The Sin of Prayerlessness

# 162 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:23a "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; (1 Sam 12:23a) It was back in verse 19, that the people begged Samuel to “pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die.” This intercessory prayer for others is so important that Samuel calls the neglect of this prayer a sin against the Lord! Whoa! A sin? This not just some one shot deal restricted to Samuel either! This is for you and I, and all who claim to be followers of Christ. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says to Timothy in regards to intercessory prayer, “ I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you (Timothy) in my prayers night and day,” (2 Tim 1:3) What is he thanking God for? That he remembers to pray for Timothy! Point 1. When the Holy Spirit brings someone to mind to pray for....thank God! Why? Because you are serving God with a pure conscience just as Samuel did, and just as Paul did, and just as everyone does when they pray for others. To have a pure conscience in a matter is to not have guilt over it. It is, as Samuel put it, to not “sin against the Lord.” These prayers are a matter of obedience! I don't know about you, but I find myself greatly convicted here. How many times have I told someone I would pray for them and then, “out of sight, out of mind?” I just forget! I know better. I know the proper thing to do when someone asks for prayer is to stop what I'm doing and pray! To neglect to do this is to invite sin. Well, thankfully as with all sin, it is forgivable. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (1 Jn 1:9) Holy Spirit, help me to heed any and all of Your calls to prayer.

Because of His Great Name

# 161 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:22 "For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. What a great promise. The Lord will not forsake His people. It certainly isn't because we are deserving. It is only because of His great name and good pleasure. I am reminded of the time when the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, but were fearful of the “giants in the land,” and they wanted to ditch God and return to Egypt. God told Moses that He would strike these people with pestilence and disinherit them. He was ready to forsake them because of their persistent rebellion. (Num 14:12) But Moses interceded for them and said, "Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, 16 'Because the LORD was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.' (Nu 14:15,16) God heard the prayer of Moses, and for His great name sake, did not forsake them. We have the same promise from Jesus for the church today. In Mt 28:20, He said to His disciples, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” God will not forsake His church. Even though some may forsake Him chasing after other gods, pursuing false doctrine, or ignoring His Word, God will always preserve a remnant. Admittedly, sometimes it looks pretty bleak for the church today, but it looked very bleak in the days of Elijah too. Elijah was thoroughly depressed because he felt he was the only believer left in the land. He said in 1 Kings, 19:14, “I alone am left.” But God said in 1 Kings 19:18, “ Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." Sometimes you can be in a situation where you might feel like Elijah. Take heart, you are not alone and never will be. God has preserved other believers for you to fellowship with. But remember, it's not because of YOUR great name, it's because of His great name. It's because of His grace. Thank Him for it today!

A Definition of Idolatry

# 160 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:21, "And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.” (1 Sam 12:21) Samuel again reminds the people of their need to serve God alone. Looking to anything other than God for deliverance or increase in value (profit) is idolatry. Sometimes, in our modern and enlightened world we think we are not guilty of the sin of idolatry. I mean who bows down to images made with human hands? But here we have an excellent definition of idolatry. To “go after” something in the Hebrew language used here, is to loiter. To engage in idolatry then is to “hang out” with things that are powerless to deliver you, or give you anything of lasting value. Here's the thing about loitering. When we loiter after worthless things, it keeps us from pursuing that which has true worth. What are you “hanging out” with that is keeping you from a pursuit of Jesus? What is keeping you from “seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?” Where are you loitering instead of pressing on? Loitering is a great enemy of the faith, it leads to idolatry. But the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul has a remedy. Php 3:12b, “but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Press on beloved. Just pretend that Officer Holy Spirit has come up to the street corner where you have been loitering and says, “okay people break it up,” there is nothing here of lasting value for you.” Then move on, leaving your idols and pressing on with Paul seeking to lay hold of that for which Jesus Christ laid hold of you.

The Breathing Process of Being A Christian

# 159 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:19,20 “And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves." 20 Then Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. Samuel has called on God to deliver a miraculous thunderstorm, and God did just that. This thundering caused the people to fear both God and Samuel. This “thunder” is a good picture of the Law of God. One of the purposes of the Law is to strike fear in the hearts of men. The Law showed the people their sin. This fear causes godly sorrow over sin, and a desire for someone to intercede on behalf of the sinner, lest he die. And here Samuel serves as a type of Jesus for these people. Note his reply to those afflicted with godly sorrow, “Do not fear,” which is another way of saying, you will not die, your sins are forgiven.“ And now, that they have a new lease on life, Samuel reminds them to not turn aside from following the Lord and to serve Him (be a slave to Him” with all their heart. The phrase, “turn aside” in the Hebrew means to stretch or spread out, to bend away. This is a simple reminder to not go chasing after other gods. Seek to serve and love God alone with all your heart, soul, and might. Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery? Jesus told her, “I do not condemn you, go and sin no more.” In other words, go and henceforth, walk a straight path with God, don't bend away from Him and His righteousness.” This bending away is a natural tendency of our flesh and should be dealt with on a daily basis, as we are convicted of our sins by the Law of God, (reading of God's Word) have godly sorrow over them, which leads to confession, and the gospel words of absolution, “fear not, your sins are forgiven in Christ, ” and then the admonition to “go and sin no more.” This is the daily breathing process of a follower of Jesus. It is our life! Embrace it

