Keep Battling

# 212 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:18,19, "Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19 "Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?" (1 Sam 15:18,19) “The Lord sent you on a mission.” I love the picture that the Holy Spirit is trying to paint here for you and I. The Hebrew word for “mission” means “a course of life.” When you and I came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God sent us on a mission, a course of life to follow. No, we are not to go out and utterly destroy sinners, remember these Amalekites serve as a type of “sin” for you and I. Our mission is to do battle with what they represent, namely sin, and we are to battle sin in our life until it is consumed, that is, until it is brought to an end in our life. This battle will rage till our dying breath or the return of our Lord. Saul's mistake is he thought he could co-exist with some sins and so he okayed the taking of the spoil. The question for you and I is this. What have we allowed to become spoil in our lives? What sins have we given up on and simply decided to co-exist with? Don't give up the fight my brother and my sister. The struggle is the course of the life of the Christian, the mission we must undertake. Learn from another Saul, renamed Paul in the New Testament who spoke of his ongoing struggle with sin in Ro 7:19 , “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” His solution? 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!” The solution is Jesus Christ. He alone obliterates sin in our lives. He alone can give us victory over our besetting sins. Sin is put to death by a daily routine of confession and trust in the power of the blood of Jesus to wipe the slate clean. Eph 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Believe it! Live it! It is your life-long mission!

Humility: The Gateway To Grace

# 211 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:16,17 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak on." 17 So Samuel said, "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? (1 Sam 15:16,17) Samuel, the mouthpiece of God, tells Saul to put a sock in it. If you recall, Saul was already pouring out all sorts of excuses for not obeying the command of the Lord to wipe out the Amalekites. He immediately follows that up with one of the greatest spiritual truths in all of Scripture. In fact, it is a common thread throughout all of Scripture. It is the concept of kingdom advancement by humility. “When you were little in your own eyes,” God advanced you Saul! It is the same for you and I. This is vital, to the follower of Christ, and it is also a constant struggle because our flesh is always interested in self-advancement. Remember when Jesus told the story of the publican and the Pharisee in prayer? The Pharisee stood before God and rattled off all the wonderful things he did for God. It kind of made you wonder how God could function without him. Then the publican looked down on the ground and beat his breast and asked, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” Then Jesus speaking of the publican said, "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Lu 18:14) And in Job 22:29, we read, “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. “ Remember, "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (Jam 4:6) Humility is the gateway to God's grace, and without God's grace (divine influence on our heart,) we cannot enter His kingdom nor advance in it. Desire humility. Recognize the fact that you and I are sinners in need of God's grace.

Own Up To Your Sin

# 210 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15: “And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed." It's the old “they” and “we” syndrome. I suspect you know it all too well in your own life. I know I know it in mine. Here's how it works, when things don't turn out right it's “they”, but when they turn out well, it's “we.” Saul realizes that he has been caught red-handed by Samuel, and immediately he breaks out his excuses. HE didn't bring back the livestock, “THEY” did. And he felt they had a legitimate reason to do so, namely to sacrifice them to the Lord. But God was not interested in the tainted sacrifice of what had been the Amalekites, or Saul's excuses. His command was to utterly destroy anything connected to them. Since Saul was the authority that had been appointed by God to do His will, the buck stopped with Saul. He was responsible for the “they.” It's just like it was in the Garden of Eden. Adam was the authority figure. He allowed Eve to taste of what was forbidden and the buck stopped with him. Remember his response to God? He blamed Eve. Remember her response? She blamed the serpent. Will someone step up to the plate here and take responsibility? When David was confronted with his sin with Bathsheba, he didn't look for a scapegoat, he said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” In Ro 14:10 we read, “But why do you judge your brother? “(Find him guilty) and we find the grim reminder that “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Then in v12 the reminder that “each of us shall give account of himself to God.” If you duck your sins now, you will pay in spades later, spending eternity in hell. Rather hear and believe this: 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And when your time of accounting arrives, remember only those who are found in Christ will be found not guilty.

Those Doggone Buts

# 209 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:13,14, “Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD." 14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" (1 Sam 15:13,14) Saul, couldn't wait to tell Samuel of his obedience to the Lord's command. He starts off with a little schmoozing of Samuel. “Hey Samuel, you're the best man!” “Look I have accomplished what the Lord told me to do, I have wiped out the Amalekites!” “BUT Samuel,” (oh those doggone “but” words of the Bible.) And Samuel pulls out one of God's favorite ploys. He asks a question that God and Samuel already know the answer too. “What is this sound of animals I'm hearing?” Saul is busted, he has some “susplaining” to do. God asks us these questions out of love. He gives us an opportunity to examine our motives for our actions. When Adam and Eve sinned, God came walking in the garden and asked, “Adam, where are you?” He knew perfectly well where Adam was, but Adam needed to know where he was and so God asks. Saul may have felt that he had accomplished all the Lord told him to do, but the noisy animals gave him away. He had not “put them to the ban” as the Lord commanded. We have a similar command in Eph 4:31 Let ALL bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be PUT AWAY from you, with all malice. (My caps) Dear Christian, have you put these things away in your life? “Oh yes I have!” Then what are these Facebook posts I am reading denigrating our president, or an ex-spouse, or other people who do not agree with your viewpoint. And what is this bleating gossip that I am hearing at the water cooler in the office? We have a choice here. We can either make excuses as Saul did, or we can get on our knees and ask God for forgiveness and the help of the Holy Spirit to put these actions away from our lips today and every day.

Give God the Glory

# 208 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:12 So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal." ( 1 Sam 15:12) After praying all night for Saul, Samuel seeks him out to deliver the news to him concerning God's judgment against him. He is told that Saul had gone down to Gilgal, but before he went he had set up a monument to himself at Carmel. Gilgal was a very special place, if you recall, it was at Gilgal that Saul was initially inaugurated as king. It was at Gilgal that Joshua had put a monument of twelve stones to commemorate God's miraculous parting of the Jordan River. We are told in Jos 4:24 why he did this: "that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever." Please note that before Saul went to Gilgal to honor God, he first honored himself by erecting a monument at Carmel. According to the Hebrew wording here, this monument was very likely in the shape of a hand or an arm which is the symbol of power. (Even now Jesus is seated at the RIGHT HAND of the Father, He is in the position of power.) In erecting this statue of a hand or arm, Saul was warning others of his military and personal power and giving all glory and honor to himself rather than to God. This is arrogance before God, and we must never forget that He alone distributes power. When Jesus' disciples asked for positions of power in Mr 10: 37, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory." He responded in v40 with this, “to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared." Even when Pilate was about to sentence Jesus, Jesus said in Joh 19:11, “"You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” If there be any good thing accomplished in our lives today, let us not be like foolish Saul and seek credit, rather let's fall on our knees and thank the good Lord for His power in whatever our situation may be.

Three Words You Don't Want To Hear From God

# 207 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:10,11 “Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 "I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.” (1 Sam 15:10,11) Three words you don't want to hear from God, “I greatly regret,” The King James puts it this way, “It repenteth me that I have set Saul up to be king,” This same word is found in Ge 6:6 before God destroyed the earth with the flood. “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” The word means to sigh deeply. I think we've all heard that sigh at one time or another, it is usually associated with extreme disappointment over something we did or didn't do, and is a precursor of action that must be regrettably taken by someone in authority over us. This “repenting of God” is simply God's expression of the truth found in Eze 33:11 "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' God was sighing over what He was going to have to do to Saul because of his continued disregard for God's commands. Samuel knew what that sigh meant and note his reaction. He stayed up all night grieving over Saul and no doubt interceding for him. We could learn from that. When we hear of someone who has rejected God or fallen into deep sin we are often quick to say something like, “they are going to hell and it serves them right.” Would it not be better to “sigh” with God and Samuel and get on your knees and pray for mercy? God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked and neither should we.

