GRATEFUL LIVING

 GRATEFUL LIVING

II Samuel 24:24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I cannot present burnt offerings to the LORD my God that has cost me nothing.” NLT

King David needed to build an altar to the Lord to worship Him on Araunah’s threshing floor. The Ark of the Lord had just come back to Israel from the Philistines who had captured it in battle. David wanted to bring it into Jerusalem where he lived. Araunah wanted to give it to him, but David would have none of that. For David, the Lord deserved more of him than that.

Gratitude is best expressed through sacrifice. The highest compliment you can ever give someone is to give them something that has cost you something. The greatest proof of one’s love is the willingness to sacrificially give. Think about it. You appreciate most that which costs you something. The more you have to give of yourself or your resources, the more you value what you are giving.

Consider the cost of salvation. The more aware we are of what God had to give and do in order for us to be saved, the more we value our salvation. It is good for us to often reflect on what God did for us. How can we be anything less than grateful for His sacrificial love for us? Consider the fact that what God did was for a people who deserved nothing but wrath, not love and mercy. No one deserves another breath of air, let alone eternal life with Him. We feast moment by moment on the riches of His grace. We have so much to be thankful for all the time!

Are you living a life of gratitude? Are you giving Him your best or whatever is left over from your life and resources? Are you sacrificing anything for Him? If you are enjoying living in Christ and not giving anything of yourself in return, it is a life of ingratitude. It is a mockery to feast on the riches of grace and not share it with the world. It is sin to not let the Lord shine through you and affect everything you do in life. It is sin to not be grateful for this great life of salvation we are privileged to live.

PRAISE THE LORD

 PRAISE THE LORD

II Sam. 22:31-33 “As for God, his way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock? God is my strong fortress, he has made my way safe.” NLT

King David was singing forth God’s praises. He was declaring his allegiance and adoration to Him. He was recalling the greatness and faithfulness of God to him. It is a good thing for us to always reflect on the goodness and greatness of God. It is good for us to often praise Him.

There are a lot things we can praise the Lord for, regardless of life’s circumstances. We praise Him for His way is perfect. There is no flaw whatsoever in the way that God acts amongst men. He always knows what He is doing. He always knows what needs to be done and how to do it. His ways are always the best way.

We praise the Lord because all of His promises are true. All means all. There is not one promise that God has ever made to man that has been proven to be false. God will never let you down; He will always do what He says He will do.

We praise the Lord for He shields all those who allow Him to be their protector. There is no fear of being overpowered by Satan when we live in God’s protective care. Satan cannot penetrate the protective shield of our Lord.

We praise God for He is our Lord. He is ruler over all that is. He is in control. He determines the way things go in all of creation. There is none beside Him.

We praise Him for He is our solid rock. There is no sinking under the weight of living when Jesus is our Lord. He is the only dependable foundation upon which life can be built.

We praise Him for He is our mighty fortress. There is safety in the Lord. When we live in Christ there is no power that can keep us away from God or hinder us from making it to heaven.

Sing forth God’s praises! Regardless of what life may be like for you, praise the Lord your God. Recall God’s greatness and goodness. Consider His amazing grace and your amazing salvation. Consider the hope that we have in Him. Look to Jesus our Lord and praise His holy name and He will help you. Will you praise Him today?

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

 FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

II Sam. 22:29 O LORD, you are my light; yes, LORD, you light up my darkness. NLT

Two issues we must address today. First, can you honestly say that the Lord is your light, and secondly, does He light up your darkness? What do we mean when we say that the Lord is our light? The Lord is your light when you no longer walk in darkness. Without Christ, we are influenced and controlled by sin. Sin is what drives us. We think sinful thoughts and do sinful things. In the dark, we have no hope or help. We are stuck where we are at. We can do nothing to change our situation. We will never be good enough to get ourselves out of the darkness. In fact, we like it there and have no desire or intention of leaving. In the darkness, we live for the moment and don’t even consider that maybe there is a heaven or hell.

When we are in the light, everything that is true of us in the darkness changes 180 degrees. In the light, we desire to live for and please the Lord. We want our sins exposed so that we can confess them and get rid of them. We strive to not let anything hinder us in our relationship with God. We focus our eyes on eternal things and consider the things of this world as rubbish. In the light, we know that all of our goodness and godliness comes from the Lord and not us. We see our way clearly to the Lord. We invest our time and energy pursuing Him through His Word, prayer, Christian fellowship, and service.