God Means Business

# 158 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:16-18, "Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes: 17 "Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king for yourselves." 18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. (1 Sam 12:16-18) Whenever you see the word, “therefore” in Scripture, you need to go back a verse or two and see what the “therefore” is “there for.” Samuel had just told the people that if they refused to allow the Lord to rule over them, God's hand would be against them. Now he says, “stand still, pay attention, and I'll show you that God means business.” It was the time of the wheat harvest in Israel, a time when rain and storms were very rare. Samuel boldly states that he will ask God to send thunder and rain. If the rain and thunder come, it would be God's statement that He was not happy that the people had asked for a king to rule over them. God knew the hearts of the people, He knew their motivation for their request. He told Samuel in 1 Sam 8:7b, “they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” This was the issue, and the people have still not dealt with it. God has granted them their desire for a king, but they must remember that king or no king God is to rule over their hearts. In this portion of Scripture, He is going to great lengths to hammer the point home to the people. The hand of God snaps His fingers and produces a miraculous storm out of nothing. Is this the hand that you want working for you or against you? Are there sin issues in you life that you have not yet dealt with? Areas of your life where you are resisting God's rule? Confess them as sin, seek to turn from them, receive God's forgiveness, and with the help of the Holy Spirit allow Him and His Word to rule Supreme in your life.

The Law As A Fence

# 157 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:14,15, "If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. 15 "However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers. (1 Sam 12:14,15) It's not that bad to have a king rule over you. It still boils down to our own personal relationship with God. If we are willing to fear, love, serve, and obey Him, we have no need to fear judgment from God. But if we choose to rebel against His rule, His hand will be against us in judgment, king or not. Let me use the open hand of God illustration again. When you and I, by the grace of God, put our faith in Christ, we are placed in the open hand of God. He does not hold us with a clenched fist. As long as we remain in His hand no one can pluck us away. Though God's hand is open, He has placed His commands like a fence around the outer edges of His hand. This fence is designed to slow us down, to protect us, and help keep us from straying away from Him. It is a grace to have such a fence, but the fence is not grace. It can't save us. We were saved the moment we put on Christ through faith. And now these commands or fence, matter to us because of our love for Him. It is now our Holy Spirit given desire to please the Father, to live in accordance with His holy will. But if we habitually ignore them, we show a disdain for His rule in our lives. We are basically saying, that we don't like living in the confines of His hand and we place ourselves in danger of leaving His protection. By now, you should know, that these commands are impossible to keep with our own strength, but God wants you and I to remain in His hand so much, that He has given us the Holy Spirit (the Helper) to help us live according to His will, and to lead us to confession and forgiveness when we fall short.

The Enemy Is Us

# 156 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:12-14, "And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king. 13 "Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 "If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. (1 Sam 12:12-14) “Note the Lord has set a king over you.” I can't repeat phrases like this in Scripture enough because they emphasize the truth of Ro 13:1, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” It saddens me to see professing Christians mock our leaders. Their words often border on outright personal hatred. Instead of speaking ill of those whom God has appointed over us. We would do well to remember, to “note” that God has set the king over us. Got a problem with the king? Take it up with God, He's the One who put him there. To speak ill of the king is to speak ill of the one who put him there. Are you miffed about the way things are going in our country? Guess what? According to this passage, it's not the king's fault. Listen carefully to what God says, "If YOU fear the LORD and SERVE Him and OBEY His voice, and do not REBEL against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. The road back to a godly nation is paved with individuals who fear the Lord, serve the Lord and obey the Lord. We build it one brick at a time through personal and corporate repentance. Father forgive us for casting blame on others, when the problem is with our own relationship with You. Help us by the power of Your Spirit to fear, love, serve, and obey You from this day forth.