Cafeteria Christianity

# 206 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:7-9, “And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. (1 Sam 15:7-9) Initially it sounds like Saul was very successful in carrying out God's command against the Amalekites....then we read verse 9. “But” King Agag was spared along with the best of the livestock. We read that the people were “unwilling to destroy them. Well, what's the big deal right? It is a big deal because when God puts something to the ban, He means all of it. This is a picture of what we are to do with sin in our own lives. It must be “put to the ban.” Now, pay attention to what the people chose to do and learn from it. They chose to destroy only those things that they deemed worthless, and to keep those things they valued. Friend this is an Old Testament illustration of what is called “cafeteria Christianity.” It's a Christianity that picks and chooses what it will obey and conform to in the Word of God. It picks and chooses what it wishes to believe and it is a huge problem in the church today. I think we are all guilty of it to some degree. It's easy to like that command to not kill, but not so easy to like that command about letting go of anger and unforgiveness and gossip. It's easy to blast homosexuality while our own sexual appetites find an outlet in fornication, adultery, and pornography. This should not be so, we must not pick and choose, rather we should pray daily, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Ps 139:23) Pray this with your whole heart and then allow God to help you make those tough choices you face every day.

Be A Kenite

# 205 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:4-6, “So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. Saul readies his troops for the battle with the Amalekites, but there's a problem. Some of the Kenites were living with the Amalekites at the time and since Saul's orders were to destroy everything the Kenites would be destroyed too. So he warns them to get out of town before the battle starts. There is not a lot said about the Kenites in Scripture, but we do know that Moses father-in-law was a Kenite, and we also know that he had a special connection with the Israelites and their God. Ex 18:12 says, “Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.” It wouldn't do to “put these God-fearing Kenites to the ban” and so they were warned to leave before the total destruction began. Although we aren't told of any specific act of kindness, the word “kindness” here means “merciful love.” Somewhere along the line, these people prompted by their faith in God, demonstrated the God-like quality of unmerited love among the Israelites. We should go and do likewise, and we should also heed the warning to remove ourselves from the things of this world that are doomed to destruction just as Lot and his family heeded their warning before Sodom and Gomorrah were put to the ban. Re 18:4,5 says, “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Beloved, be a Kenite. Be loving and merciful, but never a partaker of sinful lifestyle of the world. As the saying goes, “Be in the world, but not of the world.”

The Sin of the Amalekites

# 204 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:2,3 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" (1 Sam 15:2,3) God, in His Sovereignty, has decided that the time has come to “put Amalek to the ban.” This was spoken of back in De 25:19 "Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.” Why? What was Amalek's crime? They had pounced on the Israelites soon after they had left Egypt and attacked the rear ranks, the place of the weary and the defenseless. We read about it in De 25:17 "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, 18 "how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. This act showed a total lack of the fear of God, a lack of saving faith, and the total destruction of the Amalekites was to serve as a picture of the end of those who do not fear God. This act of the Amalekites should cause us to wake up in America! For we too have mounted an attack against the weak and defenseless through legalized abortion. Over 54 million unborn babies have died through legalized abortion since 1973. In this regard, WE ARE the Amalekites, and I'm afraid it's going to get worse as we embrace selective and expedient health care. Do you think God's attitude toward the weak and defenseless has changed? Thankfully, His love for us has not changed either and He will forgive us of our sins if we find and embrace true repentance. God have mercy on us and forgive us in the Name of Jesus. Amen. Remember, beloved, there is no sin that Jesus did not pay for on Calvary.

Putting To the Ban Part 4

# 202 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:2,3 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" (1 Sam 15:2,3) This command seems unduly harsh to us and thankfully we are no longer authorized to carry out this kind of judgment in the physical sense. But God had His reasons for “putting entire peoples and their property to the ban” In De 20:16-18 we read, “But of the cities of these peoples which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, 17 "but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the LORD your God has commanded you, 18 "lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the LORD your God.” These hard-hearted unredeemable peoples were judged harshly by God so that we might learn how much God hates sin. Johann Arndt in his book “True Christianity,” sheds interesting light on this subject. He reminds us that “God gave the whole of the Holy Scriptures in spirit and in faith and everything in them must happen to you (and I) spiritually.” For instance in the account of Cain and Abel, we discover what each child of God MUST face, namely the battle between the murderous devil and the Holy Spirit. In Noah we see that the flood MUST occur in us, namely the drowning of the old man in baptism, and in these battles of the Israelites against the pagans we see the reality of the battle between the flesh and the spirit which we MUST engage in. These harsh commands of the Old Testament are to serve as reminders to each of us to not compromise with sin. Col 3:5 says, Therefore put to death (put to the ban) your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Instead of doubting God's love and mercy when reading of these things, see His mercy and grace at work on your behalf in using these things and all of Scripture for preparing you and I for the realities that come with following Christ.

Putting To the Ban Part 3

# 202 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:2,3 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" (1 Sam 15:2,3) We have been talking about the concept of “putting to the ban” that is, deeming something for destruction because God has determined it has been tainted beyond redemption. Sodom and Gomorrah and Jericho are classic examples. Righteous Lot and Rahab were spared in these mass destructions of cities. God knows the heart, He knows who is redeemable and who is not. He is Judge, not we. Idolatry and all it's associated sinful practices were one of the reasons that God “put entire cities to the ban.” De 13:12-17 says, "If you hear someone in one of your cities, which the LORD your God gives you to dwell in, saying, 13 'Corrupt men have gone out from among you and enticed the inhabitants of their city, saying, "Let us go and serve other gods"' -which you have not known- 14 "then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you, 15 "you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword-utterly destroying it, all that is in it and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. 16 "And you shall gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, for the LORD your God. It shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 17 "So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers,” Thankfully, we no longer have authorization to carry out such punishment, rather we are to serve as watchmen, warning others to turn from their wicked ways and believe the Gospel, lest God put them to the ban on the Last Day. And this “putting to the ban” serves as a reminder to you and I to “put to the ban” all forms of idolatry in our own lives. Col 3:5 says, Therefore put to death (put to the ban) your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. May the Holy Spirit ever help us in this regard.

Putting To the Ban Part 2

# 201 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:2,3 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" (1 Sam 15:2,3) I want to continue the discussion of God's commands to wholesale annihilation found in the Old Testament because Christians struggle with it and atheists use it as a mantra against God. It's not that God needs to be defended, (He is God) but Christians do need a better understanding of this policy called “putting to the ban” found in Lev. 27:29. The command to annihilate an entire population does not reflect a primitive concept of God which gives way to a more humane New Testament God. God is immutable, He doesn't change. He still PERMITS catastrophe's that wipe out masses of people without discrimination of age or sex. Think of the attempts of genocide and victims of natural disasters that we have seen throughout history. However, no human agent can claim divine AUTHORIZATION for such actions because no human agent is in the position of God's Old Testament people. The Old Testament incidents were unique, never to be duplicated situations that God used as examples for us today. 2Pe 2:6 says, “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; Remember, the ULTIMATE cause of disasters rests in God's will and providence. No human speculation about the nature of God should attempt to give any other answer. God is God and He knows what He is doing. Even believers are caught up in these disasters and attempts at genocide, but God knows the heart, and the innocent (those in Christ) are taken up to be with Him and the guilty are “put to the ban” in hell. When disaster of any kind strikes Jesus tells us how to rightly view it as He commented on the time the tower of Siloam fell and killed 18 people He said in Lu 13:5b “unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (Be put to the ban) The suddenness of disasters are reminders to all, to be ready. Therefore, repent!

