Running Out On God

# 219 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." Samuel has named the sins of Saul. Rebellion, that desire to be your own authority, to pick and choose what you will believe and obey. Rebellion that is likened to witchcraft, a capital offense. Stubbornness, that persistent refusal to obey God, which is like iniquity, (panting after sin) and idolatry (panting after other gods) Now Samuel spells out the justice associated with his crime. Because Saul rejected the word of the Lord, God has rejected Saul as king. The word rejected means to melt, to run out as candle wax or lava. Because Saul ran out on God's Word, God would now run out on Saul. What a scary thought. Yet one we should pay very close attention to. 2Ti 2:12 says, “If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.” To reign with Christ is to be a God-appointed king, but if we deny Him, He will deny us on that Last Day, and our kingship will be revoked. This incident with Saul is akin to what Jesus said in Mr 8:38, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Ashamed of what? Jesus and His Words. How we approach the Word of God really matters. Joh 12:48 says, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. Saul had a cafeteria style of Christianity. Stubbornly picking and choosing what he chose to believe and obey and it cost him his kingship. Isn't it time you and I got serious about God's Word? Isn't it time we earnestly asked God the Holy Spirit to rise up in us so that we would pant after God and His Word, rather than sin and idols?