When we are in the light, it lights up our darkness. It dispels our darkness. It is an environment in which we live that enables us to grow in grace and our knowledge of the Lord. The more light that shines on our souls, the more victory we enjoy over sin.

Are you living in the light of God’s presence today, or does darkness cast a shadow over your soul? If you are struggling with sin in your life, the only way you are going to overcome it is to enter into the light and live in the light. You can’t have it both ways. Shut the door on darkness and let the Light shine in.

WHO AM I, O LORD?

 WHO AM I, O LORD?

II Sam. 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” NLT

I like David’s attitude. He recognized that he deserved nothing from God but received so much. His life was blessed. He understood that every good thing came from the Lord.

Indeed, who do we think we are that we are so blessed? What is there about us that deserves God’s blessings? Think about it. Life as we know it is a gift from God. No one deserves anything from God but an eternity in hell. We don’t deserve a chance to be saved, let alone the privilege of it. We don’t deserve the work of God in and through us. We don’t deserve the opportunities we have to better our lives or to enjoy some of the pleasures of life. Look around you and you will find a multitude of people far worse off than you are. We don’t deserve the privilege of helping others in life.

“Who am I, O Lord, that you would save me from my sins, from myself? Who am I that You would not give up on me, even when others do? Who am I that I would be spared the horrible life that so many others are forced to live? Who am I, O Lord that I have been given an opportunity to know you and live for you when so many haven’t? Who am I, O Lord, that I have been blessed with the resources of heaven to help me live a godly life? Who am I, O Lord? Who am I?”

Let us today remember the great goodness of our Lord and give Him thanks. Let our lives be an offering of thanksgiving to Him. Let us never forget that we are indebted to our Lord for every blessing we enjoy. Let us bow before Him and praise Him for all blessings do flow from Him.

GOD'S CHOSEN LEADERS

 GOD’S CHOSEN LEADERS

I Sam. 24:6 “The LORD knows I shouldn’t have done it,” he said to his men. “It is a serious thing to attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” NLT

David had such a high regard for the man, King Saul, whom God had anointed to be king over Israel. David had a sense that it was wrong to take lightly those whom the Lord had chosen and appointed to a task. There needs to be a much higher regard for the offices of our spiritual leaders than most of us have these days. We treat as mundane and insignificant those who rule over us. There are many reasons why this is true.

When God calls and places people into positions of leadership, it is no small thing. Many do not regard their role in the church as a high calling. They do not honor it by the way they conduct themselves. They aspire to be served rather than to serve. They do not spend the time in the Word and prayer they need to in order to keep their hearts pure and humble before God. They consider their position as more of a job than a calling to serve. They get careless and do not set a good example to follow. They use their position for personal gain or to stroke their egos. They get too comfortable in their roles and lose the sense of appreciation for what God has given them to do. They become more concerned about pleasing people than pleasing God. They develop weak spines and cater to the whims of people. They get so busy with busyness that they do not diligently study to show themselves approved of God.

I believe that if we were to be more like David and held a higher regard for the office God has placed us in that a lot of things would change in the Church. It is a privilege to be allowed to serve the Lord in the Church. Our attitude about what we do reflects on our relationship with God. Regardless of what you have been given to do, do it with all your heart as unto the Lord. Offer yourself as a living sacrifice unto Him. Do what you do as an act of worship. Serving the Lord is such an honor. When we treat it lightly, the Lord knows and will hold us accountable for it.

And, be sure to express appreciation for your godly leaders and teachers. Those who represent and serve God well need encouragement. They need to know that their labors in the Lord are not in vain. Pray for them often that their hearts will remain humble and pure. Ask the Lord to bless their ministries with souls saved, edified, and discipled.

PRIDE, JEALOUSY, AND FEAR

 PRIDE, JEALOUSY AND FEAR

I Sam. 18:6-9 But something happened when the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed Goliath. Women cane out from all the towns along the way to celebrate and to cheer for King Saul, and they sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. This was their song, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they will be making him king!” So from that time on, Saul kept a jealous eye on David. NLT

King Saul had a lot of problems. He had an ego that was out of hand. He was king of Israel and he thought he should get the glory. He didn’t want to share with anyone the adoration of his people. He believed he should get the most credit for the successes of his army.

Saul also had a problem with jealousy. He was not given the praise that David did and he wanted it. He took offense that someone else would be deemed more deserving of praise than him. He was not willing to let David get more praise than he did.

