Devotional Audio Track: The World Has No Real Answers

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The World Has No Real Answers

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:24-25, Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

What exactly did Saul gain by going to a medium? The short answer to this question is “nothing”. He gained nothing. This is certainly a lesson that we can all learn, if we have not already. I am sure that many of us have already been down the road of going to the world to find answer that only God had the answer to; only to come away feeling empty and more stressed than we were previously. In the end, Saul received an answer he could have done without and a belly full of food that would eventually leave his body as waste. As born again followers of Jesus, we have Someone to go to when we need answers to life’s difficult questions. We have Someone we can go to when we need comfort in the midst of difficult times. The unsaved are weighted down with the worries and stresses of this world. Those that are trying to find favor with God are working to achieve the impossible, because God’s salvation comes by His grace alone (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus clearly stated in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” When we stop and think about all that we have gained in Christ to help us when we have to maneuver life’s twists and turns, we have to admit that we are blessed beyond measure! God has given us in Christ, the Holy Spirit who indwells us (1 Corinthians 3:16); meaning that God is with us 24/7. He guides us, and teaches us. He uses the Word of God to help us know God, change our worldly thinking, and guide us as we walk with Jesus. Romans 12:2 admonishes us, “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.” Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 also says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The greatest access we have to the Father, in Christ, is prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 promises, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The wonderful thing about prayer is that in Christ we can go before God’s throne with boldness, and the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf in those times when we do not even know how to pray. Hebrews 4:14-16 promises, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Romans 8:26-27 also promises, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The bottom line is that the world does not have any lasting answers to life’s challenges. If we want to get through this life successfully, by God’s standards, then we must stay close to the Lord, pray, read and study His Word, and trust Him in those times when we do not understand why things are happening the way they are. No matter what happens, and no matter what it may look like to us, God is ALWAYS in control.

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).

Devotional Audio Track: An Invincible Enemy

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An Invincible Enemy

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:20, Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.

Such dread fell upon Saul at the words of Samuel that his strength and appetite left him. How could they not with all that he was about to face? Israel was heading for defeat, making Saul a disgrace as a king, the death of his sons, making him a father who could not defend or protect his sons; and finally, his own defeat and death. With all of this prophesied against him, what could be worse? Have we ever had such a bad day that we asked ourselves, “Can it possibly get any worse?” Well, for Saul, it could, and it did. Far worse than anything that was said to Saul, his greatest danger in all of this, and his greatest loss, was that God had departed from him (v. 15-16). The greatest enemy Saul had in his final battle was not the Philistines. His greatest Enemy was God (v.16). Of all the enemies we could ever face, the worst Enemy we could encounter in this life is God, an Invincible Enemy. Jesus warned us in Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Yet, how often do we put ourselves in a position to be God’s enemy? Many of us would say, “No way! I would never stand against God or make Him my enemy!” Is that so? How about those times in our lives when we are more friends to the world than we are to God? How about those times when money, material gain, and worldly prestige become the ultimate goal in our lives? How about when God takes a back seat to all that the world is offering us, with its false promises? Jesus told us in Matthew 6:24, “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.” James 4:4 also warned, “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.” I have always said that God can deliver us from our enemies, even the hands of the devils. However, who can deliver us from the hand of God? That being said, why would we want to put ourselves in a place to have God as our Enemy? Those who do not know Jesus as Savior do not realize exactly what they are heading for if they do not repent and call upon the Lord as their Savior and Lord. We, who already know Him, must make sharing Jesus with the lost a priority before it is too late. We already have the ever present (omnipresent), all knowing (omniscient), and all powerful (omnipotent), God on our side. Why would we want to defect back to the place Jesus saved us from? The best way I can end today’s devotional is to let God have the last word. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 God made it clear about where He wants us to stand. The verses read, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them.’ ‘I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ 17 Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. 18 I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’”

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).

Devotional Audio Track: Why Do We Wait?

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Why Do We Wait?

