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.

Fear (Respect) the Lord First

# 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 our material possessions are gifts from God. Therefore they must play second fiddle to Him. 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.

The Very Real Wrath of the King

# 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! Likewise, our King 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.

Don't Be the Lone Ranger

# 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)

Spiritual Blindness

# 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.

Sin Will Wear You Out

# 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. Ps 81:13,14 says, “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries. 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!

Remain In the Hand of 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. The valiant ones are those whom have had their hearts touched by God, (Saved by grace) and are 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 Those In Authority

# 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) (Doesn't say much about our current debt situation does it?) 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.

God Has A Plan For Your Life

# 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.

The Great Escape

# 260 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice. 12 Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. 15 Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. ( 1 Sam 18:11-15) Saul tried to pin David to the wall with a spear twice, but David twice escaped. I can't help but think about the two specific times that the devil tried to pin Jesus to the wall. The first time being the temptations in the wilderness after the baptism of Jesus and the second being in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus escaped the first attempt by utilizing the Word of God. He countered all of the devil's attempts with “it is written.” and in the Garden He countered with submitting to His father's will with “not My will but Thine be done.” Both escapes are tied to the proper use of the Word of God and submission to it. Wow! Could we learn from that! So Saul sends David away and David “behaved wisely.” We've talked about this wise behavior before. To behave wisely is to carefully consider all circumstances and possible consequences of our actions. What better way to do this than to view our circumstances and reaction to them through the filter of the Word of God. When Saul observed the wise behavior of David, he was afraid of him. It was this fear that drove him to try and do David in. When you and I behave wisely in accordance with the Word of God, the enemy (the devil) fears us as well, and like Saul, he will seek to do us in. Behave wisely anyway For though the enemy makes a lot of noise and is continually looking for openings, you are safe as long as you remain in the hand of God. Joh 10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

The Enemy Is Constantly Looking For An Opening

# 259 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:9-11, “So Saul eyed David from that day forward. 10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice.” The envy of Saul, opened the gate for the distressing spirit that God allowed to torment Saul. Understand something about the enemy of your soul. He is constantly poking, prodding, looking for an opening. Something by which he might get a foothold, which he then desires to turn into a stronghold, that he might conquer and enslave you. No wonder the Holy Spirit reminds us to put on the full armor of God. Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” One of the wiles of the devil is envy. Guard against it. In the 80th Psalm, the psalmist complains against God by saying, “Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit.” He was speaking of the general spiritual condition of Israel. But the reality of that statement is the people themselves allowed the hedges to deteriorate. They refused to keep the commandments of the Lord. The biblical idea of “keeping” is to put a hedge around something to protect it, because it is valuable When the people chose to not treasure God's Word, the hedge was broken down and they became easy prey for their enemies. This is God's doing only so far as He tells us in His Word that when we cease to value His covenant, His Word, we forfeit any claim to His protection. Thankfully, in His mercy and forbearance, He only allows that breach to go so far, as He leads us to repentance. The enemy will be probing, prodding today, looking for openings, seeking whom he may devour. Our surest defense is to daily repent of our sins and keep the hedge up. Let us purpose in our hearts to treasure His Word today and every day.

Envy, A Gateway To Demonic Activity

# 258 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:9-11, “So Saul eyed David from that day forward. 10 And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, "I will pin David to the wall!" But David escaped his presence twice.” The word “eyed” in the Hebrew means to watch with jealousy. Saul was envious of David and we need to learn a very important lesson here. Look what happened on the very next day that envy occupied the thoughts of Saul. A distressing spirit came upon him. Envy is a gateway for demonic oppression and activity in our lives. That's why it is so important to nip it in the bud. Jas 3:16 says, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” Saul wanted the acclaim and favor of the people, but when he saw that David was getting more of it than he, envy reared it's ugly head, and he sought to run David through with a spear. Unchecked envy can indeed take us to that point. Scary thought isn't it? Envy can show up on worship teams in church. It can show up amongst pastors when the church down the block is drawing more people for Sunday worship. It can show up in covetous concerns about others financial well-being, social status, or whenever we find ourselves wishing we had what others have. Oh, we don't seek to run a literal spear through people when envy shows up, we usually settle for choice words that will seek to put us in a better light than them. We assassinate with words, rather than spears. Don't be so dull, that you can't recognize envy when it rise up in your flesh. At the first twinge, get on your knees and confess it as sin, receive God's forgiveness, and then seek to spend your time cultivating the gifts of goodness that God has given you, rather than tearing down the gifts he has given to others.