Saul’s ego and jealousy led him to fear. He became afraid that David would become so popular with the people that he would become king instead of him. Saul became afraid of losing his popularity and position amongst the people.

All kind of things happen to us when we put ourselves on a pedestal and think we deserve to be there. We are sinful by nature and we are easily persuaded that we are someone we are not. In order to keep our hearts and minds right before God, we need to always measure ourselves by His standards. We must always remember we are who we are and what we are by God’s grace and not our doings. We must never forget that we don’t deserve the adoration of others. We don’t deserve the blessings we have been given in life. We are merely vessels the Lord chooses to use for His glory. Some are given more visible roles to play in the Kingdom than others. But, with visibility comes greater responsibility. It is much harder to maintain integrity of heart before God when you are being watched by many. We must guard our hearts and not let pride, jealousy, or envy rob us of the joy of serving the Lord.

It is a privilege to be used by the Lord to let His light shine in the world. Let us never squelch our light by letting our sinful nature deceive us into thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought.

LET THE LORD HELP YOU

 LET THE LORD HELP YOU

I Sam. 17:45 David shouted in reply, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty—the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied…..” NLT

David was a young shepherd boy, not big enough or old enough to yet serve in the army. The Israelites were in a face-off with the Philistines who were threatening them. Goliath was a giant who represented the Philistines. He daily taunted the Israelites, challenging them to provide someone willing to fight him in a hand-to-hand combat. Whoever would win the contest would determine the fate of the armies. No one was big enough or brave enough to answer the challenge of Goliath, except David. He was on the scene visiting his brothers and heard Goliath’s daily taunts. He was not a soldier, but he was a young lad who was sold out to God and could no longer tolerate the mockeries of Goliath against God and His people. David went out to fight Goliath with the resources he had---his faith in God, five smooth stones, and his slingshot. It was enough. Because David had the Lord on his side, he was able to hurl a stone at Goliath, knock him down, and kill him.

How do you face adversity in your life? Do you rely on the resources of man or God? Do you have enough confidence in God to believe that the resources He has given you are enough to conquer whatever you are facing in life? When we rely on the Lord and allow Him to help us we are able to overcome anything. We can’t determine or dictate the circumstances of life, but we don’t have to become victims to them. The Lord on our side is enough to overcome all of our obstacles and fears.

So, why is it that we usually turn to the Lord for help after we have depleted all of our resources first? Wouldn’t it be a whole less stressful, painful, and complicated if we were to first turn to Him? The next time you are confronted with a situation that throws you into a tizzy, take it to the Lord before you even think about trying to deal with it. He will guide you through it and help you to deal with it. You will never be able to handle things on your own as well as you would if you were to but trust in the Lord and let Him help you.

ONLY GOD KNOWS THE HEART

 ONLY GOD KNOWS THE HEART

I Sam. 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions.” NLT

What did God see in David that Samuel didn’t see? It is so easy to judge a person by what we see instead of what we know. Let’s be honest about it. We do it all the time. We judge a person by what appeals to us and by what makes us feel good or comfortable. We rarely take the time or to get to know someone well enough to really know their heart. And even if we do, we tend to ignore what we really know to be true about them. We also tend to be reactive and influenced by circumstances. Our ability to judge is always filtered through the lens of our imperfect and limited knowledge.

We must never forget, only the Lord really knows the heart. Only the Lord is able to make right judgments, because only He knows the intent of the heart. He isn’t fooled by actions. He alone is able to get it right all the time. We must be very careful when we judge others. We need to bathe our judgments in much prayer and in light of God’s Word, knowing even then we may be wrong. It is not an easy task to judge others and it should be done humbly and fearfully.

We should always consider the fact that our judgments always have consequences. We affect the lives of those we judge and usually our own lives. Remember, when we judge another person, we are essentially judging his worth. We deem him unfit and unable to continue to do whatever he is doing.

Sometimes it is necessary to render judgment on others because sinful behavior renders them disqualified to continue doing what they are doing. We are responsible before God to hold each other accountable for our actions, but we must be very careful when we do it. The Lord holds us responsible for the judgments we make so we must not do it lightly.

We dare not cast anyone away and deem them unfit for our fellowship and love because of what may have been said or done. The goal of all judgment we render should be restoration. And remember, the Word says we are to look inward and judge ourselves before we decide to judge another.