Putting To the Ban Part 1

# 200 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:2,3 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" (1 Sam 15:2,3) This is one of those verses that atheists love to pounce on to justify their rejection and hatred of God. In the next couple of days, Lord willing and with the help of the Holy Spirit, I will try to clarify this difficult biblical concept of what is literally called “putting to the ban.” We read of this “ban” in Le 27:29 'No person under the ban, who may become doomed to destruction among men, shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put to death.” The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord , often by totally (as in this case) destroying them. Don't miss the term, “irrevocable.” This destruction cannot be overturned. This destruction was sometimes commanded in the Old Testament because those who were singled out for destruction had crossed a line. In God's sovereignty they were unredeemable. This destruction serves as an example for us today. Jude 1:5,6 speaks of this as well, “But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed (put to the ban) those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains (put to the ban) under darkness for the judgment of the great day;” The devil and his angels were “put to the ban” they had crossed a line just as the idolatrous Canaanites had crossed and were “put to the ban,” Rather than question God's right to put “people to the ban” perhaps we should be more concerned about our own standing with the Lord. The only escape from being put under the ban, (read that going to hell,) is faith in Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, “fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mt 11:28)

God Appointed Authorities

# 199 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:52-15:1, “Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself. 15:1 Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. (1 Sam 14:52-15:1) The Holy Spirit reminds us here of the prophecy which Samuel spoke concerning the rule of kings in 1Sam 8:11, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.” Saul, in his continual battles with the Philistines strengthened his army by drafting all strong and valiant young men into his service. Having built up his army Samuel approaches Saul with a command from God. He reminds Saul that he is only king because God appointed him king, and as His appointee, He is to carry out God's orders. Oh that all rulers and government officials would understand this and serve God with willing hearts. As it says in Ro 13:1b, “there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. God has given His appointed authorities every opportunity to rule in accordance with His will, but sometimes He will intervene and use the king as His pawn. Pr 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. A classic example in Scripture is Cyrus, who God called by name a full 150 years before he was even born and God said of him, Isa 44:28 “He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure,” And he did, as he was used of God to help rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. Is it any wonder we are commanded to pray for those in authority. Pray for every government official from President to police officer, that they may remember who put them in office and therefore steadfastly seek to rule in line with God's will.

The Bible With Skin On

# 198 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:49-52, “The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself. ( 1 Sam 14:49-52) As chapter 14 wraps up. We get a glimpse into some of the characters in Saul's family. Many of whom will enter into the unfolding of the story of Saul and David. Jonathan would become David's best friend. Michal would become David's wife. And Abner would become Saul's commander in chief. But in addition to introducing some of the other characters in this story, these biblical family tree passages and genealogies afford an opportunity to put real skin on the words of Scripture. Though the names Jishui and Malchishua mean nothing to you and I, imagine someone seeing those names in Scripture who did know them or know of them. “Hey remember Jishui?” “Oh yeah, I went to school with him.” “He was such a level headed guy” I wonder what happened to him! These genealogies add a special touch of reality to the Holy Bible, and of course the genealogies of Christ found in the gospel of Matthew and Luke affirm all the prophecies concerning the seed of the Messiah. These trips into the family trees aren't exactly exciting reading for you and I, but think of them in terms of reading a high school yearbook. Real people, known and touched and loved by other real people. They all meant something to somebody just as you and I do. And what an honor to have your name and family included in the eternal Word of God. What an honor to specifically be named in the Book that is all about Jesus. Father, thank You for genealogies. May they always reminds us that the Bible is the very real Word of God, with real people, and a real Savior from our sins.

Don't Spend God-granted Peace and Tranquility On Yourself

# 197 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:46-48, “Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. 47 So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them. 48 And he gathered an army and attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.” ( 1 Sam 14:46-48) The Philistines went to their own place. I am reminded of Jesus' victory over the devil in the wilderness as He withstood the devil's temptations. Lu 4:13 says, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” The Philistines would live to fight another day. In the meantime, Saul established his sovereignty, his reign, by unifying the people in the quest to secure their borders. He harassed the enemies on every side, much like the enemies harassed Israel. This harassment by Saul's armies allowed the people to enjoy safety and peace. It kept the enemy from getting any ideas about attacking Israel. This is one of the benefits of good government, and something that Christians are encouraged to pray for. 1Ti 2:1-4 says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This quiet peaceful life is a life without inner fears or outward harassment. An absence of fear and turmoil allows for the Christian witness to shine forth in reverent and godly behavior, which is perhaps our greatest witnessing tool. Just a caution here, as God answers this prayer, let us not spend our peace and tranquility on our own selfish desires, but rather spend it on God's desire, which is for all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth. People are saved by hearing the Word of God and observing the godly, reverent, impact it has on us.

The Privilege of Working With God

# 196 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:41-45, “Therefore Saul said to the LORD God of Israel, "Give a perfect lot." So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. 42 And Saul said, "Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me." So Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!" 44 And Saul answered, "God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan." 45 But the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.” (1 Sam 14:41-45) The lot falls on Jonathan and he confesses what he did to his father. Saul then in effect says, “yes, Jonathan you will die and if I don't carry out this oath may “more also” happen to me. At this point, the people step in with their own oath. “As the Lord lives, we will not allow one hair on his head to be harmed.” Their reason for rescuing Jonathan was that he had “worked” with God that day and given them victory over the Philistines. The King James says that Jonathan “wrought” with God, that is, he and God worked together to accomplish something in accordance with God's will. In this case the defeat of the Philistines. This is one of the great privileges of being a Christian. Sinners that we may be, yet God desires to use us to carry out His will. He gives us an opportunity to cooperate with Him as He carries on with the business of running the universe. We cooperate with Him and His will as we seek to live according to His Word and act on His promises. He longs for us to be co-workers with Him every day, as it says in Ro 12:1. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Be a Jonathan present your body to His service today and enjoy the privilege of working with God.

The Silence of the Lambs

# 195 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:38-40, “And Saul said, "Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 39 "For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But not a man among all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." (1 Sam 14:38-40) Saul had already made one rash oath and now he makes another. His first rash oath was to place a death sentence on any of his troops who ate during the day of the battle, and now, to show that he means business in this regard, he swears that even if it is his son Jonathan who committed sin, he shall die. You could've heard a pin drop. The people knew that Jonathan had unknowingly violated Saul's first oath when he ate of some honey while pursuing the Philistines. They knew that Saul was in essence sentencing his own son to death. But it seems that no one dared to speak up! Instead, they allow Saul to proceed with the casting of the lot, saying, “You do what you want to do Saul.” I am reminded of Ec 3:7b, where we are told that there is “A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;” This may have been one of those times to speak up. We too, are often faced with that dilemma. Should we speak up or clam up? But how do we know when to speak and when not to speak? A good rule of thumb is to always be ready to speak to injustice. Pr 31:8 says, “ Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.” Hmm, kind of makes you wonder why we are not hearing more voices in the church speak out against abortion? Legalized abortion has allowed for over 54 million appointments with death since 1973 in America alone! Would someone please tell me the crime of the unborn child? Speak up people! This is a “silence of the lambs” we (and unborn children) can do without! And remember as you speak, be sure to include the message of forgiveness for those who may have aborted their child. There is no sin, Jesus did not pay for.

