because they saw us walking a path that was leading us away from God? Emotions and pride are a dangerous combination that clouds our ability to make wise choices. However, God will often provide us with the wisdom (through the reading of His Word) that we need to make the right choices. He may even send an Abigail into our life to try and put on back on the right path. How do we respond to such a person? Do we recognize them as a Godsend as David did with Abigail? There are many choices and decisions we will make in this lifetime. Some will be on point, while others can potentially end in disaster. If we refuse to accept wise counsel, the fact of the matter is that we will most likely shipwreck in our walk with the Lord. There may be those occasions when the advice is coming from a friend, and as difficult as it might be to hear it, we must put our pride aside and listen. A true friend will speak truth and wisdom (with kindness and love), even if it hurts our feelings. Proverbs 27:6 reminds us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” The next time any of us are tempted to trust our own choices and decisions, especially when we are at the height of anger or any other emotions, and refuse to listen to the words spoken to us by someone God may have sent our way, remember what Proverbs 28:25-26. Those verses read, “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered. 26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.” How well do we receive the wise counsel of the Lord when He is trying to steer us away from our own foolishness, especially when it comes from one of His faithful messengers?
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, October 22, 2019
To Expect or Not to Expect
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:21, Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good.
David and his men had done a good thing for Nabal and his servants. They made sure that no harm came to them while they were with them. Yet, Nabal shows great disrespect for David and his polite request for provisions for him and his men. Although it was wrong of Nabal to return evil for good, I wonder if David would have been less apt to lose his temper due to Nabal’s actions if he had made up his mind, before making his request, that he expected nothing from Nabal in return for David’s unsolicited help. There will be times when our help will be requested by others or times when we choose, on our own to do good for someone. There might be a need that arises and the Lord may choose to use us to meet that need. My question to us is, “What are we expecting in return?” In relation to giving something to others, whether material, providing a service, or anything else the Lord calls us to give, our attitude should be as Jesus described in Luke 6. In verse 30 He said, “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.” In verses 33-36 He continued, “And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” When we give as the Lord leads we are giving it to Him. It means that what we have chosen to give we have relinquished and it no longer belongs to us; but to the Lord to be used to be a blessing to whomever He has chosen. If this is so, why do we get upset when such a kindness is not reciprocated? If we give with great expectations of receiving, then we set ourselves up for disappointment, and give the devils an occasion to use our anger to sin against the Lord who clearly tells us to be angry but sin not (Ephesians 4:26), as happened with David. Jesus told us in Luke 6 that if we give and expect only heavenly reward from Him, then great is our reward. Far too often we forfeit heavenly reward because our desires are too entrenched in the earthly and what we can receive and gain here. Although Nabal was wrong in his response and actions, it would have been best for David to trust that the Lord saw what was done for him by David and his men, and have confidence in the fact that God would take vengeance on Nabal for his foolishness as happened shortly thereafter. When we do for others, we need to expect nothing, and must also be ready to forgive their ingratitude, knowing that we personally cannot out give God. Any form of blessing God chooses to give us in return for our generosity will be far greater than anything man can give us in return. The most pleasing form of giving we can practice is a giving that is done cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), with absolutely no expectation, except whatever God chooses for us, even if we have to wait to see that reward when we stand before Him to be judged for our works done by faith. Giving to the Lord, by giving to others, can be the biggest test of faith that God can give us, because we often have great difficulty letting go of our earthly possessions. However, without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). So give freely, give cheerfully, and give it by faith. Leave the rest to the Lord who is faithful and will always provide for our needs (Matthew 6), as He already knows what we need, even before we ask (Matthew 6:8).
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, October 19, 2019
The Unaddressed Sin
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:10, Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.