The Safety of God's hand

# 155 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:10,11, “Then they cried out to the LORD, and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.' 11 "And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.” ( 1 Sam 12:10,11) The history lesson continues. God had set the Israelites up in the Promised land, but they “forgot” Him, became oblivious to Him, left His hand of protection and chased after other gods. He then gave them over to their enemies. In the hands of their enemies and miserable in their sin, the people would come to their senses and cry out to God for deliverance, with a renewed promise to serve God alone. God in His unfathomable mercy heard their pleas and sent them deliverers time after time after time. When will this cycle end? In one sense it ends with Jesus. No need to send deliverer after deliverer any more. Jesus is our once and forever Deliverer. However, the cycle of forgetting God and then crying out for mercy is an ongoing struggle even today. Think of your existence as a choice of living in two hands. One hand is the hand of God, and the other is the hand of the enemy. Through faith in Jesus we are placed in the hand of God. It is an open hand. He does not hold us with a closed fist. As long as we remain in the faith, we are safe from the enemy. Jesus reminds us of this truth in Joh 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. But when we become oblivious to God, we have chosen to walk out of the protection offered by His hand, and we fall into the hand of the enemy. He's not so kind. He seeks to keep you in his clenched fist, and only God is able to pry his fingers off of our soul. God is willing and able to do that for those who cry out for mercy. Cry out today, and then seek to live out your life in the safe hand of God.

Thanklessness Is Next To Godlessness

# 154 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:9 "And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. ( 1 Sam 12:9) Samuel now gives the people a history lesson starting with the events after the passing of Joshua. When the people forgot the Lord their God, He sold them, that is, gave them over to slavery to the enemy. The thing about history is, if we don't learn from it, we are going to repeat our mistakes. Understand the implications here. The Philistines and Moabites are a type of the devil and his calling card of sin or rebellion against God. Forget, God and He will give you over to slavery to sin. This is His consistent history throughout Scripture. How did this happen? The people, under Joshua defeated the enemy, the promised land was theirs, they were secure all around their borders. In their security and prosperity...they forgot God. The word forgot means to mislay or become oblivious to. What makes you think that it will be any different for you? When you and I lose our awareness of God, He will give us up to slavery to sin and the devil. Ro 1:21-24 says, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, What happened? They stopped giving God glory for their security and prosperity. They stopped being thankful, they became “oblivious” to God and so God “gave them up” to slavery to sin. A thankless people soon become a godless people. History has proven this time and time again. Break the cycle, ever give glory and thanks to God!

Remember Your Deliverance

# 153 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:6-8, “Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 "Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers: 8 "When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.” ( 1 Sam 12:6-8) Samuel's farewell address begins with the beginning. Your kingdom story, my kingdom story begins with our deliverance from sin. Egypt symbolizes the days in which you and I were slaves to sin as opposed to slaves to righteousness. We were spiritually dead, dead in our trespasses. Eph 2:1says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,” (Stuck in Egypt) We read more of our personal deliverance in the Book of Romans: Ro 6:17,18,21,22 “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore. Because of these things I encourage you and I to heed Samuel's advice and “stand still” before the Lord. Yes, I know you have a lot to do today. You have a lot on your mind, but take the time, today, right now, to take in the deliverance of God. In fact take the time to consider His deliverance every day, lest you take it for granted and find yourself forgetting that you are His, bought with a price! He loved you and I so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross to pay the wages of our sin and deliver us from its death grip. Stand still! Take it all in beloved. It will go a long way in guarding your heart from being enslaved to sin once more.

Another Aspect of Church Discipline

# 152 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:2b-5, “ I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 "Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you." 4 And they said, "You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man's hand." 5 Then he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they answered, "He is witness." Samuel's farewell address. He reminds the people that in all his service as judge and priest, he has not cheated anyone nor has he perverted justice for the sake of a bribe. He has judged Israel with impeccable integrity and honesty. Then he says something that is a little disturbing. He says, “The Lord is a witness AGAINST you this day.” He didn't have to say that. He could've just said, “the Lord is my witness,” but he throws in the word “against.” What was the Lord testifying to here that is “against” the people? He was testifying against the people's desire to have an earthly king rule over them. He was saying that there is no need for an earthly king, when your leaders follow the Lord and His ways. God's Word and the Holy Spirit are sufficient to rule in our lives. I am reminded of an incident in Corinth that we read about in 1 Cor 6. In verse 1 we read, “ Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?” Now, I understand that there are times when civil laws are broken, and when that occurs, God has given the government the sword to take care of it. But many times we go running to the earthly king to settle our disputes rather than allowing the church to work out differences in accordance with the Scriptures. This is another aspect of “church discipline” that seems to have been forgotten by the church.