Sin Is A Great Roadblock To Prayer

# 194 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:37,38 So Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, "Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. (1 Sam 14:37,38) As Saul inquires of the Lord through the Urim and Thummin he gets no answer. As we mentioned last time, the word “Thummin comes from a Hebrew word for “innocent” So it's likely the Urim tumbled out which meant guilt. There is sin in the camp that must be dealt with before they will hear from God. Sin is a roadblock in the matter of prayer. We cannot deny the Scriptures in this matter. Ps 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” And Pr 28:9 says, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.” It can't be much plainer than that. To turn your ear away from the Law is to live a life without restraint. Sin doesn't matter to the one who turns away from God's Law, and should such a one even bother to pray, his very words are detestable to God! Those who cherish iniquity in their heart, that is, they refuse to let go of it through confession and repentance, well, they might as well speak their prayers to the bottom of a garbage can. Ever felt like that? Like your speaking to a brass ceiling when you pray? Have you taken the time to examine how you are living? Do you just pick and choose the Laws of God that you like? When God is silent in your life, don't complain about Him, let Him complain about you as you allow the Holy Spirit to examine your life against the standards of God's Law. David knew how vital this is and so he prayed in Ps 139:23,24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” Will you fall short of God's standards? Of course you will, but God promises to forgive your shortcomings through Jesus and if you sincerely desire, He will help lead you away from sin and to the path of everlasting life.

A Little Bit About the Urim and Thummin

# 193 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:36-38, “Now Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here." 37 So Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, "Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. (1Sa 14:36-38), Saul calls for his weary men to attack the Philistines at night, but the priest intervenes and says, “don't you think it might be a good idea to check with God about this?” And so the Urim and Thummin were brought out again. These two stones were carried in the breastplate of the ephod worn by the priest and were used to get answers to specific yes or no questions. They could also be used to determine innocence or guilt. The procedure was fairly simple. The questions were prayerfully asked, the priest then reached into the ephod and pulled out one of the stones. These stones must've been exactly the same size and weight or the priest could manufacture his own answer. It's puzzling to me, that it would be possible to get “no answer” as they did here. It was “yes” or “no” “guilty” or “innocent,” there was no third stone used for “wait.” It's puzzling until you realize that the word “Thummin” comes from a Hebrew word for “innocence,” Therefore if it was drawn out innocence was declared. If Urim were drawn guilt was declared. I would imagine that innocence was a green light, guilty was not. I'm guessing that the Urim (guilty) was drawn here, because Saul immediately inquires about what sin was committed in Israel this day. There would be no “yes” or “no” from God until the sin was dealt with. Confession of sin and repentance is vital to the Christian because the presence of sin hinders our fellowship with God and consequently our prayer life. We'll talk about that truth next time.

Good Intentions Should Yield To Humility and Patience

# 192 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:33-35, “Then they told Saul, saying, "Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood!" So he said, "You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day." 34 And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, 'Bring me here every man's ox and every man's sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.'" So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD. (1 Sam 14:33-35) The Israelites have won a great victory over the Philistines, and to the victor goes the spoil. Unfortunately in their haste to eat (because of Saul's order to fast all day) they ate of the blood of the animals. This was strictly forbidden by God! Saul seeking to rectify the situation orders that a huge stone be rolled to him, for the purpose of properly slaughtering the animals and letting their blood drain out before eating them. And he sends messengers out to tell the people to bring the animals to him for proper slaughter. Then we are told that Saul also erected an altar. These are all good measures. Saul's intentions were good, but one has to wonder, where was his consultation with the priest or Samuel in this matter? Why not call Samuel in and spill the beans to him? Tell him of your rash decision to call a fast and how that led the people to sin grievously by eating the blood of the animals, and then seek his counsel on what to do next. Sometimes we are so like Saul. We make unwise choices that lead to other serious consequences and then we come up with our own ideas about how to rectify the situation. How much better to “spill the beans” to Jesus and then search the Scriptures or seek counsel from mature Christians for instructions as to what to do next. This involves humility and patience. A humility and patience that comes from a heart submissive to the Lord.

No Thought To the preciousness of the Blood of Jesus

# 191 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:31 Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 32 And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood!" So he said, "You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day." (1 Sam 14:31-33) This is not good. Blood of animals was not to be ingested because the blood of animals serves a very special purpose in the Old Testament. It is a foreshadowing of the precious blood of Jesus that would be shed for the sins of the world. Le 17:10,11, says, “'And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.' And as it says in Heb 9:22, “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. But the Israelites were famished after their long day of pursuing the Philistines, and when the sun set, they tore into the animals blood and all. They gave no thought to the preciousness of the blood, no thought to the covenant with God. Saul rightly points out that they have “dealt treacherously with the Lord,” They have transgressed, violated the covenant. This is a serious matter, even today. The blood of the covenant is still with us whenever we celebrate the Lords Supper, and the partaking of the Lord's Supper is not to be rushed into. 1Co 11:28,29 says, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. To mindlessly participate in the Lord's Supper is to deal treacherously with the Lord.

Every Face Tells A Story

# 190 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:29,30, “But Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 "How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?" ( 1 Sam 14:29,30) At first glance it appears that Jonathan's remark is a little disrespectful toward his father and king. Perhaps it is. How about we let God straighten that one out? Remember, Jonathan was not aware of the order when he ate of the honey, and his remarks here may be just some observations he has made. His observation comes from the noticeable countenance of the troops. They all had “troubled” looks. The word means roiled up or disturbed. Have you ever seen the look on someones face when they are disturbed about something? This troubled look comes upon all who are pre-occupied with other things. In this case they were pre-occupied with hunger brought on by Saul's command.. Jonathan says, Look at me, I ate. How does my countenance look. The inference being that his face has a brightness to it....some joy if you will. He was not pre-occupied with the command of Saul not to eat. Dare we say that he was not under the Law but under grace? Those who live under the yoke of the Law have a dourness about them, but those who live in grace have an air of joy. I am reminded of the words in Ne 8:10, “Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." The joy of the Lord flows from the overabundance of His grace and our desire to share it with others. It is this joy that gives us strength in our own spiritual battles. If an unbeliever were to look at your face, what would they see? Dourness or joy? You may be able to hide dourness, but you can't hide true joy, it oozes like honey from those who have it. Joy that comes from knowing your standing with God through faith in Christ. Joy in knowing your sins are forgiven.

Let Your Yes Or No Be Sufficient

# 189 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:24-28, “And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. 25 Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened. 28 Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats food this day.'" And the people were faint. (1 Sam 14:24-28) Again, we see the ineptitude of Saul as a military commander/king. He foolishly orders his troops to a total fast on the day of battle. His logic apparently being that to take time to eat would slow them down in their pursuit of the Philistines. On top of that, he adds the punishment of death for anyone who breaks his order and eats. To a man, his army was distressed, the word means “to drive as cattle.” Having been driven like cattle the men were weak and hungry, and the very thing they needed was being withheld from them by this foolish order. Jonathan, unaware of his father's order grabs some honey and is immediately strengthened for battle. The rest of the soldiers are terrified at his act. They know that Jonathan has signed his own death warrant through his innocent snack. How foolish it is to make such oaths. Ps 109:17 says, “As he loved cursing, so let it come to him; As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.” No wonder Jesus reminded us in Mt 5:34 "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' “ Oaths must be backed up, and no one but God has the power to back up an oath. Let your yes or no be sufficient.

