Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Kings 4 - 6)

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All of the angels in heaven must have stood in silence when God spoke to Solomon and said, "What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you" (3:5). How would he answer? It's as though he was given the equivalent of a divine blank check! What amount would he ask for? What would he ask God to do for him?

As Solomon considered the question, he looked deep inside and felt an overwhelming sense of ineptness. "How could I rule such a vast number of God's people?" he thought. With that in mind, he asked for wisdom - and received it! And, boy did he receive it! In fact, in our reading today, we read that "God gave Solomon great wisdom" and "knowledge too vast to be measured." His wisdom was so stunning, that it gave him the ability to speak with great authority on all kinds of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. He was even capable of composing more than 3000 proverbs and 1000 songs! The Bible says that "kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon."

You may not realize it, but God gave YOU a divine blank check too! In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus threw out a powerful statement and said, "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for...For everyone who asks, receives..." Just like Solomon, God is offering you the same question - "What do you want? Ask, I will give it to you." If you ask for wisdom, He may not give you the same amount of wisdom that He gave to Solomon because of how the circumstances between you and Solomon are vastly different. Nevertheless, He will give you wisdom! God wants to give you things, because He enjoys giving you things! Just as parents enjoy giving their children things at Christmas time, God enjoys the giving of gifts to us as well.

What are you asking God for right now? In the book of James 1:5, James says "If you need wisdom - if you want to know what God wants you to do - ask Him, and He will gladly tell you." He goes on to say in 4:2 - "...Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it."

God, like Solomon, has given you a divine blank check. What will you ask Him for?

The grand Temple is built! Some 480 years after Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, King Solomon begins construction on one of the greatest and most magnificent structures to have ever been built - Solomon's Temple. Really, it was God's Temple, but it is referred to today as Solomon's Temple due to the fact that he oversaw the construction of it and was Israel's king at the time! Here is a picture that might help explain chapter 6 and the beauty of the Temple:

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Kings 1 - 3)

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Here are a couple of lessons we can learn from today's Bible study...

1) Though God forgives us of sin, sometimes our sin can come back to haunt us! There are many people who sin in private (or in public) and think they've gotten away with it without some judgment being cast upon them. Others, tend to minimize its affect on a person's future. But, from today's Bible story (chapter 2), we see how Joab, Abiathar (Eli's descendant), and Shimei end up paying the price for their sin several years later. Joab was eventually sentenced to death by King Solomon for the senseless murders (done many years before) of two of David's captains - Abner and Amasa. Abiathar was exiled as priest for his involvement in a conspiracy to make Adonijah the new king of Israel, and fulfill the curse God cast on Eli for the horrible corruption he allowed to take place within the Tabernacle many years before. And, Shimei was eventually put to death for his cursing of King David many years earlier (as well as the breaking of the promise he made to King Solomon).

Throughout the Bible, we see the eventual effect of sin in the later lives of many Bible characters. It's important to realize that we should NEVER minimize the impact that sin has in our lives! Yes...God forgives us, but sometimes the effects of sin come back to haunt us!

One good example is the lingering effect of STD (sexually transmitted diseases). Many young people have the delusion that premarital sexual encounters are fun and have no lasting effect. They only think of how much fun they can have now without realizing the consequences they'll have to bear later in life! However, later on in their years of marriage, the lingering problems and pain associated with STD are reminders of the past. This is just one example - there are many others! Think about it!

2) Real Wisdom...is from the Lord! What if God came to you and made you the same offer He made to Solomon? What if you could have anything you wanted, what would you ask for?

Solomon asked for wisdom to govern the people effectively!

God loved his answer, and here's why! Solomon didn't seek something for himself that would promote himself and promote wealth, he sought something from God that would help others! He was thinking, not of himself, but of others! It truly was a humble, and selfless act. That's why God gave it to him, and that's why God gave him the other things he didn't ask for - fame, wealth, and the death of his enemies.

If your seeking great things for yourself, seek them not! If you want God to answer your prayers and work through your life, it must be for the benefit of others and for the glory of God! That's the key!

I hope this ministers to you today. Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 22 - 24)

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Here are few things you can learn from today's text...

1) God responds to us in the way we respond to Him and to others! Listen to what David learned about the Lord as he writes it in his song in chapter 22:26-28, "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue the humble, but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them." If you want God to be faithful to you, be faithful to Him and to others! If you want God reveal more of Himself to you, live a pure life before Him and others! It's as simple as that!

2) God blesses us in spite of ourselves! In chapter 22:22-25, David says something that seems awfully strange! He seems to bragging on his absolute holy life. However, that's NOT what David is doing. He is fully aware of his flaws! He is simply speaking in generalities. He says in 22:21-25 - "I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. I have followed all his regulations; I haver never abandoned his decrees. I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence." This is simply a "general" statement about his life. He is not denying his sin with Bathsheba or his murder of Uriah. In fact, in chapter 23, he confesses his sin in taking the census. But, what he is saying is "For most of my life, I've tried to live for God and I've not abandoned Him like so many people I know!" That's why he says, "I have never abandoned his decrees." Yes, he has sinned, but he has NEVER abandoned God or the tenets of the Mosaic law! And, it's true!

3) God can use a nation's leader to bring judgment against a nation! Chapter 24 begins with a stunning statement, "Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and caused David to harm them by taking a census." Some people wonder "What's wrong with taking a census? Don't we do that in America to find out exactly how many people we've got?" Yes, but God gave Moses a strict command that only He was to command a census, and if a census was taken, a sacrifice was to be made! In reality, it was NOT God who actually caused David to sin, it was God who allowed Satan to stir David's heart and make him sin - I Chronicles 21:1 says - "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel." We see God doing the same thing in the case of Job in Job 1:6-12 where He allowed Satan to tempt and test Job.

God allows David to be tempted by Satan to issue a census, but His purpose is to punish Israel for their disobedience to Him!

Make sure you attend a good, Bible-teaching church tomorrow! God bless!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 19 -21)

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

1) MERCY should rule our lives! Micah 6:8 says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Did you see that? We are to "love mercy!" Mercy should rule in our lives! In chapter 19, we see two great examples of David's extending his mercy to two scoundrels - Shimei and Mephibosheth. Both of these men turned against David when David was fleeing from Absalom. They only worshipped David with lip service when David was at the height of his strength and power. Then, when David was in his most vulnerable moment, they mocked him! Shimei cursed him and threw stones at him and his men as they crossed the desert. Mephibosheth, who ate at King David's table and was financially supported by David, tried to take control of the throne after David had left! One of David's commander, Abishai, wanted to kill both of these guys and probably deserved it, but David extended his mercy towards them!

Even we, as Christians, can so often show a lack of mercy when it comes to people who've offended us. Some even seethe in thought about how to get back at those people who've hurt us. But, God - who is mercy - wants us to shower mercy upon those who've caused us such pain. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:43-45, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

2) The best protection against harm is good communications! I remember when my brother and his friend was challenged to a fight one night while they were in high school. Apparently, they offended a HUGE, drunken biker dude at a local Burger King. While the guy was waiting for them outside, I happened to walk in right after the challenge was made. When they shared how they were going to get into a fight in a few moments, I turned on my heels and walked outside and right up to the guy with a big, friendly smile and began talking with him. Within a couple of minutes, his anger subsided, his friend asked me for forgiveness and took his drunken friend across the parking lot to cool things down. I can't tell you how many fights I've avoided with good communications skills.