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:18-19, Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

In verse fifteen, Saul inquired of Samuel about what he should do about the Philistines, since God was not answering him. Samuel answered Saul, but did not tell him what he should do, but rather plainly told him what would happen to him, Jonathan, and the nation of Israel, as a result of Saul’s disobedience. It was too late for Saul to do anything except deal with the consequences of his rebellion. Note that Saul’s sin did not just affect Saul. His sin affected his son, who was innocent in the matter of David’s persecution, and the entire nation that was under Saul’s leadership. The fact is that when we sin, the consequences do not just affect us. Saul had fifteen plus years to get right with God. Now, as he searches for answers, his time has run out. Far too many of us wait until it is too late to turn to the Lord. For the unsaved the time to call upon Jesus as Savior and accept his free gift of salvation, by faith and His grace, is now. Jesus clearly promised and warned us in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” If we reject God’s free gift today, we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Therefore, when we reject Jesus, we are condemned until the time we turn to Him. Some of us have the mindset that we can always do it tomorrow, or next week, because we are too busy enjoying the pleasures of the flesh, but James 4:13-14 warn, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” What is so valuable to us in this lifetime that we would be willing to risk going into eternity condemned? Matthew 16:26 asks, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” If we are not guaranteed tomorrow, then what are we waiting for? 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 answers that question, “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior and surrendered your life to Him, NOW is the time. If we already know Him, but find ourselves far from Him because of our refusal to repent and confess some sin that is putting a wall between us and our Savior; today, right NOW is the time to go before Him. Like the father in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15), Jesus waits, with open arms, to welcome us back into fellowship with Him. Do not wait until tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come, and it will then be too late.

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).

Devotional Audio Track: Time vs. Repentance

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Time vs. Repentance

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:16-18, Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17 And the LORD has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.

In the previous devotional we pointed out that Saul already had the answers to the questions he had for Samuel. In answering Saul, Samuel was even more specific in what the consequences for his disobedience were. In 1 Samuel 15:28, Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” Now, about fifteen years later, when Samuel reiterates God’s message, he confirms what Saul probably already knew, that the man to whom the kingdom would be given to was David. What is truly sad about this situation is that many Christians today think the way Saul was probably thinking in this instance. It would seem that Saul was saying to himself, “Some time has gone by. Maybe God has changed His mind.” The truth of the matter is that God does not change His mind about our sins and the consequences of our sins, simply because time has passed. Just because time passes, from the time that we committed our sins against God, does not lessen the severity of the sin or take away the consequences God has chosen to allow for those sins. Letting time pass is not the same as repenting and getting right with the Lord. We do not get right with God by simply letting time go by. Far too many of us fail to see sin the way God sees sin, and therefore we do not mourn over our sin as we should. In Matthew 5:4 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” In James 4:7-10, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Saul had hardened his heart and refused to acknowledge his sin of disobedience, but now that he felt that he was in grave danger, he sought answers from God without humbling himself before the Lord. I encourage all of us today to take inventory of our lives and ask God to show us if there is some sin(s) that we need to mournfully repent of and confess before the Lord. Let us not be fooled into thinking that time passing is the same as repenting and confessing our sins. I will leave us with this verse from Proverbs 28:13, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”

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).

Devotional Audio Track: Are We Living for Earth or Heaven?

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Are We Living for Earth or Heaven?

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:15, Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”

There have been many opinions about whether or not it was really Samuel who appeared to the witch and to Saul. Based on the reaction from the medium, it is more likely that it was really Samuel who appeared. When Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration, both Moses and Elijah appeared before the on looking disciples (Matthew 17). So it certainly is possible that God would bring one of His servants back to communicate God’s message; if He so chose to. Nonetheless, what I would like to focus on is Samuel’s question to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Lest we give this witch, or even Saul, more credit than they deserve in this, let us make one thing clear; the only reason Samuel reappeared was because God had a direct message for Saul, and an indirect message for the witch. The witch should have quickly realized that playing with the supernatural is no joke. It boggles my mind when I hear that a born again child of God is willing to go to a palm reader, tarot card reader, or a psychic. Going to someone like this is no different than what Saul did. Let us make no mistake about where God stands in respect to dealing with people who partake in these evil practices. Leviticus 20:6 clearly states, “And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.”
Saul was looking for answers to questions that he already had answers to. It was obvious that he would have no choice but to fight against the Philistines. What he was likely seeking was the outcome of this unavoidable war. God had departed from Saul, and he already knew this. It became even more evident when God became silent. He was probably hoping for a change in the consequences of his disobedience. Instead what he received was a message of his death sentence, which left him paralyzed with fear (v. 19-20). Why disturb Samuel to get answers to questions that were already answered? We must be extremely careful to avoid putting ourselves in positions where sin can bring forth consequences that are far too much for us to bear. God is gracious, merciful, and forgiving, but He will not always remove the consequences of our sinful actions. There is an even greater observation to be taken from Samuel’s question. Why would anyone want to return to this God-forsaken world, once we have gone to be with Jesus? Why would we want our life with Jesus, once we are before Him, interrupted to come back to this place? This brings a question to mind that we all need to answer. “Do we love this life more than the life that lies ahead, where we will be reunited with our Savior?” Some of us may vehemently insist that we love the Lord and the life to come, but our focus, actions, and the things we deem as important in this lifetime says something completely different. Sadly, far too many of us live this life looking to gain all that this corrupt world has to offer. We shipwreck our walk with Jesus in pursuit of material gain, status in society, and the accolades of men. There are many who are perishing, and will perish, because they have rejected Jesus’ offer of eternal life. Some insist on trying to earn passage into Heaven, even though God has made it clear that salvation comes by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), and only through Jesus, His only begotten Son (John 3:16; 14:6). The fact of the matter is that what we have here on earth now, even if God is allowing us to enjoy the riches of this world, does not compare to what Jesus has in store for us when we are finally with Him. With that said, we must live life here with a view of how it will affect our glorious life there, when we will serve Him and worship Him for all eternity. What are we doing here and now that has any eternal value? Are we serving selflessly, giving to others, loving one another, and doing all we do out of our faith and gratitude for the salvation God has given us so freely in Christ Jesus? I can guarantee this…once we are with Jesus, there will be no reason why we would want our time with Him interrupted to come back to this earth. We need to take inventory of our lives now and ask God to show us if we are living a life that truly reflects our love for Him, and hope we have of being with Him, by the words we speak, our actions, and the deeds we claim to do in 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).