There's Room At the Cross For You

# 188 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:21-23, “Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven. ( 1 Sam 14:21-23) Saul and his rag tag army chase after the Philistines, the Hebrews who had been co-existing with the Philistines also join in the rout. Even those who had been hiding in the caves of the mountains came out of their holes to join in the victory. As we shall see, much spoil is taken in this battle and these compromising cowards are allowed to share in it all. There's a part of me that doesn't like this arrangement They were on the sidelines and worse yet in camp with the enemy! But now, when things are looking good, they decide to return to the Lord. Yes, there's a part of me, my forgetful, sinful flesh that is rankled by this. But I forget that I once lived a life of compromise with the enemy. I forget those times that I was content with staying on the sidelines. Lord have mercy on me. Lord, give me the heart of the Prodigal's father, who ran to greet his compromising son, when he returned to the Lord. "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. (Luke 15:20) Lord give me the heart of the very angels in heaven who rejoice when one sinner comes to repentance. "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:7) Are you living in compromise with the world? Are you standing on the sidelines? Take hope from this incident. As the song says, there's room at the cross for you. Come. Return to the Lord and enjoy the spoils of salvation in His name.

Two Swords Are Enough

# 187 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:20, “Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man's sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.” (1 Sam 14:20) Sensing the confusion in the Philistine camp Saul leads his men into battle. Don't forget, the Israelites had nothing but farm implements for weapons. The only swords were in the possession of Saul and Jonathan. 1Sa 13:22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.” These two swords would be enough to defeat the Philistines. I am reminded of Jesus' words to His disciples in the upper room before they went to the Garden of Gethsemane, “ Lu 22:38 So they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough." The statement by Jesus was designed to be ridiculous. Two swords against the crowd that was going to be coming out to arrest Him? No way that would be enough. His point being that God doesn't need our swords to gain the victory. He proved it when Jesus knocked the whole arresting party on their butts in Gethsemane by simply saying, “I am,” (Jn 18:6) And God proved it here as he turned the swords of the Philistines against themselves. It was like, “look, you guys don't have swords, so I'll just use theirs to get the victory.” 2 is enough. Now, I want you to stand on the hillside with the rest of the Israelites and see what they saw. What a ridiculous sight! The enemy takes out the swords they were suppose to use against the Israelites and turn them on themselves cutting each other to pieces. I think God wants us to see this because I think He wants us to see how ridiculous we look to the rest of the world when we turn our swords on each other, and we do it many times for the silliest reasons.

Scripture Never Contradicts Itself

# 186 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:18,19, “And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here" (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel). 19 Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand." (1 Sam 14:18,19) The Philistines are in a state of panic and King Saul has a decision to make. Should he and his rag tag army attack? So he calls the priest to him and asks for the ark of God to be brought to him. Hey wait a minute! How can the ark of God be in two places at the same time? Last we heard it was in Kiriath Jearim. Something doesn't make sense here. Let's see if we can sort this out: The ark of God, was as the text says with the children of Israel, but we know from 1 Sam 7:1 that it was located in Abinadab's house in Kiriath Jearim and remained there for twenty years: 1Sa 7:2 So it was that the ark remained in Kiriath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years.” It stayed there until David called for it to be taken to Jerusalem in 2 Sam, chapter six. So how can this be? How can the ark be in two places at the same time? It wasn't. Saul didn't know what to do and his first panicky thought was to bring the ark to him from Kiriath Jearim. HoweverIn talking to Ahijah the priest, Saul realizes that the ark was not necessary, the decision to attack or not could be made by using the priest's ephod. The priest DID have the ephod with him as we read in v3. This ephod contained two stones (the Urim and the Thummim) in it's breastplate that were used for determining the Lords will. Ahijah explained all of this to Saul and was in the process of drawing out the decisive stone when Saul once again took matters into his own hands and said, “we don't have time for this, withdraw your hand.” Once again we see the impatience of Saul, and his unwillingness to wait on the Lord. This passage then is just another example of Saul's ineptitude as king. And it's another example of how Scripture interprets scripture. It cannot contradict itself, and sometimes we just need to roll up our shirtsleeves and wade thru it.

Don't Be So Surprised

# 185 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Now call the roll and see who has gone from us." And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. Saul decides to see if it was someone from his troops who caused such panic among the Philistines, so he musters up the troops to see if anyone is missing. To the surprise of every one, ONLY Jonathan and his armorbearer are missing. Just two men were able to set off such a disturbance against the enemy? Are you kidding me? No, We are not kidding you. Remember we have said before that Jonathan like David was a man after God's own heart. He understood the chain of command, by that I mean he recognized God as His commander and chief and was willing to follow His orders no matter what. He knew with God, nothing is impossible David explains this faith of a warrior in Ps 18:29-40, “For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. 30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 31 For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. 34 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. 36 You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip. 37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 38 I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. 39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. This was Jonathan and David's creed and it is a picture of the victories that await you and I over our SPIRITUAL enemies. The devil and his demons are out to get us through the world and our flesh, but in Christ we are more than conquerors. Trust God, let Him subdue your enemies and live in peace.

Turn On the Microphone and Let the Pilot Speak Peace To You

# 184 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:16, “Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there. ( 1 Sam 14:16) The panic of the Philistines set off by Jonathan's slaughter of the twenty is clearly observable from Saul's outposts. Melting away with fear the people run to and fro in a classic case of crowd bedlam. If you've ever been caught up in this type of a situation you know how quickly it can turn ugly. We see milder forms of this kind of savage crowd behavior in America on Black Friday as people frantically try to get a bargain and sadly there have been incidents at rock concerts, soccer games, and pilgrimages where many have been literally trampled to death. Panic and anxiety need to be caught early and dealt with or they can escalate to dangerous levels. That's why you'll hear the pilot speak with an incredibly calm voice over the intercom when the plane is experiencing some turbulence. He desires to soothe everyone, lest some unhealthy anxiety breaks out. Same thing with unruly crowds, someone will often grab a bullhorn or a microphone and try to calm everyone down before bedlam breaks loose. Even in our own personal lives anxiety and panic can get out of hand and cause us to act in foolish and dangerous ways. No wonder the psalmist says, “Do not fret....it only causes harm.” Ps 37:8) It's times like these that we need to hear the incredibly calm voice of our Pilot, the Holy Spirit who says in De 31:8 "And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." Anxiety doesn't care whether you're a Christian or not, it comes to all of us. God knows this and His Word is filled with consolation for those who struggle with fear. Get into His Word, turn on the microphone and let the Pilot speak peace to you.

Panic and Anxiety

# 183 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:15, “And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling. (1 Sam 14:15) Panic, anxiety, it spreads like wildfire doesn't it? Even in the lives of believers, it can grip us and cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus. That's what happened when Peter fell in the drink, remember? We read about in in Mt 14:29-31: “So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Why did he sink? Because he became afraid and when he became afraid, he forgot, and when he forgot doubt crept in. So much of my own struggles with fear and panic stem from the fact that I forget. I am so consumed by the “what ifs” that I take my eyes off Jesus, His Word, and His track record. I forget who He is and His faithful promises. I forget that He has said in “ Mt 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. I forget the recommendation from 1Pe 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” And I forget that God is not asleep. Nothing takes Him by surprise Ps 121:3 says, “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. I pray that Jesus will help me and anyone else who struggles with anxiety to remember these verses when we need them, especially at the beginning of anxiety, lest it become like a raging wildfire in our heart that robs us and those around us of peace and joy.