In chapter 20, you see a wise woman doing the same thing! In fact, she spared the lives of hundreds of people with her good communication skills. As Joab and his mighty army surrounded the city to destroy everyone in town, a smart and wise woman began negotiations with Joab and found that all he wanted was a traitor and instigator by the name of Bicri. She agreed to have him killed and throw his head over the wall. This one act of effective negotiations spared the entire population!

3) Famine, earthquakes, wars, etc...can be the result of God's judgment on a nation! Throughout the Bible we see God causing famine, earthquakes, and a variety of other national problems as a result of sin in the land. In chapter 21, David goes to the Lord about why there's such a horrible a famine going on in the land. God replies and says in 21:1, "The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites." If you remember in the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua, God warned the leaders of Israel against descrating the land with acts of murder. In this event, Saul's murder of the Gibeonites (whom Israel promised protection of), angered the Lord because Israel did not keep their promise to this group of people. Therefore, as punishment, God sent a famine throughout the land.

What do you think God feels about our nation? We've allowed the innocent murder of millions of unborn (and born!) babies! Murder fills the air waves on our nightly news cast! How long can we get away with this before God strikes against us as a nation? Perhaps He already has! We are falling headlong into a national financial crisis and a loss of position in the world's view of importance and power! The Bible tells us in Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."

Well, that's all for now! May His wonderful countenance shine upon you today!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 16 - 18)

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Today, there are 4 characters the Bible talks about that I find especially interesting. Two of them are good, and two of them are bad. The two good ones show great spiritual discernment, the other two base their lives on injustice and lies. Let's take a closer look at these 4 guys...

1) Ziba - the smart and faithful servant! Ziba is a good guy! He possesses the heart of a faithful servant. He He faithfully served King Saul until his death (9:2), and now desires to be a faithful servant to King David. In chapter 9, Ziba has abandoned his position as Saul's servant since Saul had died in battle. When David called him into the palace to ask him whether or not there were any remaining survivors of Saul's family "to show God's kindness to", Ziba was willing to offer any information to help the king out. When David asked him and his family to serve as Mephibosheth's servants, he was more than willing.

The next time we see Ziba, he abandons the city (and Mephibosheth) and runs after King David as he and his crew are fleeing from Absalom. Now, you might say, "That's not a faithful servant...leaving Mephibosheth like that!" But wait! Who does Ziba really serve - Mephibosheth or King David? Ziba only served Mephibosheth because of David's request. Ziba knew who he really served! Thus, Ziba came to David and his group bringing with him some desperately needed food and supplies.

My question to you is..."Who do you REALLY serve?" Are you a faithful servant to your employer or to God? You may be working for someone else, but all of us really serve God!

2) Shimei - the stupid and foolish citizen! As David and his company of men rode past Shimei's home, being that he was a member of Saul's family and held grudges against David, he ran out and began shouting foul language and throwing stones at them! What's most interesting about Shimei is that he is basing his entire perspective about David on a lie! Shimei saw David as "a scoundrel", but it was Saul who was the scoundrel! He called David a "murderer", but it was Saul who wanted to murder David and eventually murdered over 70 priests out of anger! Shimei had no clue about the real Saul. And, so Shimei curses David and bases all of his perspective and feelings about him on lies. David was the opposite of the image Shimei had in his mind about him!

There are so many people today that do the very same thing! They are just like Shimei. They base their feelings and conversations about others from a perspective that is opposite the truth! Have you ever had anyone conjur up an image of you that wasn't based on the truth or actual events? Have they ever accused you of something that was quite the opposite of what really happened or what was really said? I'm sure they have! What you and I need to learn from this is that we shouldn't be quick to judge people - we may not know the whole truth!

When I was a pastor doing marriage counseling, I could always expect two different sides of the story! I knew that somewhere in the middle was the truth. The key was to sort out the truth and then live life according to the truth. What a sad, sad thing to live your life or base your thoughts about someone on a bunch of lies.

3) Ahithophel - the smart and prideful servant! Ahithophel was a smart man, but made a foolish choice. He chose to join Absalom in a conspiracy against Absalom's father, King David. His intelligence, however, was respected by Absalom and thus he was given the incredible honor of being an advisor to him. In fact, Ahithophel was so smart and articulate in word and thought that the Bible says in 16:23 - "For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God." But, God threw a wrench into the workings of Absalom and Ahithophel whereas Absalom took the advice of Hushai over that of Ahithophel's - even though Ahithophel's plans were better (17:14).

Ahithophel's pride was so damaged by the fact that Absalom would not take his advice that he went home, put his affairs in order, and hung himself! What a baby!

The problem with Ahithophel was that he was more worried about his image and what he wanted rather than what the King wanted. His pride and arrogance was so great that it destroyed him!

There are many people today who are more interested in what they want than what God wants! Out of pride and arrogance, they simply reject God and refuse to succumb to reason. They don't want the truth. They want to believe what they want to believe...period! Do you know of anyone like that?

4) Hushai - the sacrificial and faithful servant! Hushai took on one of the most dangerous tasks - that of infiltrating the camp of the enemy and pretending to be one of them in order to pass on the details of insider information! Although he was a faithful follower of King David, he sacrificially gave himself into the hands of the enemy for David's sake. As it turns out, God uses him in a mighty way! He thwarts the plans of the enemy and sets them up for David's men to overthrow. There is much else that's said about Hushai in the Scriptures, but he played a key role in David's life and reign as king! This one event alone was worth a thousand events!

You may feel like God has abandoned you or insignificant in God's overall purpose and work in the world, but know this - that God never makes a mistake, He has a purpose for you being here, and He will work His plan in your life at some point. Be patient! He may be preparing you for a short period of time - just like He did with Jesus! Jesus worked as a carpenter until He was 30 years old, and then only served His Father for a brief 3 1/2 years. But during all those 30 years, our Heavenly Father was preparing His Son for those brief 3 1/2 years. Just like He's doing in your life today!

That's all for now! Have a wonderful, Spirit-filled life today!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 13 - 15)

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Here are a few thoughts that come to mind out of today's bible reading...

1) Be careful who your friends are! Chapter 13 tells the sad story that was the by-product of bad advice from a "crafty" friend. It also tells the story of how untamed lust can get out of control! Amnon, unfortunately fell in love with his half-sister Tamar and sought the advice of one his closest friends - his cousin Jonadab. His recommendation to Amnon was to bring her into his bedroom and get alone with her. Sadly, Amnon lust for her (due, in part, to the fact that he couldn't have her) drove him to do two horrible things: 1) rape her, and 2) hate her and drive her out of his bedroom after the rape. This tragic event eventually got Amnom killed by his half-brother Absalom.

My dear friend, Carey Casey, has a great way of advising people about friendship! He puts it this way..."You are who you hang with!" How true it is! Perhaps you remember that old proverb which says, "Birds of a feather flock to together." They do!

So, what am I saying? Simply this....You can tell what kind of person YOU are by the friends you love to keep. Your friends have a powerful effect on the kind of person you are whether you think so or not! It's just human nature! So...what kind of person are you?

2) Even secret sins catch up with us! Yesterday, we read about David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and how he did everything to cover it up. The problem was...it didn't work! God knew about it and sent Nathan, the prophet, to confront David about it. In today's text, we read about how God pays David back for the sin he committed.