Devotional Audio Track: They May Eventually Turn to Us

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They May Eventually Turn to Us

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:11, Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

Interesting that of all people to turn to, Saul chose to turn to Samuel. While still alive, Samuel lived in Ramah, which was not far from Gibeah where Saul dwelt. Yet, Saul cared not enough to visit with his old friend. Samuel’s alliance to David may have made Saul feel insecure about confiding in Samuel. Yet, here, after Samuel is no more, Saul is seeking to get answers from the one with whom he did not bother with while he was still amongst the living. So it is with us who boldly proclaim the Name of Jesus, and choose to live for the Lord. People will shun us, persecute us, and even mock us, but when the trials come and the troubles land on their front steps, quite often we are the ones they turn to for prayers and answers. I have often experienced that people who did not want to hear about God, or who were critical because I chose to do things based on God’s Word, were eager to ask for prayers when things were going wrong in their lives. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that we maintain a good Christian testimony whether at work or at play. I am not saying that we have to be perfect, because in this lifetime that is impossible, as Jesus is the only One who is perfect. However, people will take note, even if they are the ones persecuting us, when we do our best to live a life that truly honors Christ. Of all the people Saul could have turned to, he knew that Samuel, as God’s prophet, had a genuine relationship with the Lord. For us, that means living a life that is dedicated to Jesus, without hypocrisy. Far too often, we proclaim the Name of Jesus before others, especially in the one place we spend most of our waking hours, at work; yet, we are usually the ones who have the worst work ethic. We are consistently late, we take longer breaks than we should, and we are the ones who are often complaining the loudest. We walk around with a “whoa is me” attitude, and are often unapproachable, but are the ones who are quick to rebuke or criticize that person in our circle of influence who uses fowl language. Sadly, we are also the ones who participate in the inappropriate conversations, laughing at crude jokes, and freely listening to and sharing gossip. How do we expect to be light in this world or salt on this earth (Matthew 5:13-16), if we do nothing to set ourselves apart from the world? 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 clearly commands, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ 17 Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’” If that leads to our persecution, then be of good cheer, because in Matthew 5:10 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The bottom line is that we must do all we can to maintain a testimony that honors Jesus, and make ourselves available to those who today might persecute us, but tomorrow, because of adversity in their lives, may seek us out. God might very well choose to use us to reach the same person who wanted nothing to do with the Lord while things were going well for them. Are we ready to be used by the Lord, in that way, for His glory? The condition of our testimony will answer that question.

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).

Devotional Audio Track: Misplaced Fear and Presumptuous Confidence

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Misplaced Fear and Presumptuous Confidence

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:9-10, Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?” 10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