Church Discipline

# 151 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 12:1,2a, “Now Samuel said to all Israel: "Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 "And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. (1 Sam 12:1,2a) Farewell addresses would be a great topical Bible Study. Moses gave one, Joshua gave one, Jesus gave one, and I'm sure there are others. What makes them powerful is God uses them to highlight matters of importance. He usually reminds us where we have been and if necessary tells us of important things to come. Did you ever take a walk on a state park trail and see the map that says, “You are here?” That's how Samuel begins his farewell address. He says, “you've got the king you asked for, and I am getting ready to leave this earth, and consequently my office as judge and priest. Then he mentions the fact that his sons are with the people. We've talked about this before but let's cover it again. Samuel's sons were stinkers just like his predecessor Eli's sons. We read in 1 Sam 81-3 that Samuel had appointed his sons as judges in Israel, but “his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.” The mention of his sons here as being among the people tells us that unlike Eli, Samuel dealt with his sons and removed them from their position of authority. Corrective action was taken by Samuel. This kind of corrective action is necessary and falls in the realm of what we would call church discipline today. This discipline was important enough to be included in Samuel's farewell address and we would do well to make note of it in the church today. Sin in the camp is to be dealt with, as the Apostle Paul moved by the Holy Spirit wrote in 1Co 5:6b,7a, Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.” The proper procedures for church discipline have been laid out in Mt 7, and 18. We would do well to follow them.

Today Is the Day of Salvation

# 150 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:12-15, “ Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death." 13 But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished salvation in Israel." 14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there." 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. If you recall the time when Saul was selected as king over Israel, there were some rebels who despised him and refused to let him reign over them. This is very similar to an attitude of some people that Jesus spoke of in a parable in Luke 19. Lu 19:14 says, "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'” At the end of this parable, which He used to illustrate the fact that one day He would return in judgment, He said, Lu 19:27 'But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'" Judgment Day is coming! This incident with Saul is a picture of the reality that we live in today. Jesus has died and risen from the dead, ascended into heaven and one day will return in Judgment, but TODAY is the day of salvation. It is the time of grace, a time for the rebels to come to repentance and be saved before it is too late. Saul's grace extended to the rebels is the same grace that Jesus extends today. Are you a rebel? Are you resisting the reign of King Jesus in your life? I beg you to listen to these words from Heb 3:15-19, “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Surrender to the lordship of Christ and live!

Let God Fight Your Battles

# 149 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:10,1, “Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you." 11 So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. The men of Jabesh had just received word that they would have help in their battle against the Ammonites. No need to tell the Ammonites this fact. So they tell them that they will meet them on the next day and the Ammonites can do to them whatever they wish. Imagine the scene in the Ammonite camp at this time. There would be no fight from the men of Jabesh, and tomorrow would be a day of eye-plucking and so they make their preparations. ( I don't even want to think about how you prepare for such a thing.) So, the people of Jabesh come out to the Ammonites, but what a surprise. The Ammonites are greeted by 330,000 warriors, and by noon the eye-plucking Ammonites are thoroughly defeated and scattered by Saul's three-pronged attack. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have set the enemy running! I am reminded of Ps 68:1-4, “Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. 2 As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. 4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him. I am struck by how many times we see the word “let” in these verses. The idea of “let” is to allow. We allow God to arise and fight our battles as we surrender to Jesus and stand up to our enemy. Allow God into your battles today. Stop relying on your flesh and step aside to observe Him in action, then allow yourself to sing His praises as He gives you the victory.

The Gift of Godly Fear

# 148 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:8 When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help.'" Then the messengers came and reported it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do with us whatever seems good to you." (1 Sam 11:8-10) 330,000 men responded to the call to defend their brethren. One moment they were weeping to the heavens in fear and the next day they are mustered for fighting the enemy. One moment fearing man, the next fearing no one, not even that snake Nahash the Ammonite. It was the fear of the Lord that came over each individual and caused them to rise above their circumstances. Now the fear of the Lord is often misunderstood by Christians. It can mean a kind of reverential awe, which is birthed in the realization of how much God loves you, but it also can be an alarming kind of fear, a knee-shaking, voice quivering fear of God. We don't like to think about this latter kind of fear because we have manufactured an incomplete picture of who God is. We want a God of comfort not of alarm. Yet it was this kind of fear, an alarming kind of fear that gripped these men of Israel, and caused them to rise above their circumstances. It was at this moment that God caused them to be more alarmed of Him, than of their enemy. As much as we don't like this kind of fear, we often need it to spur us on in our particular circumstances. Perhaps you've experienced this kind of fear at a time when you needed to speak up to an issue, or when you needed to act on behalf of some injustice. It was this kind of fear that moved you to action! It would be great if we could bottle such fear and use it whenever we needed it, but the truth is, godly fear is a gift from God whether it be reverential or alarming. Pray for it on a daily basis....you never know when you will need it to rise above your circumstances.