APPEARANCES CAN FOOL YOU

 APPEARANCES CAN FOOL YOU

I Sam. 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions.” NLT

We do it don’t we? Even though we know God doesn’t want us to, we label people by how they appeal to our senses. We assume they are a certain type of person because of what we think they must be. We often determine right away whether or not we want to invite them into our world. Our problem is that we are so easily fooled. We miss out on some great people in our lives because we hold them at arm’s length and we invite some in who prove to be less than what we thought they would be. It’s impossible to determine a person’s heart by appearances. It takes time to figure out whether or not someone is trustworthy and has qualities of heart that we need in our lives. Sometimes we are fooled, but we are fooled all the time if we rely solely on our senses to determine the heart.

We must carefully examine a person’s life before we can determine their heart. We should talk to those who know him/her. We should take note of how a person handles themselves under pressure. We should note how they talk, whom they talk about, and what they talk about. In other words, we should do our homework before we invite someone into the inner circle of our lives. Lasting relationships don’t just happen. They are built on the foundation of good character and a person’s character is only revealed over time.

A word of caution is in order. Be careful before you judge a person and pronounce him/her guilty of wrongdoing. Things aren’t always as they appear to be. If you really know a person’s heart, you will not be quick to accuse them of wrongdoing. Rather, you will act graciously, forgive them for whatever has been done, and support them as they strive to live godly lives.

Ask the Lord today to help you be less quick to judge on the basis of appearances. Ask Him to give you the patience and desire to get to know people on a deeper level. Ask Him to bring into your life people who you can get to know that will make both of your lives better. Ask Him to help you be slow to condemn those whose character you know to be godly. And, ask Him to keep you from shunning others just because you may not be initially attracted to them due to their appearances.

 TOTAL OBEDIENCE

I Sam. 15:15, 22-23 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else”…..But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD, your burnt offerings or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as bad as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” NLT

God does not play around. He has a purpose for the things He says. And what He says, He means. Obedience is a heart attitude. It is submitting to the Lord and doing what we know God tells us to do.

God had told Saul through Samuel that he was to go to war against the Amalekites and completely destroy them. Saul only partially obeyed God. In reality, he didn’t obey Him at all because a little disobedience is the same as a total disobedience. The Lord does not let us get away with doing what we want to do while serving Him. It’s God’s way or no way.

No matter what our intentions may be, if we don’t obey God it doesn’t matter. No matter what we give to the Lord or do for Him, if our hearts are not right when doing them, it is not pleasing to the Lord. Jesus said that if we truly love Him we will obey Him.

We know what the Lord wants us to do by faithfully spending time alone with Him in His Word and in prayer. We approach Him with a desire to know what He wants us to do. We don’t take lightly what He says and skim over it. We take God’s Word to heart and apply it to our lives. We don’t select what we want to do and expect it to be alright with God. He holds us accountable for all of His Word spoken to us.

The sobering truth is that if we, like Saul, reject God’s Word and do what we want to do, God will reject us. What we do indicates the condition of our hearts. Those who love the Lord will obey Him. Sure, there are things in the Word that we may find difficult to do or that we don’t want to do, but that does not give us license to not do them.  

GOD'S WAY, NOT YOUR WAY

 GOD’S WAY, NOT YOUR WAY

I Sam. 13:12 So I said, “The Philistines are ready to march against us, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help! So I felt obliged to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” NLT

Saul was king over Israel. He was chosen by God. Scripture tells us that at the time he became king, God had changed his heart. But as we read about how he led his people, we begin to see real flaws in his character. He evidently let his position and power alter his character. Instead of relying solely on the Lord and obeying Him, he took it upon himself to do things he was not given to do. Saul was not allowed to offer sacrificial offerings to the Lord. It was a role that only the priests could do.

Samuel told Saul that he would arrive on a specific day and do it for him. When Samuel was a little bit late, Saul got impatient and did it himself. Instead of trusting the Lord and obeying Him, Saul took matters into his own hands. We must understand that there is only one right way to do things, God’s way. No matter who you are or your position in life, you do not have the right to ignore God’s Word and do what you think is right or what is convenient for you to do.

Guard your heart! Don’t neglect your need to keep your heart right before God. Stay tuned into God so that you don’t get the idea that it’s okay to do what you think is right instead of what God says is right. Like King Saul, it leads to a downward spiral of self-destruction. It drives us farther and farther away from God. Obey God in all things and it will go well with your soul.

