Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 19 - 21)

Click on the above Scripture to read today's text!

Here are a few lessons we can learn from today's reading of the Bible...

1) Uncontrolled pride and jealousy can eventually lead to murder! How many times have you read in a newspaper or magazine how some jealous husband killed his cheating wife or a terminated employee goes "postal" on his employer? If pride and jealousy aren't dealt with, it can lead an otherwise docile person to commit the most heinous crimes!

In chapter 19, we see Saul becoming so enraged from pride and jealousy that he wants to assassinate Israel's military champion - David! David is completely innocent, but Saul has gone completely insane with jealousy and rage! He's literally controlled by the anger that produced from the pride and jealousy that's overcome him!

Here's a word of warning! If you feel a sense of jealousy about someone, be sure to take this matter to the Lord. Ask the Lord to free you from the feelings of jealousy. It may keep you from doing some irrational things or even saying things you'll one day regret!

2) God can change the heart of any person! One of the greatest miracles in the Bible is what we read in 19:15-24. Saul gave orders to some of his most aggressive soldiers to "kill David." When he finds out that David has fled to Samuel, the prophet, he "sent troops to capture him."

Look what God does! As they arrive, the Spirit of God defends David by overcoming the troops and causing them to start prophesying! Being overcome and filled with God's Spirit moved their hearts in a different direction. They realized that killing David was wrong, so they disobeyed Saul's orders. When Saul got word of what had happened, he sent another group of powerful soldiers, but the same thing happened to them! Saul finally thought he'd kill David himself, but the Spirit of God overcame Saul as well, and allowed David the opportunity to flee the area!

Isn't it amazing how God takes these men whose mission is to kill David and CHANGES THEIR HEART! David didn't need weapons, he needed God! God can change anyone's heart and mind!

This means that God can change the heart of a husband or wife who wants a divorce and the son or daughter who seeks to rebel against God! When you've tried everything and nothing works, remember God can change ANY situation, ANY heart, and ANY mind!

3) God's will doesn't always make sense! Although Samuel had anointed David to be King, it would be another 14 years before that would come to fruition! For the next 14 years, David would run from Saul! Even though David (and even Saul's son Jonathan) knew that God had chosen him as the new King of Israel, David wasn't about to force it to happen. He left that issue up to God!

We should NEVER try to force God's will to happen! God often works on a different time-table than we do! Let Him open the doors of opportunity for you. You may feel that God is leading you to do something, but until the doors open up, don't try to force it open! Don't force anything. If God is for it, who can be against it?

I remember when God put it on my heart to start a church a number of years ago. I tried to rationalize it out of mind! I didn't really want to start a church! I remember saying to God, "Why should I start a new church here in our city? There's a number of good churches already! Besides, I have no experience in starting a church!" But, God continued to put that desire on my heart, as well as the heart of a number of other people who insisted that I start a church. The only problem was, my wife didn't feel like that that was what God was laying on her heart for me to do.

So, I simply waited on God to speak to her heart BEFORE I made any move to start a church! Within about one month, my wife came to me and said with tears in her eyes, "I believe God wants you to start a church!" It was at that point that I knew God had completely opened the door for me to start a new church in our city. God blessed, and the church has become a great ministry today!

Well, that's all I have for today. God bless!