One the of things that none of us will escape is the gossip of others. Sadly, far too many of us speak without thinking how our foolish words will affect those of whom we speak of; especially if what we speak, we speak in ignorance. We can only imagine that it was not only Nabal’s rejection of David’s humble request, but his insults of David, which were based on a lack of knowledge and his own greed, that caused David’s anger and rash actions to take personal vengeance on Nabal. Thankfully, as we read yesterday, God intervened and stopped David when He allowed Abigail to intercede and keep David from doing something he would later regret. How often have we had someone comment about something that happened in our lives that was inaccurate and lacking personal knowledge? How did we feel about it when we found out? Probably as angry as David became. How often have we, forgetting how we felt, done the same thing to someone else? How often do we repeat some “hot, juicy tidbit” we heard without even knowing if what we were told was true? The one thing that we certainly do not consider, because if we did we would be slow to open our mouths, is that when we gossip we grieve the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:29-30 clearly states, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Nabal spoke insults about David, first and foremost, because he was a foolish and covetous man who did not want to part with his material goods. He spoke words out of ignorance, and false assumptions, knowing not about what David had personally experienced in facing Saul’s betrayal. His insults were only a way to make him feel better about his greed and lack of generosity. Quite often, a person will gossip about another because it draws attention away from their own sinfulness and makes them feel better about themselves. James 1:26 reminds us, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” In other words, those who deems themselves spiritually mature in their faith, but cannot control their tongues are deceived. Their religiosity is useless to the Lord. There are many verses in the Book of Proverbs that warn against gossip. Yet, this is the one destructive sin that we allow most in our midst in the local church. We are quick to bring someone before the congregation for discipline if we find out they have committed adultery or committed some other “grievous” sin; yet, we overlook gossipers. Instead of correcting them and holding them to the same standard, we turn around and talk amongst ourselves about how much of a gossiper they are. Do we not see the hypocrisy in this? Do we not know that when the words of a gossiper cause division in the local church or amongst brothers and sisters in Christ, God hates it? Proverbs 6:16-19 makes it very clear that God despises division just as much as other sins. It reads, “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” The one thing that those of us who have been victims of other people’s gossip must remember is that people will always talk, even if they know not what they are talking about. If this is true of any of us, then we are in good company. John the Baptist and Jesus were both spoken of falsely in Luke 4:33-35. It reads, “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.” The acceptable sin of gossip is one of the most dangerous sins we live with. Why? It is most dangerous because the devils use it as a way to break up the local church from the inside out. The sins that are overlooked and unaddressed, even though God speaks so vehemently against them, will spread like wildfire and cause division within families, friends, and the body of Christ. The charge today is to stop gossip in its tracks. Do not be the “fire starter” amongst the brethren. Do not speak words about someone we would not speak if they were present. Do not repeat things we hear without really knowing the facts. As a matter of fact do not repeat it at all, regardless! If someone comes to us with a juicy piece of gossip, politely tell them that we want no part of it. Remember, a person who gossips to us about someone else, will gossip to others about us. I would be remiss if I failed to repeat that the greatest consequence of gossip is that we grieve the Holy Spirit. Let us not take so lightly sin that offends our Lord and Savior.
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, October 18, 2019
Slow Down, Pray, Listen, Then Act
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:1, Then David said to his men, “Every man gird on his sword.” So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies.
David’s reaction to Nabal’s response to his request would seem justified in any of our minds. However, when we react quickly, especially in anger, we completely disregard the consequences of our actions. James 1:19-20 warns, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Sadly, I have seen too many Christians justify their angry outbursts by calling it “righteous anger”. Yet, the Word of God is very clear that man’s wrath does NOTHING to encourage or produce the righteousness of God. In spite of that, we continue to trample each other in our “righteous attempts” to rebuke those who stumble in our midst. The result is that Christian brothers and sisters are discouraged and pull away from the Lord, rather than draw near to Him. The unsaved are turned off by our attitude, and often our hypocrisy, as they see us do the same things we rebuked them for. David was on a path to doing something that would produce some negative consequences that he did not consider. What took place soon thereafter was nothing more than God’s grace in His intervention by sending Abigail to intercept David as he was on his way to settle this issue in his anger. When Abigail heard what Nabal had done, she made haste to have her servants prepare provision for David and his men and was diligent in going out to meet him, before he carried out his plans in haste. In verses 30-31 Abigail reminded David of the long term consequences of his shortsighted anger. Those verses read, “And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” Far too often we do not slow down to listen to the Spirit of God who beckons us to reconsider our choices and actions when we are angry. We fail to slow down, stop, and pray before we act. We only think about the immediate satisfaction of giving someone “a piece of our mind” or satisfying our pride by making certain that whoever offended us “can’t get away with it”. We fail to evaluate what our rash reactions do to dishonor the Name of Jesus or how it will affect our testimony for Him in the future. This is not to say that we are not to be angry. Ephesians 4:26-27 states, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” As born again believers, living in a fallen world, among fallen people, we do not have to go far to be angered about one thing or another; whether it affects us personally or someone we love. However, the Word of God warns us that when we give in to our anger and add sin to that anger, we give the devil an advantage. The advantage is that we then allow our anger to be turned into devilish responses, rather than resorting to actions of love that honor God. Jesus Himself told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). David was going down the path of taking vengeance for himself. Abigail reminded him that nothing good would come of that. So it is with us when we choose to not forgive and seek revenge against those who mistreat us or cheat us. As God’s children we must constantly remind ourselves, even in our anger, that God sees all and will reward everyone in accordance to their action, whether good or bad (Romans 2:6; 12:14-21; 2 Corinthians 5:10). It was not long after Abigail’s quick thinking and wisdom that God took vengeance on David’s behalf in verse 38 we read, “Then it happened, after about ten days, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.” The next time we are angered by something someone does to us, or someone we love, let us slow down, stop if necessary, pray, listen the Spirit’s response, then act. If we truly listen with more than our ears and react in accordance to the Spirit’s leading, the result will be glory to our Lord, even if we do not see it right away. It will always be so in God’s timing, not ours.