Getting Our Priorities Straight

# 147 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. 7 So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. (1 Sam 11:6,7) I don't know if Saul was angry because of the threatenings of Nahash, or because of the response of the people. They clearly were intimidated by Nahash, but they needed to fear someone even more than Nahash, namely Jehovah God. Jesus reminded us of this truth in Mt 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. So Saul, under the influence of the Holy Spirit seeks to instill a proper fear in the people. In a measured response he slaughters a yoke of oxen and sends the pieces of meat to all the tribes of Israel. His first official act as King was to tell the people they must fight, or he, acting on God's authority, will do the same to their oxen if they don't band together to fight the enemy. This visual demonstration was used as a catalyst to instill a proper fear of the Lord in the people, and with a proper fear of the Lord, they agreed to do battle as one. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle today, and we need to stop being concerned about our own oxen. We need to get our priorities straight. God can just as easily chop up our possessions and scatter them to the wind, as he did with Saul's oxen. A proper fear of the Lord realizes that all we have is a gift from God. Therefore they must play second fiddle to God. Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Don't let the fear of losing your possessions keep you from entering the battle.

Kindling the Wrath of God

# 146 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:4-6, “So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. (1 Sam 11:4-6) First of all note the tears of the people. These are tears of sorrow for their brothers in Gilead and tears of hopelessness. These people are crying because all they can see is defeat. You know, its almost like those times when a brother or sister comes to you with a seemingly impossible situation, and you say, “I will pray for you.” These people hear the problem facing the people of Gilead and they cry for them. Their tears are their prayer. That's a good thing! Because look who hears their cries! The king! And the Spirit of the Lord overwhelms Saul, and He breaks out in love and peace? Not! He breaks out in what we would call righteous anger! Yes, our God is capable of wrath and seriously folks we should pay more attention to this attribute. Listen to some examples from the New Testament: Eph 5:5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, Heed the Words of the Holy Spirit and seek to put to death all manner of sexual sin, covetousness, and idolatry. Come to the King daily, crying out for His help in the battle against the world, our flesh, and the devil. Ask Him for forgiveness and strength for the day to resist these invitations to the wrath of God.

Stop Trying To Fight Your Battles Alone

# 145 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:3 Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." (1 Sam 11:3) Jabesh, the snake, has amassed his armies against the people of Gilead. The people of Gilead were greatly afraid and offered to make a covenant with him. This in spite of what God had told the Israelites in Ex 23:31, "And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 "You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 "They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you." Jabesh, told the people that his conditions for the covenant would be to put out their right eyes. This is the choice the people of Gilead faced. In their eyes it was either be massacred by the superior forces of Jabesh, or surrender to him and have their eyes plucked out. They forgot that God not only forbade them to make covenants but He also promised to deliver them from such enemies. God never asks us to do something that He will not provide the means to do it! “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!” To their credit, the people of Gilead asked for time to plea to their brethren for help. This is a crucial spiritual truth for you and I to learn. Stop trying to fight your spiritual battles and temptations alone! God has given you brothers and sisters in Christ to help you overcome. Don't just “go to church,” be the church! Be a part of a living Spirit filled congregation. Get involved in small group Bible Studies. Be in touch with men and women of integrity who will go to war for you on their knees when temptation and spiritual battles come your way. Admit your weaknesses, rely on the brethren for help.”Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

Useless For War

# 144 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel." (1 Sam 11:2) Sounds gruesome, but there is a method to Nahash's madness. First of all having an eye put out was the mark of a subdued slave, and secondly as the Roman historian Josephus commented on this practice. He said, "He who opposes his shield to the enemy with his left hand, thereby hides his left eye, and looks at his enemy with his right eye; he therefore who plucks out that right eye makes men useless in war.” While this is the practical side to Nahash's proposal, his real motivation is to bring reproach, or shame to all of Israel. It's like he's saying, “hey world, look what I did to these brothers of the Israelites,” I have marked them as my slaves! And those wimps couldn't do anything about it!” Now, pay attention. Nahash's name means snake. He is a type of Satan here. He encamps, “brings temptation against” the children of God. (Israelites) When we give in to temptation rather than fight we make a covenant (an alliance of friendship) with the world and its ways. We become slaves of the devil. And the first thing the serpent goes after is our eyes. He seeks to rob us of our spiritual vision thereby making us “useless for war.” As we read in 2Co 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” Giving into temptation and the ways of the world is to invite slavery to sin and spiritual blindness. And every backslidden brother or sister brings reproach or shame against the church (Israel) “Hey wimpy church, what are you going to do about it?” No wonder Jesus calls us to exercise church discipline (See Mt 18 and 1 Cor 5) We are called to attempt to rescue and restore members of our erring church family. Jas 5:20 says, “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