SEEING GOD AT WORK

 SEEING GOD AT WORK

I Sam. 12:16 “Now stand here and see the great thing the LORD is about to do.” NLT

We often miss what the Lord is doing because we are too busy running around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off to even notice. We miss out on so much of what the Lord is doing because we aren’t still long enough to pay attention.

The Lord is doing great things all around us and in the world. Are you noticing? He is changing people daily. He is displaying His power wherever man is found and in various ways. He is preparing the world for His coming. He is revealing himself as Lord of life in fresh and exciting ways to all who will see. And, the best is yet to come!

Before you do anything else today, pause for a moment and see what great things the Lord is doing around you and even in you. Stand still and know that He is not done. His kingdom on earth is ever-growing and ever-changing. Give Him praise today for all that He is doing. Give Him praise for all that is yet to come.

The world is full of bad news; don’t let it captivate you. The Kingdom of God is full of good news; let it captivate you. When we focus on God and what He is doing, our days look brighter. He puts a spring in our steps. Knowing that the Lord is in control and is working out all things for His glory and our good makes life worth the living.

The Lord is about to do some great things, don’t miss them. Wait on the Lord, keep your eyes fixed on Him. Stand still and in awe look at what the Lord is doing. No matter how bad things seem to be, the Lord is at work! Praise Him for His faithfulness in working things out in your life for your good and His glory. Wait on Him and you will see that it is true. Thank Him for what is yet to come. Rejoice! The Lord is on His throne and is watching over you today. Rejoice! The best is yet to come.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE LORD

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DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE LORD

I Sam. 12:9 But the people soon forgot about the LORD their God, so he let them be conquered by Sisera, the general of Hazor’s army, and by the Philistines and the king of Moab. NLT

The children of God forgot about God. They ignored the Lord to the point where they no longer even thought about Him. They went about their merry way doing what they wanted to do as if God did not even exist. We need to think about this for a few moments today.

 

It is a dangerous thing to dismiss God from our thoughts. When we begin to neglect our Bibles and stop praying except in times of great distress or want, we begin to travel down the slippery road of pushing God out of our lives. When we begin the process of shuffling the Lord down the list of our priorities in life, we begin shutting Him out. When we begin to tolerate sin in our lives and treat it as if it’s no big deal, we begin to push the Lord out. When we get too busy to pray, we begin to push Him out. When we find excuses to stay away from church, we begin to shut Him out. When we start avoiding being with other believers, we begin shutting Him out.

 

It doesn’t take too long and it doesn’t take much effort to get to the point where we soon forget about God and fall into sin. It takes a lot of work to keep the Lord fresh in our minds and no effort at all to soon forget Him. We are by nature prone to wander away from God. Only those who are determined and put forth the effort will keep their hearts pure before God.

What about you? Are you living a life determined by God, or are you crowding Him out? Are you living with the Lord on your mind, or are you forgetting that He is even a part of you? We have no one to blame but ourselves when we wander away from God and come underneath His judgment.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE LORD

 DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE LORD

I Sam. 12:9 But the people soon forgot about the LORD their God, so he let them be conquered by Sisera, the general of Hazor’s army, and by the Philistines and the king of Moab. NLT

The children of God forgot about God. They ignored the Lord to the point where they no longer even thought about Him. They went about their merry way doing what they wanted to do as if God did not even exist. We need to think about this for a few moments today.

It is a dangerous thing to dismiss God from our thoughts. When we begin to neglect our Bibles and stop praying except in times of great distress or want, we begin to travel down the slippery road of pushing God out of our lives. When we begin the process of shuffling the Lord down the list of our priorities in life, we begin shutting Him out. When we begin to tolerate sin in our lives and treat it as if it’s no big deal, we begin to push the Lord out. When we get too busy to pray, we begin to push Him out. When we find excuses to stay away from church, we begin to shut Him out. When we start avoiding being with other believers, we begin shutting Him out.

It doesn’t take too long and it doesn’t take much effort to get to the point where we soon forget about God and fall into sin. It takes a lot of work to keep the Lord fresh in our minds and no effort at all to soon forget Him. We are by nature prone to wander away from God. Only those who are determined and put forth the effort will keep their hearts pure before God.

What about you? Are you living a life determined by God, or are you crowding Him out? Are you living with the Lord on your mind, or are you forgetting that He is even a part of you? We have no one to blame but ourselves when we wander away from God and come underneath His judgment.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

I Sam. 8:19-20 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will govern us and lead us into battle.” NLT

Up until this time Israel had no king. God had provided judges to lead them and bring them back to Him. Their history was very unsteady, but it was obvious that God was watching over them and taking care of them. God had raised up Samuel to be their judge, but it was obvious that his life was drawing to a close and there was no one qualified to step into his shoes.