Remember what God said He would do? He said He would:
- "cause your own household to rebel against you" 12:11
- "give your wives to another man" 12:11
- "he will go to bed with them in public view" 12:11

Although David tried to make his sin a secret, God opened it up to the public! He caused Absalom, his son, to rebel against him and form an army of conspiracy to overthrow his throne, and allowed Absalom to follow the wicked advice of his counselor to have sex with David's concubines on the rooftop (within tents) of the palace so that the entire city could view the what Absalom had done!

Don't try to keep your sin a secret too long, God might bring it out in plain view of everyone down the road! Confess it today!

3) A father's hard-heartedness turns his son towards rebellious acts! David had a right to be angry with Absalom for murdering his half-brother Amnon for raping his sister, however he should have forgiven him and made a pro-active response to restoring the relationship that was lost. But, David didn't do that. As a result, Absalom rebelled against his father - as many children do today when they feel that they are unloved by their parents! The quickest way to get your children to become rebels is to make them feel unloved or unaccepted. Almost all children will do whatever they can to get their parents attention concerning the pain they feel in their heart! It's the parent's responsibility to show maturity and be an example to the children, NOT the other way around! It's sad when children show more maturity than do the parents!

If you have a problem with your child that's created a separation between the two of you, make things right with God and with your child today! Tomorrow may be too late!

Well, that's all for now! God bless!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 10 - 12)

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Today, we read one of the most tragic stories of the Bible - David's act of adultery, the murderous plot to cover it up, and the stealing of another man's wife! As a result of all of this, God sent Nathan the prophet to tell David that he would pay dearly for these sinful acts.

Here are a few things we can learn from these 3 chapters...

1) No matter how much you love the Lord, God will deal with your sin! David was known as "a man after God's own heart." He loved the Lord deeply, but in a moment of passion and lust he committed adultery with another man's wife. Then, to cover it up, he tried to get the man to have sex with his wife so that he could cover up the fact that the baby was his. And, in a last ditch effort to conceal the matter, he had the man purposely killed in the heat of battle. David was indicted by the Lord on 3 counts of sinful acts: adultery, murder, and stealing another man's wife! Although David had a deep love for the Lord and the Lord had a deep love for David, God's holiness acted upon David's sinfulness. The bible teaches us that "God is no respecter of persons." Regardless of who the person is, when sin is involved it must be dealt with!

2) Sin will take you FARTHER than you ever intended to go! Look what one moment of passion did! It caused David to kill an innocent man! He was desperate! He didn't want anyone to know! And, attempting to keep his sinfulness a secret, he responded irrationally and was willing to have the man killed. Listen, sin is never a secret! God knows! And, look how God responded! He made sure that David paid for his sin. Eventually it would be known throughout the entire nation of Israel!

If you're in the midst of sin, or just simply trying to hide it...confess it to God and make things right with Him today!

3) We often commit the same sin as those we vehemently condemn! When Nathan came to David and told him the story of a man and his only lamb, David responded in furious anger towards the end of the story! David felt that the man who committed the sin should be punished 4 times over! Then Nathan said, "You are that man!" Wow!

We often judge others about stuff we need to deal with too! Why do we do that? Why are we so judgmental? Remember what Jesus said, "When you judge, first take the stick out of your own eye before you take the stick out of someone elses eye." In other words, before we make a judgment about someone, we ought to consider our own faults first!

Well, that's all I have time for today! Have a God-blessed day!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 7 - 9)

Join me as we study 3 chapters per day and finish the Bible in one year! CLICK on the Scripture above to read today's text!

In the three chapters we read today we see WHY David has become one of the most famous men in all the world. We see his heart for God and his heart for the people he leads. Here are a few of the reasons why David was so blessed by God...

1) David loved the Lord! In chapter 7, we read how he becomes deeply convicted of the beautiful palace he lives in in comparison to the crude tent the Ark of the Covenant abides in. As he compares the two, he feels that he is being honored above the Lord, and he doesn't like it at all. So, David plans to build a HUGE temple to house the Ark of the Covenant and be a symbol to the world of God's greatness and glory!

2) David's thoughts were continually upon the Lord! How often have we seen David seek God in prayer before every expedition he went on? Today, we read how his thoughts are on God and how he wants to give him glory and honor that is due his name...thus his idea of building the temple. And, throughout the book of Psalms, most of those songs are from David which give evidence of his deep, contemplative thoughts about the Lord, his nature, his work, his glory, and his faithfulness!

3) The Lord was with David in everything he did! It was the Lord alone who made David victorious and famous. Without Him, David probably would have died prematurely in battle when you look at the number of battles he fought it and consider the odds. In chapter 7 - 9, we several evidences of the Lord being with David in everything he did...
- 7:9 - "I have been with you wherever you have gone..."
- 8:6 - "So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went."
- 8:14 - "In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went."

4) He loved the people he lead! A couple of days ago we read in 3:36, "This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king (David) did pleased them." And today, we read in 8:15, "So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people."

5) He saw himself as God's servant! He says in 7:25, "And now, O Lord God, I am your servant..." David continued throughout his prayer in chapter 7 describing himself as the servant of God.

6) He never forgot where he came from! In chapter 7, when God describes to David through Nathan the prophet how He would make David one of the most famous men in all the earth and how He would build him a lasting dynasty (which is fulfilled in Jesus - David's descendant), David was completely humbled by it! He didn't expect it! He was, in fact, overwhelmed by the whole idea! Listen to what he says in 7:18-19, "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me thus far?....Do you deal with everyone this way...?" And, just in case David would get a big head about this, the Lord reminded him in 7:8 - "I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel."

7) David went and did exploits for God! In chapter 8, we see how David boldly went out and fought battle after battle knowing that God's "was with him wherever he went." Today, as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us! God is with us wherever we go! May we, like David, go out and do exploits for the glory of God!

8) David gave much of his financial increase to God! As David fought and won the many battles, he gathered a great deal of plunder. It says in 8:11, "King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated..."

9) David exercised wisdom in all his work! Throughout the land of Israel, as David conquered one territory after another, he set up army garrisons (8:6 ; 8:14) in order to protect the land and the people from invaders. After all the battles they fought, David wanted to make sure they didn't have to fight any more!

10) He kept the promises he made to others! He promised Jonathan that he would take care of any of his family members should Jonathan die in battle. Chapter 9 is dedicated to David's love for his friend Jonathan and the promise he made to him! David finds out that Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, is alive and invites him to live with him and to take care of him the rest of his life. He also appoints a man by the name of Ziba, and his family, to take care of Mephibosheth the rest of their lives. David was a man of promise!

As you read further, you'll find that Ziba is a man of incredible integrity as well!

May God make us more like David, and ultimately like His Son, Jesus Christ! Have a great day in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 4 - 6)

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Finally, 14 years after Samuel anointed David to be the new King of Israel, David is crowned! It took a long time, but it eventually happened! According to 5:4, he was 30 years old when all of Israel finally agreed to make him their king. Overall, he reigned 40 years as the king of Israel and died at the age of 70.

As we read today's three chapters, there are a couple of things I'd like to point out:

1) We must fight our own battles, but it's the Lord that gives us the victory! As we read about David going out to fight the Philistines and Jebusites, it reminds me of how many Christians think that God should protect us from all harm and do ALL the fighting for us! God NEVER told David to just stand there and do nothing. He said to "go" and fight! As David and his army fought with swords, spears, and knives, it was the Lord who gave them the victory to win the battle.