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, October 12, 2019
Blessed In Order To Be A Blessing
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:11, Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?”
Can we imagine if God had decided to keep Heaven to Himself? What if He simply decided that He would just go ahead and start all over and create a new batch of humans that would not rebel against Him and just let us all perish? What a tragedy and what hopelessness we would live with, knowing that our end would be eternal condemnation with no hope of redemption at all. Praise to our God and Father, to our Savior, who chose to bless us by giving us His only begotten Son, that none of us who put our faith in the finished work of Jesus would perish (John 3:16). Note what God did with that blessing we received in Christ. He did not tell us to keep it to ourselves, but commanded us to go out and “preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). So is His desire for the physical blessings we receive in life. Nabal was an evil, self-centered man. Although David and his men had served him well, in spite of the fact that it was not there duty to do so, he returned their kindness with insults and an unwillingness to provide for them even though he was a blessed man and had the resources to meet their needs. Far too often, we receive a blessing from the Lord and our first thought is, “How am I going to spend this on myself?” What our first thought should be is, “Lord, how can I use this to be a blessing and glorify You?” “Lord, was this meant for me or am I to use this to bless someone else?” Proverbs 11:25-26 says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. 26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessings will be on the head of him who sells it.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 also says, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” As born again believers we must be available to be used by God to be a channel of blessings. Philippians 2:4 clearly states, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Doing good to others and sharing is a form of life worship as stated in Hebrews 13:15-16, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” God will certainly provide for all our needs. In some instances He may choose to bless us beyond what we deserve or imagine, but we are not meant to hoard our blessings, but be ready to share those blessings with others as the Lord leads and directs. What we will discover is that the more we bless others with what we have, the more the Lord will provide for us to keep the flow of blessings going forward. I want to stop here and caution us at this point and remind us of this one thing…God knows our hearts and knows the genuineness of why we give. We will never be able to twist God’s arm into pouring blessings into our lives by giving with the intention to get something back from the Lord. Our attitude in giving should be that we are giving because we know it is God’s will for us, expecting nothing in return. Our blessing may not always come in the form of material things. So if we are going to give under some false “name it claim it” or “prosperity” pretense, then it is better we keep it to ourselves until we can give it unselfishly and with no expectation of God giving us material gain. God will bless whom He chooses and gives us the free will to be a blessing for His glory. Let us avoid, at all cost, being a Nabal in our giving. Instead, let us be a people who recognize that all we have belongs to the Lord, and He gives to us so that we can be His channels of blessings, if He so chooses.
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, October 10, 2019
Doing Good in Hard Times
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:7, Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel.
To say that David was going through hard times is an understatement. Although anointed to be the next king by Samuel, at God’s direction, he spent many years literally running for his life. During those years, there was plenty of opportunity for him to think about how unfair all of this was, since he was a faithful servant to both God and Saul. Yet, his faithfulness was repaid with jealousy, envy, and being pursued for the purpose of ending his life. The many years of being on the run were an opportunity for David to become bitter, as he did not ask to be king, be given the opportunity to serve in Saul’s army or even be a part of those who served in the palace. His years on the run could have made him the kind of man who would pillage, steal, and harm anyone who might have come between him, his men, and surviving in the wilderness. Yet, this man, who was a man after God’s own heart, did not become bitter toward life or God because of his harsh circumstances. Although we read in many of the Psalms that there were times of distress and tears, the one thing we see about David was that he continued to have a heart of service to both God and man. This could not have been an easy task, especially after being joined by the group of men who chose to follow him. 1 Samuel 22:2 says this about these men, “And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.” This could have easily turned into a band of marauders who cared about nothing but themselves and their own survival. Instead, David’s own testimony of who he had been in tough times was confirmed by one of Nabal’s servants. Verses 14-16 of this chapter read, “Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, ‘Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep.’” So often, in our own lives, we experience hard times, even as children of God. It has been said about surviving these times that it not so much about what happens that determines how we live through them, but how we respond to them. In other words, life is two percent what happens and ninety eight percent how we react or deal with it. In those trying times in David’s life he chose to respond by staying faithful to God and doing good to those around him when the opportunity arose. My personal observation has been that when difficult times