Skinned Knees

# 182 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:12b-14, “Jonathan said to his armorbearer, "Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel." 13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them. 14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land. (1 Sam 14:12b-14) The Lord has given Jonathan the green light to attack the Philistines, but that doesn't mean it will be easy. The garrison was spread out over a small patch of territory (about a half an acre) most likely in bunker like defensive positions. Jonathan and his armor-bearer must crawl up and over rocks on their hands and knees to take the first fortification. I am reminded of some of the most famous battles of WWII involved the taking of fortified enemy positions atop hills. Normandy and Iwo Jima come to mind. The enemy places himself in a position where there are many obstacles that need to be overcome. Such is the case for spiritual warfare as well. Ridicule, doubt, peer pressure, fear, and apathy are just a few of the obstacles that need to be overcome in our battles with the world, our flesh, and the devil. But we, like Jonathan must press on reminding ourselves to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” And as we press on with Christ, trusting in His forgiveness and the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Sword of His Word the enemies carcasses are soon dotting the landscape. Look! There's adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries. That's 17, throw in 3 others who no longer hold power over you. It won't be easy, you'll have some skinned knees from time spent in prayer, but remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Flee

# 181 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:11,12a, “So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, "Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden." 12 Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." (1 Sam 14:11,12a) The moment of truth has arrived and Jonathan and his armor-bearer step out into the open in plain sight of the enemy. This garrison was something like an outpost, a small band of men charged with keeping watch and defending the perimeter. They weren't exactly shaking in their boots at the sight of Jonathan and his armor-bearer. They viewed them like we might view a mole coming out of a hole in the ground. Then they extend their invitation to Jonathan and his armor bearer to come to them and they will “show them something.” Sounds like an innocent request, but hold on a minute. These Philistines represent the devil, the world, and our flesh, and this invitation is the age old invitation to trouble. Young people, beware of strangers who offer you a ride because they “want to show you something.” Flee from them and tell your mom or dad immediately. Beware of peers who have discovered pornography and want to share it with you, they too want to “show you something.” Flee from them! Beware of those who want to “show you” your first taste of alcohol, or marijuana, or nicotine. Flee from them. Don't you see, this is one of the devils oldest tricks. He wanted to “show Eve something,” and so he beguiled her to come to the tree of forbidden fruit, and sin and all its nasty effects entered the world. All these things I have mentioned, bring their nasty effects into your life, and God's strategy is to flee. Paul reminds young Timothy to “flee youthful lusts,” Flee from that youthful tendency that is willing to try what the world is offering, rather “submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Make up your mind now, before the temptation comes. Say no to the world and yes to God.

The Best Solution

# 180 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:8-10, “Then Jonathan said, "Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 "If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. 10 "But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us." (1 Sam 14:8-10) Jonathan's request for a sign is very specific and when you think about it, he is asking God for a tremendous display of His miracle working power. He is asking God to control the human tongue. Jas 3:7,8 says, “ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” No man can tame the tongue, but God can. And in Pr 16:1 we read, “The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” Jonathan knew this and believed it and was ready to stake his life on it. In Paul Kretzmann's commentary on this verse from Proverbs, he says, “ The mind of a man may be engaged in attempting to solve a problem, in setting up various plans or schemes to reach a right conclusion, but the best solution is that which is given by the Lord,” What kind of problems are you facing today. What kind of scheming and planning will you be engaged in to get things to work out the way you want them to? Why not forget your plans and shoot for the best solution, the one given by the Lord in His Word. 2Ti 3:16,17 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. Be equipped for whatever decision you need to make. Know the Word of God.

Asking For Signs

# 179 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:8-10, “Then Jonathan said, "Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 "If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. 10 "But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us." (1 Sam 14:8-10) Jonathan is strengthened by the pledge of unity from his armor-bearer, and now the Philistines will have to deal with two men who have the heart of God. Two men fiercely loyal to and totally trusting of their commander in chief, and each other. This was the secret of the success of the early church in the Book of Acts. Loyalty and trust of God and each other. Imagine what the church could do with such a Holy Spirit generated attitude today! Jonathan was strengthened, but he still wanted to make sure he had the green light from the commander in chief and so he asks for a sign. Now be careful in this area of sign asking. Signs must be asked for under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit and not our flesh. Here's a simple test. When the Holy Spirit asks for a sign, it will be given. It is granted because the Lord knows the one asking needs it and will act on it. The flesh is more inclined to go for two out of three. The flesh is more inclined to act according to it's desires rather than God's. The flesh is working under the wrong commander and chief. It is better to rely on God's word for your guide. The sure sign that Jesus has given us is the sign of Jonah which refers to His death and resurrection. It is His death and resurrection that ought to affirm the trustworthiness of His Word. It is as Peter wrote in 2Pe 1:19, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,” Do you want signs? Pray for that Jonathan, armor-bearer, kind of loyalty and trust. The signs will follow as the commander in chief sees they are needed.

Unity In Confronting Sin

# 178 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:7, “So his armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart." ( 1 Sam 14:7) What a beautiful statement from Jonathan's armor bearer. It is a pledge of brotherhood. He proclaims that his heart is one with Jonathan's. God loves unity among the brethren. Ps 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” This kind of unity can only come from the indwelling Holy Spirit. God grants this gift as we read in Jer 32:39 'then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. Did you catch that? This unity is for our good and the good of our children! Jesus prayed for this kind of unity in His church in Jn 17:21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” Wow, this kind of unity is an asset to evangelism! Paul encouraged this kind of unity often, Eph 4:3 says, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. And Peter did the same in 1Pe 3:8, “ Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;” God loves unity and I think it's important to note that Jonathan and his armor bearer were unified in a very specific area. The action they were about to undertake in confronting the Philistines was a picture of confronting sin. We could learn from that. We can and should unite on that front. Spirit-led confrontation of sin in our own lives and within our own congregations, followed by confession of those sins, repenting of them, and then receiving God's forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus Christ.

You Will Miss 100% of the Shots You Never Take

# 177 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few." (1 Sam 14:6) If I were building a basketball team, Jonathan would be one of my first recruits, because in basketball, you miss 100% of the shots you never take. He is not intimidated by the enemy, and tells his armor bearer, “Hey, let's take a shot at these uncircumcised Philistines. “ Why was he willing to do this? Because he knew who his God was and he knew who he was in God. He knew God was with him because he was under contract with God (circumcised) and the Philistines were not. Based on those facts, he felt confident in saying, “who knows, maybe God will create a shot opportunity for me.” The word “work” here is the idea of creating something. Jonathan knew the Creation story. He knew that God “worked” created for six days. God spoke and things happened just as He spoke them. He said, “ let there be light” and there was light. For six days God kept saying “let” and for six days things came into existence because He said so. Jonathan was willing to see if God would be willing to “let” him have victory over the Philistines. He knew that no amount of superior numbers displayed by the Philistines could stand against God's simple command of “let.” May I encourage you today to “let” God “let” in your life. The Holy Spirit may prompt you just as I believe he prompted Jonathan to take a shot today. It may be to witness to someone. It may be to step out of your comfort zone to help someone. It may be to take a stand for righteousness. Whatever the prompting is from the Holy Spirit, seek to follow through on it because as every basketball coach knows, you miss 100% of the shots you never take. Take the shot who knows, God may “let” it go in, and score one for His kingsom.