So many Christians get mad at God when a battle flares up! Many of them have this weird kind of attitude that God should protect us from engaging in anything that should bring us harm. That's foolish! Read the bible! Even Jesus warned new believers that they WILL suffer persecution!

In life, you WILL face a few battles. God will want you to "go" and fight, and in the end will bring you the victory if you'll trust Him by faith as you fight the battle!

If you're mad at God for the battle you're facing today, get real. He promises that you'll never "be tempted above that which you can bear." The battle may be tough, and you may feel like you're losing the battle at times, but remember that He wants you to go through it, and He wants to give you the victory - so stay the course!

2) God demands that we fear Him! In chapter 6, Uzzah got lazy in his faithfulness to God. He knew that NO ONE should touch the Ark of the Covenant under any circumstances. Yet, when the oxen stumbled and the Ark nearly fell from the cart, Uzzah reached out to steady it and was instantly killed by God! Notice the fear and respect for God's holiness and for the importance that God places on obedience when that fateful event happened. The Bible says in 6:9, "David was now afraid of the Lord..." God demands that we fear Him. Many people forget the fact that God is holy, and that His holiness demands our obedience! While He is a loving and wonderful father, He also wants us to fear His reprimand for the sin in our lives. What happened to Uzzah was simply a reminder to David and to everyone else of that important fact!

Journey Thru The Bible! (2 Samuel 1 - 3)

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The book of 2 Samuel reads like an exciting novel and provides us insights into the life of one of the most celebrated and famous men of Israel – David. But, the amazing thing is that it doesn’t always talk about his good side, it also discloses his sinful side as well. Although David was considered by God as “a man after God’s own heart,” David still had some serious personal issues which, as we’ll read about later, lead to adultery, murder, family rebellion, and a great deal of bloodshed.

As we read the first 3 chapters of 2 Samuel, here are a few of my thoughts:

1)Respect for God’s appointed leaders is an act of honor towards God! One of the most amazing and admirable qualities I see in David is his respect for God’s chosen leader – King Saul. As we read last week, throughout the latter part of 1 Samuel we see how cruel, wicked, prideful, and vengeful King Saul had become, especially in his attitude toward David. David had done nothing to deserve King Saul’s anger and the command that called for his execution. In spite of King Saul’s horrible degrading demeanor and poor leadership qualities, David respected Saul simply because God chose him to be the first King in Israel. David had respect for God’s appointment of Saul, as well as for the position Saul held.

When Saul died in battle, an Amalekite thought he’d receive some praise and glory from David and falsely claimed to David that he had done him a favor and killed Saul after he was wounded. Out of respect for Saul’s appointed position by God and due to the man’s lack of respect for Saul, David orders the man to be killed!

This ought to be a lesson to all of us today! We need to respect all who have leadership and authority over our lives! As Christians, we know that God is intimately involved in our lives and that he “orders our footsteps.” There isn’t anything that happens in our lives that is consequential, it is all out of God’s divine and sovereign purpose and will. If so, then those who are in leadership and authority in our lives are put there by God! Like David, whether they possess good or poor leadership qualities, it doesn’t matter! We must show honor and respect to them because of God’s involvement to place them as leaders in our lives, plus the fact that we should show respect for the position.

If you’re not respecting those who have been placed in leadership by God in your life, then decide right now to do the God-glorifying act of seeking God’s forgiveness for showing a lack of respect, perhaps apologize to your leader, and do your best to honor them because…
- God put them there!
- The position deserves the respect!

2) A man or woman of integrity receives the praise of people! In everything David did, he acted with integrity! In chapter 3, out of respect for Abner, he throws a major funeral march and service to honor his greatness! Even though at one time Abner was an enemy of David’s, they made amends and decided to work together! Unfortunately, Joab (David’s army commander) murdered Abner in revenge of his brother’s death, David gave Abner a royal funeral procession! And, look how the people respond!

In 3:36 it says, “This pleased the people very much. In fact, everything the king did pleased them!”

David acted in the integrity of his heart, and the people loved it! Everyone loves a person who’s honest, merciful, gracious, hospitable, and respectful of every individual. We all love people like that, and we admire them! That’s the kind of person David was. It ought to be the kind of people everyone of us should seek to be!

What ingredients or characteristics in your life do you feel keep you from have a testimony like that? Do something about it. Let’s become the people like David, like Jesus, like God! Amen!

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 28 - 31)

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Let's read 4 chapters today and finish the book of 1 Samuel.

As we read the last four chapters of 1 Samuel, we see the death of Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, and many Israelite soldiers! We also see the near death experience of David's two wives and the families of the men who are his soldiers. In these exciting four chapters comes a variety of lessons we can apply today!

1) When God doesn't answer your prayers, here is a list of things you shouldn't do:

- Don't panic and make kneejerk reactions! King Saul panicked! It caused him to make an irrational decision - the decision to consult a woman who was a witch, whose practice was to call up the spirits of the dead! King Saul outlawed such things, but now that he was faced with going into battle without an answer from the Lord he was desperate! This horrible and tragic sin caused the death of him and two of his sons and most of Israel's army!

- Don't resort to the advice of un-Godly sources! If you're looking for an answer from God and He's not answering, don't resort to un-Godly sources. Seek the advice of Godly men and women who can pray with you or for you! Perhaps God is not answer you for the same reason He didn't answer Saul - there's sin in your life! Or, perhaps He is answering but you're not listening. Here's another idea - maybe you're looking for a different answer than the one He's giving you! Whatever the case, don't resort to anything or anyone other than Godly men and women for help. You can also start by confessing any sin in your life and making things right with God!

- Don't pray to the spirits of the dead! I've heard many Christians tell me that when God is absent they go to a deceased loved one for help. Many so-called Christians say they pray to Mary or to some deceased saint. None of these things are going to help you! When King Saul was given the opportunity to talk with the prophet Samuel, listen to what Samuel said:

- "Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?" (28:15)
- "Why ask me...? (28:16) Prayers are to be directed to God only!
- "The Lord has done this to you today." (28:18) Samuel couldn't do a thing!

2) When everyone's against you, find strength in God! When David and his men left for three days to engage in battle alongside the Philistines as they planned an attack on Israel, God spared David and his men from compromising their love and faithfulness to Israel. I'm sure David was planning a counter attack from the rear to destroy the Philistines. But, God saw to it that David was re-routed back to Ziglag - and it was a good thing! When they arrived in Ziglag, the city was burned and in ruins, and the wives and children of David's men of war were taken captive! In 30:3, it says, "When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more."

In a moment of panic, David's men wanted to take out their anger on him, so much so that they were talking of stoning him! But, then comes a GREAT VERSE...

"But David found strength in the Lord His God." (30:6)

David knew that God's hand was upon him. He also knew that God was blessing everything he did. It just so happened that in the midst of all these blessings tragedy struck! Yet, he continued to trust God in the midst of this tragedy. He didn't blame God at all for what had happened! After prayer, David got an answer from the Lord to attack the army that took their families. Knowing God's will gave him the edge he needed and they were able to slay the enemy army and retrieve their families and wealth!

I hope the today's text blessed you! Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 25 - 27)

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The last several chapters have shown us a lot about the dangerous effect of personal pride! During the past couple of days, we've seen how King Saul was consumed with pride, and how it caused him to do some crazy things and make false accusations. In today's text, we see how pride and arrogance destroys another man - his name is Nabal.

Here are a few lessons we can get out of today's Bible reading...