A Picture of Temptation

# 143 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." Nahash whose name means serpent encamps against the subjects of Saul. The word “encamps” means to incline toward, to lean toward. Think in terms of a tent, a lean-to if you will. This is a picture of temptation. The devil, the world, and our flesh, encamp against us, lean against us, putting pressure on us to join in with their godless folly. Seeking to entrap us in sin. This is a very real struggle for the Christian. It is easier to give in to temptation than to fight it, and for fear of the fight, we give in, forgetting that God is on our side and He will fight the battle for us, giving us what we need to overpower the temptation. Jesus has experienced this encampment, this pressure to sin, in absolutely every conceivable way. Heb 2:18 says, “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” And in Heb 4:15 we read, “ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He is willing and able to help you overcome whatever temptation comes your way today. There is no need for you to make a covenant with sin. The idea of a covenant here is to form an alliance of friendship, and as we read in Jas 4:4b, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” One more thing. “The word “serve” here means to be a slave to, it is “to make weary, fatigued.” Beloved, though the short term temptation to sin may seem attractive and an easy way out, in the long run it will fatigue your soul. It'll wear you out and turn you toward hopelessness. But be of good cheer, there is a way out! Turn away from your sin and turn to Jesus. Let Him deliver you from your slavery! He is willing and able!

Keep Trusting Jesus

# 142 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." Nahash was an ambitious leader of the Ammonites who wished to reclaim territory lost to the Israelites. It was his threatenings that prompted the Israelites to ask for a king in the first place. Now, this new king, Saul would be tested right out of the gate. His subjects in Jabesh-Gilead were being threatened by Nahash whose name means “serpent.” Don't miss the importance of his name. He is a type of devil, and like the devil, he doesn't like it when his territory is lost. Re 12:12b reminds us, “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." The citizens of Jabesh-Gilead have a new king, and the devil doesn't take long to put them to the test. This is a spiritual fact of life and one that new believers should be made aware of. The devil doesn't give up easily and he will seek to do all he can to reclaim you and snatch you away from your new King, It is here that the new believer must believe the words of Scripture: Jesus says in Joh 10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. Don't bolt, this is what the lion wishes his perspective prey to do. He wishes to scare them away from their protection, so that he may have at them. When the spiritual counter-attacks occur, (and they will) purpose to remain in the hand of Jesus trusting Him to deliver you. But not only new believers, know that the devil doesn't give up easily on any believer. He is always looking for an opening, always looking for an opportune time to put you to the test, hoping to lure you away. Keep trusting Jesus.

Valiant One or Rebel?

# 141 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 10:26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. (1 Sam 10:26,27) This is a great picture of Christ our King, who also went to His home at the right hand of the Father and it is from this position that He rules as King. Those whom have had their hearts touched by God, (Saved by grace) have gone with Him even now and are seated with Him as we read in Eph 2:5,6, “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” But not all people believe. Some resist the grace of God, and say, “how can this man save us? They are rebels, or as the King James says, “Sons of Belial (the devil's children) The proof of their rebellion is found in their lack of giving presents to the King. These presents are the works that proceed from the heart and hands of those who have been granted saving faith in King Jesus. As John the Baptist challenged those rebel Pharisees and Sadducees in Mt 3:8, “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.” On the other hand those whose hearts have been touched by God are marked by a willingness to follow their King. “They went with him.” This is the mark of a true Christian. They are willing to follow Jesus, willing to submit to His rule in their lives, and this submission produces fruit worthy of repentance. Saul held his peace in dealing with the rebels. Jesus has held His peace not willing that any of the rebels should perish, but one Day He will return and deal justly with those who have rejected Him. Where will you be when He calls you home? Counted with the valiant? Or counted with the rebels?

A Blueprint For Kings

# 140 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 10:25, “Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. (1 Sam 10:25) Samuel explains to the people what God expects from His appointed leaders. The behavior has already been spelled out in God's word years before Israel even thought of having a king. As usual God is way ahead of the game. De 17:14-20 says, "When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, 'I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,' 15 "you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. (First rule, no foreigner shall be king, seems to me that we have a similar constitutional provision for our prospective presidents. I wonder where the founding fathers got that idea?) 16 "But he shall not multiply horses for himself, (that is he shall not amass personal power, ruling by force) nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, 'You shall not return that way again.' (he shall not lead the country to dependence on foreign powers) 17 "Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; (he shall not seek alliances with other nations, lest the interests of God and his own nation become secondary) nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. (He shall not use his position to amass personal wealth. Finally, he must keep these rules ever before him. 18 "Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 "And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 "that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. (Sounds like a good plan for all leaders doesn't it?)