This witch and this king are good examples of what to avoid. The witch appears to be apprehensive about this stranger (King Saul disguised) and his request, based on the fact that King Saul had cut off the mediums and spiritists. She is exhibiting a type of fear that many of us Christians exhibit. It is a fear that is misplaced. What I mean by this is that we often put more weight on man says he can or will do to us than what we know God is capable of doing to us. The witch is more concern about the physical pain she could experience if caught, with no real care about what she will some day have to answer to before God; so it is with sinners who do not know Jesus. Sadly, this also seems to happen to us as born again believers. We compromise our standards and morals, and we stay silent when we should be proclaiming the Gospel, because we fear man more than we fear God. In Matthew 10:27-28 Jesus said, “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Jesus knew that His followers would experience moments of hesitation because of a fear of man. The Word of God clearly states in Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” Hebrews 13:5-6 also makes is clear, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ 6 So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” As followers of Jesus, it is always good to obey established laws, as long as they do not lead us to violate God’s law; but when it comes down to it, we are to fear God and obey Him, rather than bow down to men. Saul, on the other hand, made this witch a promise that he could not really keep. He promised her that there would be no punishment upon her if she did this evil thing he was asking of her. Who was Saul that he could promise that there would be no consequences for doing that which was evil and in opposition to God’s law? Who are we when we make promises that are beyond our control to make? Saul was about to find out that the One who is in control of all things was about to reveal to him that this would be his last day on earth. The same God who would end his life on the battlefield against the Philistines is the same God that this witch would some day stand before to receive the punishment for her sins. We, as human beings, even as sinners saved by God’s grace, do not have the power to determine what another person’s consequences will be for their evil actions. The one thing we do know for certain is that any person, regardless of who they are, who refuses to accept Jesus as Savior is already condemned and will some day face God’s judgement. Jesus made this clear in John 3:16-18, which reads, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” We must not allow our misplaced fears to silence us when it comes to sharing the Gospel or speaking God’s truth in love. We must also not be presumptuous in thinking that we are more than we are as Christians. Romans 12:3 reminds us, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Galatians 6:3 also warns, “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Let us keep our eyes on Christ, having a reverent fear of Him, and remind ourselves that He is the One that is in control of all things, not us.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Devotional Audio Track: We Could Find Ourselves Here Too

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We Could Find Ourselves Here Too

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 27:7-8, Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”

How often have we, in our righteous indignation, rebuked someone for sinning, but did so with a lack of love and humility? We justified our anger toward someone who stumbled because of the nature of the sin. We behaved as if we would never do to someone what was done to us (or someone we know), and therefore felt justified in rebuking the sinner and beating him/her senseless with our Bible verses. It always amazes me that our memory fails us when it comes to remembering verses such as Galatians 6:1-3, which read, “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.” I say all this to say that none of us, no matter how well we are walking with Christ today, know how well we will be walking with Him tomorrow. Saul, at one time, did what was right before God in condemning witchcraft and cutting off mediums and witches from the land; yet, here he is seeking answers from the very person he once forbade from dwelling amongst God’s people. In his fervency, we can only imagine that Saul would have been highly insulted if someone would have told him, at the moment he was enforcing God’s law, that he himself would someday seek the help of a witch. How often do we rebuke others for their sinfulness as if we would never be caught “doing such a thing”? The truth of the matter is that none of us are exempt from experiencing moments of selfishness and rebellion. There may be times when we will not be at our best and may even choose to try and manipulate circumstances in order to get what we want, especially when we feel that God is not answering our prayers or giving us what we desire. In those moments, we may find ourselves doing the very things that we have rebuked others for doing. That is why God warns us to approach those who stumble with gentleness and humility, only after considering ourselves and our own vulnerabilities, lest we also be tempted. Our ultimate goal should be to restore that person, just like we would want someone to do for us. Saul is a perfect example of what can happen when we choose to distance ourselves from the Lord. The key to not finding ourselves in this place is partly dependent on how well we maintain our relationship with Jesus; reading God’s Word daily, praying, and getting to know Him intimately. We must recognize that we are just as vulnerable to stumbling as anyone else. The invisible battle that rages around us, every single day, is real. The devils want nothing more than to kill our Christian testimony, steal our worship from God, and destroy our relationship with Him and others, bringing dishonor to the Name of Jesus (John 10:10). Let us not be like the dog who returns to his own vomit (Proverbs 26:11). We must not forget that there will never be a legitimate reason for turning back to the world, or seeking the devils, for answers that are found in Christ Jesus and His Word.

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).

Devotional Audio Track: God Sees Beyond Our Words

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God Sees Beyond Our Words

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:6-7, And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