1) Humility is more productive than arrogance! David's environment was no different than ours today. There are many people, like Nabal, who earn a great living by being cruel and unjust in their financial affairs. Nabal had become extremely wealthy utilizing the tools of self-confidence and pure meanness. But, in chapter 25, we see how it eventually killed him! In spite of the fact that David and his mighty men had protected his livestock and his shepherds, Nabal was simply mean to the core of his being. This meanness made him foolish in many decisions, especially when it came to responding to David's request for food. Nabal belittled David, and did not give any gratitude or consideration for how he and his men had protected his livelihood.

When David heard how unthankful and belittling Nabal was towards him and his men, he was ready to kill Nabal and all of his hired servants and take the spoil. But, Nabal had a wise and humble wife who, when she heard of what her husband had done to reject David's offer and speak unkindly of him, she worked quickly to resolve the issue! Here's how brilliant her diplomatic skills were and how discerning she was...

- First, she exercised the power of humility (vs.24)! Humility is a quality that shows no aggression and is appreciated by most people. Look what she did - "She fell at his (David's) feet and said, 'I accept all the blame in this matter, my lord."

- Next, she confessed the foolishness of the decision (vs.25)! She calmed David's heart by confessing the foolishness of Nabal's decision and his wickedness.

- She showed respect and concern for David, his reputation, and his ability (vs.26-31)! Abigail proved that she had great discernment about David and his future as the King of Israel. That's all most of us want anyway! We want respect. What offended David was Nabal's lack of respect.

- She gave David what he needed! By answering David's request, she showed just how thankful and grateful she was. True gratitude yields action!

The story ends with God striking Nabal with a stroke and then death some 10 days later. David would have committed murder against Nabal, but a wise woman prevented it and trusted God to take care of any vengence due her husband. David praised the Lord for her wise actions!

2) Leaders lead the way! David becomes the leader of a band of approximately 400 men and proves his leadership by leading his men into harm's way. David is NOT a leader in title only, he leads by example. During the charge into battle, he leads the way! In chapter 26, he decides to put himself in harm's way by going into Saul's camp to snatch Saul's spear and jug of water. Instead of coming up with the idea and saying, "Ok...who wants to go get Saul's spear for me?" or commanding a couple of his men to do the job, David says in 26:6, "Who will volunteer to go in there with me?" David, by truly leading his men, earns the respect of his men and they are voluntarily willing to lay down their life for him! That's the sign of a true leader!

3) Put difficult matters into God's Hands! Once again, we see Saul chasing after David. But, notice what David does! Instead of following the advice of his soldiers to kill King Saul, he teaches them a couple of valuable lessons...

- Lesson 1: Never harm God's anointed! In 26:9, David says to his men, "For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord's anointed one?"

- Lesson 2: Leave vengeance up to God! In verse 10, he teaches his men, "Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed!"

4) Be productive, even when you fill displaced! Several years before, David was anointed by Samuel to be the new King of Israel. Unfortunately, God had not removed King Saul yet, and furthermore, Saul was wanting to kill David out of jealousy. David felt extremely displaced. As an act of survival, he flees to Israel's enemies (the Philistines) and lives among them for nearly a year and a half! But, in spite of the horrible feelings of being abandoned by God and God's people, David continues to be productive by engaging in destroying the people God commanded Israel to destroy long ago. David proves to be a productive servant, getting things accomplished for the glory of God and His purpose in spite of the fact that he is living with the enemy!

May the Lord give you an opportunity to glorify Him today!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 22 - 24)

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Today, we read the story of a madman! If fact, we can ascribe a title to Chapter 22 as "The Diary Of A Madman!' It's become obvious in this chapter that King Saul has gone over the edge - mentally! He's not thinking straight! His pride and jealousy are now ruling his life! He's in the state of paranoia!

1) Pride and jealousy can lead to paranoia! As we read chapter 22, we get a great glimpse of just how arrogant and jealous King Saul has become! As he hears of David's whereabouts, he goes into a tirade and starts accusing people of things they didn't do. Look at what he does...

- First, he has to remind his closest associates (his officers) of just how great he is! In verse 7, the Bible says, "Saul shouted to his officers when he heard the news. 'Has that son of Jesse promised every one of you fields and vineyards? Has he promised to make you all generals and captains in his army?' " They're probably rolling their eyes and thinking, "Wow, he's really lost it!"

- Next, he falsely accuses his officers of a conspiracy! 22:8 - "Is that why you have conspired against me? For not one of you told me when my own son made a solemn pact with the son of Jesse." They had no clue Jonathan and David had made a pact! This was something only Jonathan and David knew about. Jonathan must have told his dad, but Saul somehow assumes his officers knew about this too! He accused them before he ever questioned them!

- Then, he asks for self-pity! He says in verse 8, "You're not even sorry for me." What a baby! He has gotten used to praise and status, and now it's all gone to his head. He can't understand why his officers don't feel the pain he feels. He feels cheated and deceived, and he blames them for showing him no pity.

- Next, he actually thinks his son is out to kill him! The fact is, Jonathan loves his father, and has served his father faithfully for many years sacrificing his own life for his father's glory. Saul falsely assumes that this pact between his son and David is an attempt to overthrow his rule as King. How absurd his manner of thinking has become! He's become totally paranoid about this whole thing with David!

2) Pride and jealousy leads to the unthinkable! The remaining verses in chapter 22 is the horrible result of pride and jealousy getting out of control and taking over the mind and heart of King Saul! Arrogance has manipulated his mind to create things that just aren't there! Now, Saul will go down in the history of Israel as being Israel's "madman!" He does the unthinkable when he falsely accuses Ahimilech, the priest, of conspiracy. As a result, he kills all of the priests, their families, and their livestock - except for one (Abiathar)! The priests were God's servants! And, he kills them for an alleged conspiracy with an alleged enemy. Saul is living and carrying out cruel judgment based on lies within his own mind! This is exactly what happens when pride, power, position, and praise goes to your head!

3) The Ephod is still used to direct God's people! Somehow the high priest's ephod containing the Urim and Thummin has survived down through the years. If you remember, the Urim and Thummin were precious stones that God used to tell Israel His will. Abiathar was able to reestablish connection with the ephod and he urgently brought it to David. As David prayed to God, the Urim and Thummin offered God's answer for what David needed to do.

Wouldn't it be nice if finding God's will was a simple as that today?

4) Respect God's anointed! I love how David, when faced with the opportunity to kill King Saul in a cave, respected the fact that God had originally chose Saul to be the King of Israel. David has respect for God's decision, not Saul's attitude or acts of cruelty. Even though Saul had gone over to the dark side (so to speak), David respected King Saul as God's anointed servant.

David acted in a way that all of us today should act when it comes to our Christian friends, and especially our pastors! We should respect them as God's anointed servants! Even though Saul committed murder and did the unthinkable, still David wouldn't accuse Saul or even manipulate him in any way! He left things in God's hands!

That's exactly how we ought to act today! Unfortunately, most Christians don't have the integrity or faith to be like David. They take matters into their own hands and forget that God sees everything, knows everything, and can handle the situation at hand! Many Christians talk about their pastors behind their backs or even manipulate things to get them out of their office as pastor. They excuse their actions by saying, "Well, you wouldn't believe what our pastor is doing." Even though he (or she) may be doing things in a way that you don't approve of, you still need to show them respect, discuss it calmly with them, and take the matter to God. God can change ANYTHING! But, He does it through prayer! Even if you win the matter, God may end up punishing you for showing a lack of respect for His anointed. Be careful!