come, God also presents opportunities for us to be a blessing to someone else. While dealing with our own difficulties and sorrows, God brings others who need help dealing with their difficulties and sorrows. The choices we make during these times are really opportunities to bring honor to God. David felt comfortable asking Nabal for help because he (David) knew that he and his men had chosen not to do evil against Nabal, even when such opportunities presented themselves. Of course, he did not know that the man he had been good to was a fool and a man of wicked ways. Nonetheless, it is always more important to be good to those who do not deserve it because God calls us show the love of Christ to all people, as He does, regardless of who they might turn out to be deep down inside. It is more about God’s glory than our feelings or people’s attitudes. So how do we, as God’s children, come to the place of doing good to other while living through hard times? Well, first it comes down to obedience to, and reverence for, the Lord. Next, we must remember this valuable truth as stated in 1 Peter 5:6-7, “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.” When we cast our care upon God, it gives us the peace of mind and frees us to do what we are told to do in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Our good works towards others, especially during hard times is evidence of our faith in Christ. James calls us to prove our faith by our works (James 2:14-26). Performance of good works, even in hard times is worship toward God (Hebrews 13:15-16). Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:16 that our good works, seen by men, will glorify our Father in Heaven. Regardless of what happens during difficult times, know that God will always present us with opportunities to do good to others, not only to help us grow in our faith, but to be a blessing for His glory. Let us not be so self-absorbed in hard times that we miss out on heavenly reward when God presents us an opportunity to bring praise to His Name.
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, October 6, 2019
Wait for an Abigail…Avoid a Nabal
Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 25:3, 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.
How in the world does a foolish man like Nabal end up marrying such a beautiful and wise woman as Abigail? First, keep in mind that in those days, and in that culture, it was common to have a prearranged marriage where money and prestige could certainly buy you a bride, even to the hurt of that bride. Today, sadly, far too many of God’s daughters are choosing Nabals all on their own. Nonetheless, the fact that Abigail endured living with such a brutish, harsh, and selfish man, says so much about who she was as a woman of God. The Lord described her in His Word as “a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance”. How many woman today could honestly be described this way, not by man, but by God Himself? We as men desire to have a woman such as this one, but I have to ask an honest question. How many of us men who desire a woman who is both beautiful inside and out have actually done all we can to be the godly men we need to be, so that we can truly appreciate such a woman? Far too often both men and women of God desire to be blessed with a godly spouse, yet we do nothing to become the godly husband or wife that the person we are asking for will need. So I ask you now, “What are you doing to prepare for such a life partner, should the Lord bless you with such a person?” Abigail was the ideal woman, as described in Proverbs 31:10-31. Proverbs 22:18 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.” Nabal, in spite of his character, was greatly blessed. Yet, God’s blessings did nothing to change who he was deep down inside. Men, if we have been blessed with such a woman, what are we doing to show our appreciation to the Lord for such a blessing? How are we treating that woman, who, if she is also a born again believer, is also a child of God? If we have not yet met our “Abigail”, what are we doing to prepare for her arrival in our life? Are we doing all we can to be the godly men we are supposed to be? Are we focused on God and serving Him or are we too busy complaining about not having our Abigail yet? Are we a “Nabal” husband? If so, what are we doing to change? Maybe we have an Abigail who has been abused by our lack of godliness. Maybe the woman who was once an Abigail is tired and tattered because we have continued to be inconsiderate and selfish. Will we finally turn to the Lord so that He can make us the men we are supposed to be? Ladies…yes, I have not forgotten you. What are you doing to become an Abigail? Are you so busy trying to find a man that you are willing to compromise your Christian values and just settle for the first Nabal that comes along because you are lonely or afraid that you will never find the right man? Stop focusing on trying to find that man. If you have Jesus, you already have that Man! Let Him bring the right man into your life, when He knows that you are ready to receive him. If you are already married to a Nabal, a foolish and brutish man, then be an Abigail anyway. If your husband is far from the Lord, and you desire to have a man who will become a man after God’s own heart, then follow God’s advice in 1 Peter 3:1-6. It reads, “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.” The bottom line is that women of God need to be more concerned with how God sees them, rather than how men see them. Be the kind of woman who wants a man to see her through the eyes of God, and not through the eyes of men who are lustful and selfish; then wait for God to bring that man to you. Men of God, if you want God to bless you with an Abigail, be a man after God’s own heart and not a foolish Nabal, then wait on God to bring that woman into your life. I praise the Lord that in spite of the fact that I have been a “Nabal” more often than I would like to admit, He has allowed me to have my “Abigail”.
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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