Envy

# 257 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:6-9, “Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands." 8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?" 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward. (1 Sam 18:6-9) Envy. It's a killer. It's a common topic in Scripture, let's listen to what the Holy Spirit says about envy: Job 5:2 For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one.” Pr 14:30 A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.” Doesn't sound very healthy does it? It was envy that moved the religious rulers to crucify Jesus. Mt 27:18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Likewise it was envy over large crowds that moves the Jews to action against Paul, Ac 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. It is almost always connected to unhealthy strife: Ro 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 1Co 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? It is far removed from love: 1Co 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ” And it confuses our thinking: Jas 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. The cure? Remember these words from Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Jesus is our cure for envy. He is all we need.

Acting Wisely

# 256 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants. (1 Sam 18:5) David behaved wisely. The Hebrew word used here means circumspectly. To act circumspectly is to be careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences. What a great attribute to have. Oh that David would have acted wisely with Bathsheeba, but then that's another matter that we will get to later on in the story. For now, let each of us, strive to live circumspectly. How do we do that? It starts with patience. Don't act rashly, rather weigh your options in accordance with the Word of God before you act! Ex 23:13 says, “And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect.” In other words consider the Word of God before going off on a tangent. We are given the same admonition in Eph 5:15-21, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Walk circumspectly. Consider all circumstances and possible consequences before you act. Get a handle on the will of the Lord! Understand the way that He desires you to live in accordance with His commands and promises before you act. You won't find such wisdom in a wine glass, but you will find it as you gather together with other believers, encouraging each other with the Words of God. And as we submit to each other, we automatically begin to consider the consequences of our actions on them. We automatically begin to act wisely.

Blessed With A Friend

# 254 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:2-4, “Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. (1 Sam 18:2-4) Saul takes on David in a permanent role in his kingdom. No longer allowed to return to his house, he becomes a member of the household of Saul. Saul's son, Jonathan becomes David's best friend. He shares everything he has and loves him as his own soul. I have been blessed to have such a man in my life, I pray that God would bless you too. I have a friend with whom I am able to bare my soul, my deepest convictions, my deepest concerns, my deepest fears. I, like Jonathan am able to disarm myself with him, become vulnerable, and he is a friend from which I have nothing to hide. Pr 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The point of this proverb is it's great to have friends, but even greater to have a friend who is like a brother. This latter kind of friend will be there for you in times of adversity as stated in Pr 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” I like the way Matthew Henry puts it in his commentary on this verse, “ In our troubles we expect comfort and relief from our relations, but sometimes there is a friend, that is nothing akin to us, the bonds of whose esteem and love prove stronger than those of nature, and therefore he sticks closer than a brother, and, when it comes to the trial, will do more for us than a brother will. Christ is a friend to all believers that sticks closer than a brother; to him therefore let them show themselves friendly. Yes, it is good to have an earthly brother in the Lord, but even if such a friendship is missing in your life remember, as the song says, “What A Friend You Have In Jesus.”

Homosexuality and Other Sins

# 254 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 18:1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. This is the kind of passage that can make guys a little uncomfortable. Knitting your soul to another guy? Loving another guy? Question. Is this verse to be taken as a stamp of approval for homosexuality? Answer. Only if it is taken out of the context of the rest of Scripture. One of the main rules of interpreting Scripture is simply this: Scripture interprets Scripture. In other words, ALL of the words of the Bible are used for interpretation, not verses taken in isolation. The Bible consistently and plainly forbids any sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage, and marriage is defined as the union of a male and a female. Ge 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. There are other passages that deal with homosexuality in a very direct manner: Le 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Le 20:13a 'If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.” Ro 1:27a Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and, 1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, It's important to remember that there are also many other passages singling out inappropriate heterosexual behavior in the Scriptures as well. And not only sexual behavior, but things like lying, stealing, cursing, coveting, and the list goes on and on. All of these inappropriate behaviors are called sin, and the Bible also has the remedy for our sin. Confess it. Receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus, then, “go, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, seek to sin no more.”