Rocks of the Ages

# 176 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:4,5, “Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah. ( 1 Sam 14:4,5) I've always been fascinated by these obscure verses found in Scripture. Why did the Holy Spirit feel it was necessary to include the name of some big rocks in the telling of this story? It could be that they are included just to provide some backdrop, or perhaps it would help the readers of biblical times to identify where this event took place. They could actually point out this place to their children and tell them of Jonathon's exploit, thereby strengthening their faith. But why name the rocks? In naming them, the people would have no problem locating the exact area of Jonathan's crossing. One rock was named Bozez which means something that has been bleached white. The other rock, “Seneh” means thorn. One rock was set apart by it's sheer whiteness and the other by some thorns on it's peak. Does that make you think of anyone in particular? Do you know of Someone who was absolutely spotless and who was crowned with thorns? I am likely reading more into this than I should, but I can't help but to think of Jesus. And you know what? Anytime I can think of Jesus, it's a good thing. Jonathan had to go through the rocks of Bozez and Seneh in order to engage the enemy and experience victory. A good thing for us to remember as well as we live out our faith. All must be done through Christ. It is as Jesus said in Joh 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. O Lord, help me to abide in You today.

Just Sitting Under the Pomegranate Tree

# 175 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:1-3 Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he did not tell his father. 2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. ( 1 Sam 14:1-3) Did anyone ever say something to you like, “Well don't just sit there, Do something!” As I read this, I feel like it's something that needs to be said to King Saul. “Your majesty, the Philistines are getting ready to attack, you only have 600 men with pitchforks and hoes, and a priest, and your plan is to sit under a pomegranate tree?” Jonathon on the other hand tells his armor bearer, “let's make some contact with the enemy.” Instead of waiting for the enemy to make a move, he decides to push against them. The key to this seemingly rash decision on Jonathon's part is he knew and understood that God was with him. He was circumcised, the Philistines were not. He was in a covenant relationship with God, they were not. That's why in verse 6 he calls the Philistines, “uncircumcised.” It's the same term David used when he encountered Goliath, “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” No wonder David and Jonathon were such good friends, they both had the heart of God. They were what we could call “circumcised believers,” whereas King Saul and the other Israelites were circumcised, but lacked faith. Simply being circumcised is not enough. Explicit trust (faith) must enter the picture. The kind of trust evidenced by Jonathon and David.... It is as we read in Mr 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Trust or belief is evidenced by Christian works of love....not by sitting under the pomegranate tree. Faith without works is dead.

God's Mind Blowing Providence

# 174 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 14:1a, “Now it happened one day,” 1 Sam 14:1a) “Now it happened,” the King James reads, “and it came to pass.” Whenever you see that phrase in Scripture it sets the scene for an important event in the Providence of God. Think about the phrase and break it down. “It came,” the meaning being that something was going down in God's timeline. Why did the event come? It came to pass. It came to happen in accordance with God's will at the “just right” time. He was up in heaven orchestrating the whole thing. It is directly related to God's Providence. Nothing escapes His attention as His Story, (history) unfolds. In the Book of Revelation there is mention of a “sea of glass.” This glassy sea has nothing to do with calmness, but everything to do with clarity. As the biblical commentator Lenski notes, “in heaven, “one can see clear to it's bottom.” This connection between transparency and providence shouldn't surprise us when we read of the times that Jesus told the disciples where to find fish. All seas are perfectly transparent to God. This sea of glass is ever before God's throne and it is in this portion of Revelation that we are introduced to the four living creatures “full of eyes in front and back.” They are full of eyes because nothing escapes them as God dispenses His providential care through them. There are also 24 elders mentioned here who have ring side seats by the sea of glass. The number 24 symbolic of the old and new testament church. Think about it, in heaven, the saints of all time are given a view of God's providence that is mind blowing. And they “fall down before Him who sits on the throne,” cast their crowns before Him and worship Him. They say, “You are worthy, O Lord....For You created all things,” From their vantage point they see that the Lord makes all things happen. They see those “all things that work to good” that we read about in Rom 8:28! And when we get to heaven and see all that God orchestrates in His Providence, we too will join this worshipful throng.

Pitchforks and Hoes

#172 - Today's Du-votional comes from1 Sam 13:19-23, "19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim[d] for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. 22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. One of the first things a conquering country seeks to do is remove the weapons from the people they have conquered, and so the Philistines placed all the blacksmiths under their control. There would be no sword or spear-making in Israel. The only thing the Israelites were allowed to have were agricultural tools, and even these tools had to be sharpened by the state blacksmith for the going fee of a pim. What's a pim? It was pretty close to a days wages. So here you have the mighty army of Israel. Saul and his son Jonathon are the only ones with weapons, every one else is armed with pitchforks and hoes. This is what they have to fight with on the day of the forthcoming battle. Looks grim right? Well, actually, God has placed his people right where He wants them.....dependent upon Him to fight their battle. As we read in Zec 4:6b, "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts (armies) And in Hos 1:7, "But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen." And as David said just before he took down Goliath, "the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands. And in 2 Chron. 20:15, we read, "Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" Understand this in whatever you may be facing today. Empty yourself of all self-reliance. Put down your pathetic fleshly weapons of pitchforks and hoes and let the Lord God of hosts go before you and fight your battles. Surrender to Jesus and allow Him to enter the fray. Remember, "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. (Is 54:17)

The Three-pronged Attack of the Enemy

# 172 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:15-18, “Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men. 16 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned to the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. (1 Sam 13:15-18) An interesting feature of this portion of Scripture is the three-pronged attack of the Philistines. It is a parallel to the three pronged attack that we face every single day. It is the battle with the world, our flesh, and the devil. The Scriptures speak of all three enemies: In Ga 5:16, we are reminded to, “ Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh., and in Jas 4:4 we are told that whoever “wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” and in 1Pe 5:8, we are reminded that “the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” In the Litany from the The Common Book of Prayer of the Church of England one of the petitions is to ask the Lord to deliver us “from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil” Jesus endured these same kind of deceitful attacks from the mastermind of them all, the devil, when He was tempted in the wilderness as the devil appealed to Jesus' flesh in tempting Him to feed His flesh by turning stones into bread. He appealed to the world as He tempted Jesus to make headlines by leaping off the top of the temple and miraculously save Himself, and finally he sought to have Jesus bow down and worship him. Jesus defeated the three -pronged attack of the flesh, the world, and the devil, with one simple strategy. He replied to each temptation with , “It is written.” Ask Him to help you do the same as you face the deceitful attacks of the enemy today.