May the Lord give you a productive day!

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

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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!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 16 - 18)

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Today, we begin reading about David’s rise to power – how he wins the hearts of all Israelites and eventually becomes their long-awaited and beloved King! It wasn’t an easy trip. King Saul made life very difficult for David, and today you’re going to learn why.

Here are a few lessons you can gain from today’s reading of the Bible…

1) The Lord doesn’t see things in the same way that man sees things! God was angry with King Saul for his continued acts of disobedience, consequently it caused Him great sorrow in choosing him to be the first king of Israel. So, He tells Samuel that He’s rejected him as King. But, notice what Samuel does! Samuel begins to mourn for King Saul and prays diligently for him because he saw things in a different light. He thought surely King Saul had some redeeming qualities that could be worked on and retain him as the King of Israel! After all, he’s handsome! He’s unique in that he’s taller than anyone else in all of Israel! He’s fought wars and won them very valiantly!

But, God saw things completely different! When God looked into Kings Saul’s heart, He saw no redeeming quality! In fact, as we read the remaining two chapters we read of the sad story of just how wicked and prideful Saul’s heart had become! Samuel didn’t see that, but God did! Samuel thought he was redeemable, but God knew otherwise!

Another good example of how God sees things in a different way than man is in Samuel’s choosing of Eliab as Israel’s next King. Once Samuel saw him – his handsome looks and tall stature – he thought Eliab was surely God’s next pick for the King of Israel! But, God said, “No!” Then came the bombshell!

God gives Samuel (as us today) some valuable insights as to how He thinks and views things! God tells Samuel in 16:7, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

God is more interested in a tenderly, obedient heart than anything else! God can use anyone, regardless of stature, looks, or talent, if they simply have the kind of heart that God loves!

What kind of heart does God see you having today? Is yours one that’s tenderly obedient to love Him and serve Him no matter what the cost?

2) Depression and fear can come from a tormenting spirit! There are many people who wrestle with depression and phobia’s today. Throughout the Bible, you see a number of people who are tormented in this way due to demonic activity. When God withdrew His Spirit away from Saul, He allowed a tormenting spirit (demon) to attack him. I’m not quite sure why God allowed this to happen…I have some speculation! However, as you study the subject of angels and demons (you can purchase my series on this subject down below!), you realize that demons create fear, depression, sickness, and all kinds of other ailments! Remember this! Ephesians 6 tells us that “we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The spiritual realm is just as active as our physical world! Demons are actively involved in oppressing Christians, and even bringing many to a point of depression!

However, not all depression is the result of demonic activity! That’s very important for you to realize! Some depression can be the result of chemical or hormonal imbalances. Many of these kinds can be resolved with medication. Nevertheless, it’s also important to realize that Satan is real and very involved in our lives working through his demonic workforce. As a Christian, God has given you the authority (in His name) to rebuke any and every kind of demon! For more on this, talk to your pastor!

3) God is constantly preparing us for what He has in our future! Only God knew David would one day be a mighty King in Israel. In preparation of that day, God threw some life and death challenges his way while working as a simple shepherd boy. He not only clubbed lions to death, but he also killed bears with that same club!

I’ve been to the zoo and have seen both! After seeing how ferocious and HUGE these creatures are, I’m not sure if I would have saved the little lamb! But David did! God saw how much David trusted in His power to deal with the most ferocious beasts of the field. So much so, that when Goliath came along and David saw that he was merely a man (about the same size as the bear he had killed – 9 feet tall), he probably thought, “Oh man, I can kill this guy! He doesn’t have the claws or the teeth of the lions and bears I’ve killed! And, he doesn’t move around as fast as a lion or bear! I can do it…with God’s help!”

God prepared David for that day! As David killed lions, bears, and a 9 foot giant with God’s help, he knew he could accomplish ANYTHING – so long God was with him!

Hey…God can do ANYTHING through you too! You may not have to fight bears and lions, but there may be some tough challenges coming your way! You’ll have to do what David did…put your faith and trust in God! Are you doing that?

May the Lord cause His countenance to shine through you today!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 13 - 15)

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Here are a few lessons we can learn from today's text...

1) True worship comes from worshipping God in spirit and according to truth! Saul panicked when he saw his army dwindling down to a mere 600 soldiers. He was waiting for Samuel, the prophet, to come along and offer up a prayer and a sacrifice for God's favor concerning the outcome of the battle. Due to the fact that Samuel was somehow delayed in getting there on time, Saul thought, "Hey, I'm king! I can offer the sacrifice on the altar! Somebody's got to do it and since I'm the top dog in Israel I'll just go ahead and do it!" Unfortunately, this was a HUGE violation of the law of Moses. God strictly instructed Israel to only allow the priests to do this job. Saul's major problem was that he downplayed strict obedience to God's law to such a point that it caused him to sin against God and ended God's blessing on his kingship!

2) God blesses faith EVERYTIME! As Saul continues to fall into military and spiritual stupidity, his son Jonathan, on the other hand, exemplifies tremendous faith in God. He and his armor bearer decide to scale a wall and take on the entire army by themselves! Listen to the great faith that Jonathan exhibited in 14:6, "Let's go across t the outpost of those pagans, ... perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!"

Faith in God can conquer ANY and EVERY giant or formidable force that may come your way! What giants are you facing this week? Put your faith in the ONE who can knock them down!

3) Pride can cause you to make stupid decisions! Saul was hungry for a military victory over the Philistines! So much so, that he made a stupid decision - the forcing of every soldier to refrain from eating until the enemy is subdued. Even Jonathan, Saul's son, thought this was a stupid idea! Listen to what Jonathan says in 14:29, "My father has made trouble for us all! A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed i am now that I have eaten this little bit of honey. If the men had been allowed to eatfreely fro the food they found among our enemies, think how many more Philistines we could have killed."

Saul was even willing to kill his own son for disobeying his stupid command! Pride makes people foolish, and it turns them into fools! Rather than admit he'd made a mistake, he supports the oath he rashly made and is willing to sacrifice the head of his own son - the one who (through faith in God) saved Israel that day! Fortunately, Saul's valiant soldiers jump in and protect Jonathan from this stupid move on Saul's part. They see Saul's pride and rescue Jonathan from being killed!

I've met many men like Saul. They make stupid decisions and would rather go down in flames rather than admit they'd been wrong! They've become fools!

4) Just a little disobedience is as BIG as much disobedience! Chapter 15 tells the story of Saul's attempt to be obedient on 90% of His command. Rather than do EXACTLY as God says to do, Saul trys to offer God some better ideas!
- Rather than kill everyone, lets keep the best animals for sacrifice! WRONG!
- Rather than kill everyone, lets keep the king alive...he might be useful! WRONG!

Saul worshipped and serve God "IN HIS OWN WAY!" This is no different than a lot of people today! Many people say, "Well, I don't go to church because God and I have this thing going and it works for us!" Or, "I worship God in my own way!"

Hey, Jesus said in John 4:23, "But the time is coming...when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is a Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

In other words, we must worship God from the depths of our hearts and according to truth - the way He wants it done!

Well, that's all I've got time for now! What have you learned...let me know? Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 10 - 12)

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Today, we read about two powerful personalities - Saul and Samuel. Both of these men led lives that were dynamically used by God. Why were they chosen? And, how was it that God could do such marvelous things through them?