Long Live the King

# 139 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 10:24b" So all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!" (1 Sam 10:24b) “Long live the king.” A phrase we hear even to this day. It's not just a good sounding cheer. There is a statement being made here that speaks of a willingness of the people to be subjects to the king. Kings rule for life and the people were wishing him a long and prosperous rule over them. This is pleasing to God because as we read in Ro 13:1, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” In our nation today, as Christians we should be praying, “long live President____, or Senator _____ or representative ____, and so on, right down to the town dog catcher. Because when we do, we affirm our trust and belief in what is being said in Rom 13:1. Authorities have been placed over us by God. The concept of “long live the king,” is not only a confession of willing subjection, but also a prayer that could be restated, “may the king (government) prosper. This instruction for prayer is repeated in the New Testament in 1Ti 2:1,2 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. The “prosperity” we pray for under our elected officials is that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” In other words, that circumstances in our nation would not distract us from the main thing. “Godliness and reverence” for God. God is in charge, the early church knew and believed this. Their peace was not disturbed as ours so often is fretting about the civil authorities. The disciples simply submitted to the authorities in all things, unless they were ordered to go against the Word of God.

NBA Player or King

# 138 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 10:23,24 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?" So all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!" (1 Sam 10:23,24) There was no greater physical specimen to serve as king in all of Israel than Saul. He was head and shoulders above all other men. Let me ask you a question. How did he get that tall? Was it something that he ate? Did his parents tie him to a rack everyday hoping to stretch him out. (Maybe they were thinking of a lucrative contract in the NBA for their son) No, he got that tall because God made him that tall. Ps 139:13 reminds us, “ For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” Please pause and consider the implications here. God had a plan for Saul even before he was conceived. He needed him to be tall and handsome, so God made him tall and handsome. Consider the prophet Jeremiah: Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." God had a plan! Then, there's Esther, Es 4:14b "who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" God had a plan! He has a plan for you too! And He has plans for your prospective children as well as we read in Eph 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Think of the implications here and learn to trust God for His plans for life.

Never Play Hide and Seek With God Either

# 137 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 10:21b-22, “ But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, "Has the man come here yet?" And the LORD answered, "There he is, hidden among the equipment." (1 Sam 10:21b-22) Imagine the excitement of the people! The tension had been mounting as lots were cast to find out who the new king would be. The lot finally lands on Saul and he is no where to be found! The people were ready to break forth in cheers for their new king and I can just imagine the awkward silence and murmuring of the audience that followed. No king! And so like a lot set of lost car keys they look high and low for Saul. After a while someone gets the bright idea to pray. “Let's ask God” Please note that they didn't pray to Saint Adam, or Saint Gideon, or Saint Joshua to find Saul. They went right to God. We have the same kind of direct access to God today through Jesus Christ. Heb 10:19 says, “ Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,” Yes, we can go directly to God with any and all requests! And yes that means for things even as menial as a set of lost car keys. As it it written in Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;. Did you catch that? “In everything by prayer” We aren't told how God spoke to the people concerning the whereabouts of Saul, but He led them to him immediately. Yes God is all-seeing. Your car keys can't hide from Him, and neither can you. (You don't want to play hide and seek with God. Just ask Adam and Eve.) He knows where you are and He sees what you are doing. Depending on what you are up to at any given moment, that can be a source of great comfort, or great consternation. You may be able to hide from others what you are doing, but you can't hide it from God. If it's sinful, stop it, and confess it, and receive His forgiveness. He wants you back even more than you want your car keys.

Don't Play Yahtzee With God

# 136 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 10:19b- “Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans." 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen.” The selection of the king was to be in the hands of God and so the lots were cast. This was a biblical method of trusting God based on faith in His Word and His utter ability to control all things, even the flop of the dice! Pr 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.” This method of selection was not used frivolously. It was used for matters of importance. Even in the New Testament, the replacement for Judas among the twelve was determined by the lot. Ac 1:26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. I personally don't recommend this system of guidance simply because our human nature subjects it to great abuse. When the lot doesn't fall our way, we are too tempted to say, “How about two out of three?” Better to look to the Word of God first, basing our decisions on the parameters found in Holy writ. Having said this, I remember using the lot one time in choosing an elder for a church I was attending. We were down to two equally qualified men, and so we prayed and quoted these verses, cast the lot, and stuck with it's decision. This “lot casting” for choosing Saul should wow everyone in Vegas! The tribe of Benjamin (1 of 12) had to be chosen. Then one family out of who knows how many had to be chosen, (Matri) and then another family from that family (Kish) and then out of Kish's sons (Saul) I mean, what are the odds? I guess that's the point. God is in charge. In His Sovereignty there are no odds! Never get in a game of Yahtze with God. But then you don't need to. He has made you a winner by giving you faith in Jesus. No need to roll the dice for your eternal destiny. Trust what is said in His Word and you will be saved.