Saul’s story is a sad and tragic story; a man who could have been used greatly by the LORD had he been obedient, and humbled himself before God. Instead, Saul chose rebellion. He chose to do things his own way. He allowed his jealousy to drive him to chase after an innocent servant; a faithful servant whom God would have used to elevate Saul’s reign as king. Instead of enjoying the blessings of what God was offering him, Saul chose a life separated from God, which for any one of us would be a curse. Here, in the last desperate moments of his life, Saul, once again, shows his heart and true colors. Yet, before we criticize Saul, let us step back and consider our own heart. Saul’s heart is filled with terror as he now faces war against the Philistines. In a last ditch effort to find victory he attempts to inquire of the LORD. What he finds is actually much scarier than facing a large army of Philistines. He finds no answers from God. How often have we been in those times when we felt that God was not answering our prayers? How often did God’s deafening silence cause us to have the sinking feeling in the pit of our gut, and drove us to a feeling of desperation? Why did God not answer Saul? Besides the obvious, we also see Saul’s heart and intentions in the verse seven. Saul’s choice and actions, after not hearing from the LORD, revealed where his heart and intentions really were. His words may have been words of pleading to hear from God, but in his heart he had other plans, and those plans involved turning to the devils if God did not answer his pleas. Proverbs 21:2 clearly states, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.” In Christ, we know that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). However, this does not mean that God will not go silent on us if we choose to be rebellious. God is not blind to who we really are and what is in our hearts when we come to Him. He knows the intentions and motivations of our hearts when we come to Him, pleading for an answer to our prayers. He will go silent if we ignore the conviction from the Holy Spirit when we sin. He will go silent when we continually ignore His voice and choose to continually disobey His Word in order to do things our way, for our own selfish reasons. Saul went to God with an alternate, and sinful, plan, should God choose to be silent with Him; but God already knew it long before Saul tried to get an answer from Him. So it still is with the Lord, when we come to Him with doubt in our hearts. In the Book of James, God reminds us that trials are profitable, and if we lack the wisdom we need to navigate those trials, we can freely ask for it. However, if we lack faith in asking, God will not answer. James 1:5-8 admonishes and warns, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Jesus will never forsake us in our trials; but He does not want us to think that He is just some personal “lucky charm” that we can pull out of our pocket whenever we want to get out of a tough situation; then put Him back in our pocket until we need Him again. God wants to have a personal, intimate, relationship with us; one where we make Him the priority. He wants to hear from us continually, and He desires to speak with us, through His Word and the beckoning of the Spirit, in Christ. Let us, right now, forsake whatever it is that is in our hearts that is causing the divide in our relationship with the Lord; for only He can deliver us and see us through the most difficult times in life.

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).

Devotional Audio Track: Guarding the Borders of Our Hearts and Minds

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Guarding the Borders of Our Hearts and Minds

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 28:4-5, The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart.

The location where the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel was right in Israel’s own land. Matthew Henry wrote, “The Philistines pitched in Shunem, which was in the tribe of Issachar, a great way north from their country.” How did they manage to get that close? They managed to get so close because King Saul let down his guard. He was too busy pursuing David when he should have been looking after his people’s and Israel’s best interests. His greatest mistake was allowing his heart to grow cold toward God. His refusal to repent and guard his spiritual life had resulted in leaving Israel’s borders unprotected, but also left the borders of his heart and mind unguarded. This allowed the enemy easy passage into the land of Israel, and fear to cross the borders of his life. How often do we go into the world unprepared to protect our hearts and minds from the daily assaults launched against us spiritually? How often do we start our day without first taking time to pray and read God’s Word? I am afraid that the answer to those questions would bring us to shame if we were honest with ourselves, and with God. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we have enemies that are continually lurking in our lives, observing and trying to influence our thinking, our attitude, and our actions. We fail to give it a second thought because our enemies are not visible to the naked eye. However, if we took the time to look at life through spiritual eyes, we would clearly see the activity of our enemies. Ephesians 6:12 clearly states, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” 1 Peter 5:8 warns, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Our enemies want us to dismiss their presence, and thereby dismiss the danger of their presence in our everyday activities and interactions. They want to paralyze us with fear so that we become useless for the cause of Christ. They do not want us to share with a lost and dying world who Christ is and what He has done for us. Therefore our only defense, our only chance of surviving these cunning, yet vicious attacks, is to first turn our attention to Christ. As born again believers, we have Christ, who is our Armor. Ephesians 6:13-18 commands, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—.” If we fail to put on our armor before we go out to face the world, we will be ill-prepared to face the day’s challenges. If we neglect prayer and the reading and studying of God’s Word, we do it to our hurt. 1 Peter 5:9 admonishes us to, “Resist him (the devil), steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” How do we resist the devil? We resist him by doing what God commanded us to do in James 4:7-10, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Without a battle plan we will lose, not only the battle, but the war as well. If we first begin by accepting Jesus as our Savior, we have won the war. We have won the war because the war is Christ’s to fight. However, we are involved in the daily battles. If we take the steps daily to pray, read and study God’s Word, ask God to examine our hearts, repent and confess our sins, and ask Him to cleanse us, only then will we be able to maintain secure borders around our hearts and minds (Romans 12:1-2).

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).