1) God often chooses the least expected person for His work! Saul was chosen to be king because he was least likely to be chosen by his peers! By Saul's own admission, he confesses that he is the least likely person to be chosen as king! Notice what he says in 9:21 - "But I'm only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel." In that one statement, every Israelite knew what he meant! He was from the "outcast" tribe. Benjamin was the tribe that the entire Israelite army tried to wipe out due to their horrible and embarrassing sin of practicing and defending homosexuality! At this time, the tribe of Benjamin was still a joke to all Israelites. Who would have ever chosen any man from the most embarrassing tribe of Israel?

He also confesses further to Samuel in 9:21, "and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe!" Not only is Saul from the tribe that is the laughing stock of Israel, but he's from the least influential family within that tribe! Not only would Israel have never chosen any man out of the tribe of Israel, but even if they were forced into doing so, they NEVER would have chosen from the least favored family of that entire tribe!

Saul had NO WAY IN THE WORLD of becoming the King of Israel...unless God arranged it!

God wanted to show several things here:
- God can use anybody for His work and purpose!
- God often chooses "nobodys" for His greatest work!
- God chooses these types of individuals so that glory goes to Him...not to man!

If you feel like you're a "nobody", get excited! You're the type of individual God wants to work through to accomplish great and mighty things! God ignores the proud and arrogant. And, He often bypasses the most talented individuals. Why? He doesn't want to take any chance of sharing the glory with any man!

2) God wants to work miracles in and through our lives! Every time I read the story of Samuel, I'm left with a deep desire to know God in the same way Samuel did! Samuel had such an intimate relationship with God that God often felt the freedom to communicate His plans through him. As He did with Moses and Joshua, God often spoke to Samuel in great detail about things. And, one of the most remarkable aspects of today's story is how God speaks to Samuel in such minute detail about the following...

- Saul's arrival into town at a specific time!
- The safety of Saul's donkeys!
- How the next day, two men will meet Saul besides Rachel's tomb!
- How the next day, Saul with meet up with three man coming with three goats, three loaves of bread, and a bottle of wine! And, how they'll give him two loaves of bread.
- And, how on the next day, Saul will prophesy along with the prophets!

Don't you wish God would speak to you in such a way? This type of communication with God comes from spending time with God! God is interested in communicating with you! The question is, "Are you interested in spending time communicating with God and developing an intimate one-on-one relationship with Him?"

There's so much more that could be said out of today's text, but I trust this will have stirred your heart in some way. God bless, and have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 7 - 9)

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Please remember to pray for me and the folks at Calvary Baptist Church in Leavenworth, KS. as we begin the weekend revival prophecy seminar!

There are some great lessons for us to learn out of today's text...

1) What to do when you feel abandoned by the Lord! As we begin today's reading, chapter 7 starts off with the sad account of how "all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them." And, it was true! God had abandoned them! He didn't want to, but Israel was at fault here. They had sinned against God! They had turned their backs on their Creator and started worshipping the gods of the local, pagan people. It says in 1 Samuel 3:1 that "messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon." It had gotten so bad that as Phinehas' wife gave birth to a son, she called him "Ichabod" meaning "the glory has departed from Israel." The feelings of abandonment they were feeling were absolutely right on! God had abandoned His own children, but He did it due to their wicked ways and lack of obedience.

There are many of us today who has felt at one point or other in our lives that the Lord had abandoned us. For Israel, it was due to sin. In your case, only you can figure out why you sense a period of abandonement. Either way, there's a "CURE" for that! Notice what Samuel prescribes to the nation of Israel:

a) Get rid of anything that might be offensive to God (7:3)! Is there anything standing in the way between you and God? Are you doing something that He doesn't approve of? Get rid of it!

b) Determine to obey the Lord no matter what it takes (7:3)! Can you find any aspect of your life that you KNOW God doesn't want to be there or needs changing? If Jesus could come and live with you for a week, what aspect of your daily life would change? The way you talk? The way you treat others? The way you conduct business? The way you treat your family? What you say in private? The priorities you make for yourself each day? If so, change!

c) Start worshipping Him on a daily basis (7:4)! Spend time in His Word! Spend time in prayer! Take a few moments out of the day to sing some songs to Him or thank Him! Since "worship" is what we'll be doing in Heaven throughout eternity, you might as well start doing it now!

d) Take time to FAST (7:6)! Fasting can be done in a variety of ways - for one meal, one day, one week, or one month - it's something you and the Lord decide on. Either way, fasting shows God just how serious you are concerning the matter. Fasting should be a part of EVERY Christian's life, just like praying or reading the Bible. Jesus didn't say "if" you fast, He said "when" you fast. Try it some time this month! The longer you fast, the sweeter your relationship with Christ grows!

e) Confess any sin (7:6)! Sin separates us from enjoying an intimate relationship with God. Search your heart and life and see if there is anything that's offensive to the Lord. If so, confess it to Him, and repent! A Holy God wants us to be holy just as He is holy!

2) God wants us to be different, but Satan wants us to yield to conformity! In 1 Samuel 8:20, the Israelites openly confess to Samuel just how they feel about being different than other nearby nations! They told him, "we want to like the nations around us." In other words, rather than being a holy, Godlike people, who trusts in God as their king, they would like to have a human king - just like everyone else! Israel is tired of trusting in a God they can't see! They're fed up with exercising faith in something that is intangible! They keep trying to reduce God down to an image they can see and feel. Since they keep getting into trouble trying to do that, they now want a human king.

Listen to what God says to Samuel, "Do everything they say to you, for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. Every since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods" (8:7-8).

Why is it we want to be like the unbelieving world? Why is it we don't want to stick out from the crowd and be God's holy people?

Think about this for a moment...the person that does is the most popular person throughout the spiritual world! While living holy isn't popular in the physical realm, it's what makes angels stand in awe, and it's what pleases the heart of God who sends forth his angels in your behalf and causes demons to cringe in fear! May God help us all to be different than the rest of the world and live the life God wants us to live!

3) God uses unusual events to bring us to the place where He wants us! It's interesting in chapter 9 how God uses a donkey to bring Saul to Samuel to be annointed the first king in Israel! Isn't it interesting how we never know what God is doing behind the scenes of certain events. I'm sure Saul was fairly upset that his donkey had wandered off. And, I'm sure he was even angrier and more frustrated that he couldn't find the donkey! In the midst of this frustrating and fruitless endeavor, God orchestrates a powerful event - the meeting of Samuel and Saul.

Perhaps you're frustrated about something going on in your life. Have you ever stopped to think that "Maybe it's God at work!" Perhaps, God is orchestrating events behind the scenes to bring you into a different place, or perhaps He is trying to get your attention on Him! Whatever the case, go to God in prayer about these circumstances and ask Him what He's doing. Ask for His help in trusting Him concerning the events and the outcome!

I hope this ministers to you today! God bless, and may His rich mercy and grace be upon you today!

Journey Thru The Bible! (1 Samuel 4 - 6)

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

Prior to Samuel's influence on the nation of Israel, the Philistines had taken the nation into slavery (4:9)! They had just killed over 4,000 Israelites in an all-day skirmish, and now they were ready to wipe them out if necessary. As we read the following story of what happens to the Israelites and the Philistines, we learn some very valuable lessons for us today!

Here are a few thoughts...

1) NEVER think that a "symbol" of God can get you out of trouble! The Israelites were living in defiance to God. Their lives were anything but obedient to God. They had corrupted themselves by worshipping other gods, the Benjamites had resorted to homosexuality, and the list goes on! Now, in the heat of battle, they become desperate! And, just like all of us today, when things seem to be going haywire, we turn our hopes and hearts back to God! It's as though we put God up on a shelf until we desperately need Him. He's kind of a "good-luck charm."