Who's Your King?

# 135 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 10:19a "But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, 'No, set a king over us!' (1 Sam 10:19a) God, speaking through Samuel tells the people what they have really done in their demand to have a king like all the other nations. They have rejected (cast off) the spiritual protection of God, for the protection of the flesh. They have opted for government by the flesh rather than government by the Spirit. Seriously? Well, I'd better not start throwing rocks at them, lest my own glass house be shattered. How often do I do the same thing. How often do I cast off the governance of God in my life and allow my flesh to rule. When will I learn the truth of Zec 4:6b, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. I know better of course, but when the enemy comes against me, I often panic, and look for solutions offered by my flesh, the world, and yes, even the devil. This is what prompted the people to ask for a king to rule. Panic. We read of it in 1Sa 12:12 "And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king.” Is panic rearing it's ugly head in your life? Perhaps, it's an unplanned pregnancy, and the devil and the world are offering a solution at the abortion clinic. Hang in there! Keep trusting God. He will help you through the situation. Rocky marriage? Don't fall for the world's solution. Don't let King Divorce rule. Hang in there and fight for your marriage, relying on the Spirit of God and the sword of the Spirit, (His Word) to help you through it. Father, today, be King in my life. Help me cling to Your rule rather than the rule of the world, my flesh, or the devil.

Delivered

# 134 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 10:17,18, “Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.'” (1 Sam 10:17,18) Samuel begins his address with a stern reminder to the people of their past deliverance from captivity and bondage. Who delivered them from Pharaoh? Who delivered them from all the other kingdoms that sought to war against them and enslave them? It was God Almighty. This deliverance was a picture for us of the deliverance that would come through Jesus Christ. We read about it in Lu 4:18, when Jesus said, "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." This is vital information for you and I. Before we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were under the heavy hand of the devil. (Pharaoh if you will) We were oppressed by the devil and his demons (kingdoms if you will) Sin ruled in our lives. But God in His grace came to us with the gift of faith in Jesus and set us free. Oh the devil and his demons may rant and rave and accuse you and I. They will still try to make our lives miserable, but as we daily come to Jesus, He assures us of His victory and helps us to start each day remembering that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world! Father thank You for setting us free, and help us to win our battles with the enemy today.

Thus Says the Lord

# 133 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 10:17,18, “Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.'” (1 Sam 10:17,18) Mizpah was a popular place for Israel to hold national assemblies, and as they gather for the selection process, Samuel delivers the keynote address. As a prophet of God, he speaks for God. This is what prophets do, they confidently proclaim, “Thus says the Lord.” Frankly, we could use a few more prophets in the land these days calling us back to biblical repentance and obedience. We have become so grace happy that we just blow off sin and live the way we please. This should not be so. Let me give you a quick example of a “Thus says the Lord” in this matter of cheap grace. Thus says the Lord, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” ( Rom 6:1-4) Have you been baptized? Then you have put on Christ and you should no longer live in sin, but rather walk in newness of life. This newness of life is found all over the Scriptures as we read of the things that are pleasing to God, and the things that are not pleasing to God. This newness of life bursts forth every time we choose to be obedient to God's word (Law) AND every time we choose to believe His promises (Gospel) and act on them. Father, give us hearts that eagerly grasp your word as truth and seek to readily obey and trust it.

The Test of the Talebearer

# 132 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 10:14-16, “ Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" So he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel." 15 And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you." 16 So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. " Why the secrecy? Why not spill the beans to Saul's uncle? Why even include this little incident in Scripture. It certainly isn't necessary to the rest of the story. What lessons can we learn from this. First of all, I think it's a major miracle that Saul didn't spill the beans. This is an uncle, a close friend of the family. Wouldn't you want to tell him about this tremendous honor that has just been bestowed upon you? Yet Saul remains silent. This “new heart” that God had given him and the dousing with the Holy Spirit is already producing fruit in Saul's life. In not “spilling the beans” to his uncle Saul is demonstrating faithfulness, and patience. Pr 11:13 says, “A talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.” and Pr 19:11 says, The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. Saul had a choice. He could be a talebearer and demonstrate unfaithfulness in keeping confidentiality, or he could exercise discretion and demonstrate that he could be patient. Patience (longsuffering) and faithfulness are two of the qualities listed among the fruit of the Spirit in Ga 5:22. “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Think about it. Every time you are given information in confidence from another, the Lord is giving you an opportunity to display the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Oh others just like Saul's uncle will try to pry it out of you, but remember this incident and look to God to help you to keep a lid on it.