You're In the Army Now

# 171 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:14 "But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." ( 1 Sam 13:14) Commandment, commanded, commander. These words show up 5 times in verses 13 and 14. And according to the Zodhiates Hebrew/Greek Key Study Bible the word has strong military connotations. It is the picture of a superior giving a verbal communication to a subordinate. We typically think of the word commandment as a law, but maybe we need to rethink this. Maybe we need to think of them as orders from a Superior. Laws are made to be broken but, orders are given to be followed. Do you see the difference? Saul's great sin was his disobedience of a direct order from His Superior. His punishment was fitting. He would be stripped of his command, and mustered out of God's Army. There is no room in God's army for the persistently non-compliant. God's commander in chief had to be someone who had the military heart of God. Someone who understood the chain of command, and would willfully submit to it. It's interesting that even though David didn't know it at this time, the orders for him to be made commander in chief had already been cut in heaven. Friends, are you aware that we are at war? A supernatural battle of epic proportions! And I think we are getting our butts kicked right now because we are a sloppy outfit, that refuses to take orders. We rebel against anything that seems inconvenient or nonsensical. We lack the spiritual discipline necessary to stand against the foe. Pray for the heart of a soldier. O God, give us the heart of David. Change our attitude about taking orders from You. Thankfully, God does forgive our sins through faith in Jesus Christ, but wouldn't it be better for us and the army of God if we sought to carry out His orders? God's not interested in our excuses, He is looking for people who respond with “Yes sir”

Sin Has Consequences

# 170 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:13 “And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. (1 Sam 13:13) Sin has consequences. Those consequences are in the hands of God who says in Ro 9:15, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." Don't ever try to get into the game of questioning God's punishment for sin. Just know and believe that He is the Father and He knows the perfect amount of discipline for every situation. Know and believe that, “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28) Because of Saul's disobedience, he would be the first and last of his line to serve as king in Israel. Saul's disobedience cost him, but God used this punishment in order to enthrone a king who would be a man after His heart, namely David, and of course out of the lineage of David would come the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But even as we mention David, there were consequences for his sin with Bathsheba as well. He was forgiven when he confessed his sin, but 2Sa 12:10,11 tells us that the sword would never depart from David's house. His life would be earmarked by violence, and his own wives would be caught up in unfaithfulness, and the child conceived with Bathsheba would die. (2 Sam 12:14) These were all consequences that God allowed in David's life because of his sin. Sin has consequences. Thankfully through faith and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, these consequences are not eternal. They are temporal, and even those temporal consequences work out ultimately for God's eternal purposes and glory. You and I both know that our sins have altered circumstances in our own lives. Sin exacted a price. Some pay seemingly steeper prices than others, but we dare not get into the comparison game here. Rather we need to seek God's grace and strength to help us deal with those ramifications. Looking to Him, to help us endure and finish the race.

Don't Make Excuses

# 169 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:11,12 “And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 "then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering." (1 Sam 13:11,12) Saul has sinned. He did not do as the Lord commanded. When confronted with his sin, by Samuel, Saul breaks out his excuses. Let's not be too hard on Saul though, we very often do the same thing. His first excuse was that he felt like he was the only one. All the people had scattered. Sometimes when we feel abandoned, we are especially vulnerable to sin. Next, he felt abandoned by God. Samuel had not shown up early enough for Saul, and so he let impatience take over. How many times do we act impatiently because we are not hearing from God. How many times do we take the silence of God as a green light to plow ahead with our own plans. Plans that often are in violation of God's commands. And how many times does temptation press in on us as the Philistines were pressing in on Saul, and we panic and do something stupid. Saul paid a severe price for his sin as we shall see. Sin has consequences. It would be so much wiser for you and I to exercise patient obedience. And it also would be wise to put a sock in our mouth when it comes to excuses. How much better to imitate David when he was confronted with his sin with Bathsheeba by Nathan. He didn't whine about the fact that he was alone while the men were out to war. He didn't say, “she was bathing in full view, I'm only human,” No! He said, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. (2 Sam 12:13) I pray, we all can say no to temptation, but if we do fail, let's fess up like David did and receive God's forgiveness.

The Welfare State

# 168 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:9-11a, “So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me." And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11 And Samuel said, "What have you done?" ( 1 Sam 13:9-11a) Saul had been told to wait for Samuel for seven days, and when Samuel didn't arrive early in the day, Saul decides to take matters into his own hands and offer up the sacrifice. In so doing he crossed a line. He mingled the duties of the church with the duties of the state. This is always a recipe for disaster and I believe its one of the reasons that we have such a massive debt problem in our land today. Somewhere along the line, the church has voluntarily relinquished its mandate to care for the poor and given it to the government. What we can do with 10% of our income, the king does with 30. I suppose it started in the depression when the government was compelled to step in and help out, but it seems the church liked it that way so much that they let it continue until it grew into the messy welfare, debt accruing, state we have today. It's much easier to let the king do it, and it frees our money up for bigger buildings. And we get so far in debt that we can't even take care of the poor in our own congregation, much less those outside. Author George Grant has written that when the communists took over in Russia, the first thing they outlawed is charity. They wanted the people to be beholding to them, rather than the church. With all the squawking we are hearing about our national debt, maybe we need to start in our own congregations. Let us learn to operate within our own budgets, and may a substantial portion of that budget be set aside to first of all help our brothers and sisters, and then move on to help others as well. It's our job, let's roll up our shirtsleeves and do it! Jas 1:27a Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble,”

Why Does God Allow Trials

# 167 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.' God's command to Saul was to wait for Samuel for seven days. The seventh day dawned and no Samuel. The Philistines were getting ready to attack. This was a major test for King Saul. How will he react? Will he wait the full seven days? Testing. It's something we don't like to talk about. Yet we cannot deny it. Sometimes, God allows circumstances into our life that force us to make a choice concerning obedience. Will we remain obedient to Him in times of trial? For example, in Ex 16:4 we read, “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. This was a simple test for the people. They were commanded to take a specified amount of manna, to take more or less would be disobedient. Obedience flows from people who have experienced the love of God through forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ and subsequently truly treasure God's commands. This is the crux of Jesus' statement, in Joh 14:15 ¶ "If you love Me, keep (treasure) My commandments. Luther said that God permits us to be tested, “in order that it may be seen whether we have true faith, love, and patience.” This test is for our benefit, not God's. True faith is marked by our God-given desire to be obedient, or by godly sorrow when we aren't. Just think of some of the pressure situations that people face on a regular basis. The temptation to engage in sexual sin, or the temptation to be dishonest, or drink to excess. These are opportunities to break God's commandments and sin. They are tests. But listen to the promise of God, for those who prevail, “ Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, (demonstrated genuine faith) he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. It's quite simple. Love of God is proof of salvation. And as Jesus said, “If you love me keep (treasure) my commandments.

The Way Out of Your Trial

# 166 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 13:5-7, “Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. ( 1 Sam 13:5-7) The Philistines have amassed a mighty army against the Israelites, and we read words like, “danger, ””distressed,” and “trembling.” The people were so fearful that some hid in caves, just like the way they did in the days of Gideon. Others just beat feet, trying to get as far away from the enemy as possible, and those who stayed with Saul did so with trembling hearts. Fear arrived, when the men of Israel saw that they were in danger. The King James says, “they were in a strait.” (As in strait jacket if you will.) They were being “cramped in, hemmed in, pressed in on all sides. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt the circumstances of your life pressing in? Like your soul is in some sort of a trash compactor. When trials come your way to test your faith, you have some options. You can revert back to your old ways, (hide in caves) You can run away from the trial and medicate yourself with addictive behavior, or you can wait it out with your King. 1Co 10:13 says, “ No temptation (trial) has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted (trialed) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (trial) will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear (endure) it.” Friend, believe this verse, hold to this verse before you revert back to your old ways or seek to medicate your trial through addiction. “GOD IS FAITHFUL! THE WAY OUT OF YOUR TRIAL IS ENDURING. I know it's scary, but stay with King Jesus! He is faithful and will pull you through!