So...in hope of turning things around, the Israelites send some priests to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol of God's presence. As the Ark was being brought into the Israelite army campground, the soldiers began to shout - so much so that the Bible says, "their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!" When the Philistines heard their shouts of joy, they panicked!

But, Israel made a HUGE mistake! While God had proved His presence between the cherubims on the Ark at other times, this time He had left them up to their own ruin. The Israelites had abandoned God - their lives being a testimony to that fact! Now, they mistakenly thought that bringing in an "image" or "symbol" of His presence would be "the good-luck charm" they needed to win the battle. This horrible miscalculation about God ended up costing Israel some 30,000 soldiers!

People all over the world make the same mistake TODAY!

I remember working as a body guard for a local Kansas City boxer back in the late 70's and seeing a few of the other boxers over the years wearing a cross around their neck. I remember many times that prior to climbing into the boxing ring, they would kiss the cross as though it some significant power to help them! I always thought, "How sadly mistaken they are to think that by kissing a gold cross - a symbol of Jesus and His death on the cross - would do any good!"

Today, you'll see people wearing crosses or having statues of Mary or possessing a Saint Christopher medal hoping that somehow by having them they'll receive protection or good fortune. Today's story ought to show everyone that that's NOT the way God works! You can have 1,000 crosses around your neck, but unless you live a life that is holy and in complete obedience to Christ, you're a fool to think God is obligated to help you!

Well, the Israelites find this out! They are nearly slaughtered out of existence! God wasn't about to help them, even though His Ark was among them. The Ark had NO POWER, God did! The symbols we cling to have NO POWER, God does! If you want God's blessing, then you need to bless Him with the holy and pure life you live!

2) God will get the glory...no matter what! God had explained to Israel very clearly that the only reason He chose them to be His people was for two reasons: 1) His obligation to fulfill the covenant He made with their ancestrial father, Abraham, and 2) He wanted to use Israel as in instrument to declare Himself to the world! God wanted Israel to become world evangelists! God's desire has always been to reach the world and to have the entire world know about Him! That's the purpose of the Millenial Reign of Christ for 1,000 years shortly after the Tribulation Period! The whole world will KNOW that He is God!

After the Philistines kill 30,000 soldiers, they steal the Ark and bring it into their cities. But God, in an act of love, causes them to realize that HE IS GOD! God does something very unusual - He causes the kings and the residences of each of their 5 cities to develop rapidly growing tumors. This unusual act (plus the breaking of the god Dagon) causes them to reach an undeniable conclusion that the God of Israel is THE ONLY TRUE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE!

In fact, they create 5 gold tumors and 5 golden rats (representing the 5 kings and the 5 cities of the Philistines) as a way "to show honor to the God of Israel" (6:5).

It's amazing what God will do to get our attention and bring our focus upon Himself! One of the best tools He uses is OUR HEALTH! We see so many examples of this in Scripture! Do you remember what Jesus said to the crippled man at the pool of Siloam in John 5:14? He told him, "“Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”

3) God hears the prayers of the unbelievers! God is omniscient - which means He's all-knowing. God is omnipresent - which means He's present everywhere. Combining these two realities along with many, many Scriptures within the Bible, we know that God hears EVERYONE when they pray! But, is He obligated to answer them according to what they pray? No! But, out of His mercy and grace, He often does!

Today's text is a good example. He responds to the request of the Philistines to bring the calves (who are pulling the cart which holds the Ark of the Covenant) into the land of Israel. Since they honored Him in the best way they knew how, God delivered them from His hand of judgement and the tumors stopped!

Well, that's all I have time for today. I hope this ministers to you in someway! Tell someone else about this blog! Have a GREAT DAY in the Lord!

Journey Thru The Bible (1 Samuel 1-3)

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

The book of Samuel tells of a spiritual turning point in the nation of Israel. Since the days of Joshua, Israel has been on a rollercoaster ride in their walk with God that has progressively leaned more towards evil than towards good. In fact, by now things had become awful! Look at how bad the priests had already become - 2:12, "Now the sons of Eli (the high priest) were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord." Israel was in a sad state of affairs, especially since it's spiritual leaders were filled with greed and corruption!

Does that remind you of anyone else today? Maybe America?

Anyways...

Finally, God sends the nation a prophet, Samuel, who will be intstrumental in turning things around! Here are a few thoughts from the 3 chapters we've read today...

1) God answers earnest, heart-felt praying! Hannah had been humiliated enough! Penninah would use the feast time to ridicule and embarrass Hannah about her inability to have chilren. In a move of desperation, Hannah fell down on her knees within the Tabernacle and sought God in earnest prayer for a son! Eli, not being the spiritually-sensitive person he should have been, openly assumed and rebuked Hannah of being drunk. However, once he understood Hannah's humble prayer, he invited the Lord to hear and respond positively to her request. God did, and she happily gave birth to Samuel.

This earnest, heart-felt prayer of Hannah's reminds me of what God says through His servant James in the book of James 5:16, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." Oh...how we ALL ought to pray in earnestness before God!

2) There are lessons to learn from answered prayer! When God answered Hannah's prayer, she did something so few of us do...she offered praise to God! How many times have you asked God to provide you with a safe road trip, or healing for your child who's sick with a cold, or for a particular event to occur, and failed to 'thank Him' for answered prayer?

Hannah learned 3 powerful lessons from answered prayer! Here they are:

- There's no sense in bragging, God knows the truth!
- God can radically change any situation!
- Everyone needs God...period!

What have you learned about God from answered prayer?

3) The stepping stones to raising a prophet of God! Hannah's prayer for a son involved making a vow to God - a vow to give her only son to serve in the House of the Lord for the rest of his life! How many women do you know that could have made a vow like that, then have the capacity to fulfill it? Hannah meant what she prayed! That's one of the reasons why God answered her prayer!

Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle to live with Eli, the high priest, and his two scoundrel sons. In spite of the wicked people who occupied his environment, Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord and consequently God protected Samuel from being infected with the wickedness of Eli's sons. Throughout chapters 1, 2, and 3, you can see the raising up of this great prophet of God! Here are the stepping stones of Samuel's walk with God and the raising up of a mighty prophet of the Lord:

- He's born out of prayer! 1:11
- He's raised by Godly parents! 1:3
- He served the Lord by assisting the priest! 2:11
- He grew up in the presence of the Lord at the Tabernacle! 2:21
- He grew in favor with the Lord and the people! 2:26
- He hears God's voice for the first time! 3:11-14
- The Lord is with Samuel! 3:19
- The Lord causes everything he says to be reliable! 3:19
- All Israel knew Samuel was a prophet! 3:20
- God gives Samuel more messages from Him! 3:21
- Samuel begins preaching the messages from the Lord! 4:1

Look at the progression of Samuel's life and walk with God! If only we can do the same for our children! We can! When we continuously expose them to church and to the teaching of the Bible in a good, Bible-teaching church, God will use those opportunities to speak to our children and mold and shape them into the type of servants He wants them to be!

May the Lord bless your children with the opportunity to grow in favor with Him and with the sensitivity to hear His wonderful voice!

Well, these are my thoughts for today. What are yours? Let me know if you have anything you'd like to add! Have a GREAT day in the Lord!