The people of Israel needed someone to lead them. They looked around them and noticed the way other nations were governed by kings. They decided that that was what they wanted. “We want to be like the nations around us.” To want what others have or to be like others is a very dangerous place to be.

God knows best what we need. He alone knows what we need. He alone is wise enough to determine what we can handle and what we can’t. The Lord does not give us what others have because He knows that if we had it, it would not be in our best interest. Having more than we have or something different than we have would become for us a snare. We would let it interfere with our relationship with God. It would take prominence in our lives that would not be good for us.

Contentment with what God provides is what gives us peace and joy in living. Living the life we are given makes life meaningful and worth the living. God knows what He is doing. Keep your eyes off of what you don’t have. If the Lord wants you to have it, He will give it to you. Enjoy what He has provided for you and let Him use you just the way you are.

Discontentment leads the soul into sin and the consequences are never good.

WE ARE DIFFERENT NOW

 WE ARE DIFFERENT NOW

I Sam. 8:19-20 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will govern us and lead us into battle.” NLT

The problem most people have with God is found in today’s verses. We want what we want. We want to fit into the crowd and be like those around us. We don’t like standing out and being different. We don’t want to be confronted with the opposition of those who oppose us. It is much easier to blend in than it is to take a stand and be different.

What we must accept is that as believers, we are different. We live in a world that is ruled by the demonic forces of hell. It is a dark world encased in sin and is opposed to God and His kingdom. There is a spiritual war going on and it will not cease until Jesus comes to take the Church out of the world. Don’t kid yourself; you will face opposition if you are living in and through Christ. If your life is an easy road to heaven, you are not living in submission and obedience to Christ, and that is simply the way it is.

Jesus said that the people in darkness don’t come to the light because they don’t want to have their deeds exposed. Misery loves company and those who aren’t living in the misery of sin will not be looked upon kindly by those who are. It is important that we understand this. Dear friend, the Lord does not call us into a life of comfort. He commands us to go into the world, knowing full well that we will face great opposition from the world. We are called to be faithful to Christ in spite of the difficulties we face. We are to be lights in the darkness instead of letting the darkness squelch or consume our lights.

The world does not want us around. It does not want to listen to us. It often will treat us unkindly. But, let us never forget, greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Christ has overcome the world and as long as we are faithful in our walk with Him, we too are overcomers. Don’t let the world silence your witness for Him.

WARNING OTHERS ABOUT SIN

 

WARNING OTHERS ABOUT SIN

I Sam. 3:13 “I have warned him continually that judgment is coming for his family, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.” NLT

We have a responsibility to one another to reveal sin when we become aware of it. A real friend, one who really loves us, will care enough about us to warn us when we fall into sin. Such friends do not look down on us, but admonish us in a loving way. God makes it very clear that all sin will be punished. We must realize that at stake is eternity. He who lives in sin will die in sin. Do not ignore sin, whether it’s in your heart or in the heart of another. Prayerfully address sin wherever it is found.

Parents have a responsibility to their children. We don’t like to confront our children about sin. We love them and do not want to create a rift between us and them. Most parents will not talk about sin they see in their children, especially as they get older. When we know about sin and ignore it there is a price to pay. For Eli, it cost him the life of his sons. God held Eli responsible for not telling them about their sins.

Think about it. How would you feel if you knew that someone you loved dearly would die in their sins because you failed to do something about it, especially in your own family? At the very least, we should be talking about sin and our responsibility for it. How will others know they are living in sin if no one tells them? It would be quite a burden to carry to your grave if you kept your mouth shut and never spoke out about sin and knew that they will be in hell because of it.

God is patient and constantly warns about sin. When it is dismissed as being not important enough to talk about or do anything about it, judgment comes.

CAN YOU HEAR GOD?

 

CAN YOU HEAR GOD?

I Sam. 3:9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, “Yes, LORD, your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back to bed. NLT

Samuel was living with the prophet Eli. One night the Lord had called out to Samuel, but he did not know it was the Lord calling him. Samuel thought it was Eli and had gone to him to find out what he wanted. After the third time, Eli knew that it was the Lord calling Samuel. It was then that he gave Samuel the instructions in today’s verse.

Can you hear the Lord calling you? Are you so connected to the Lord that you recognize His voice when He is calling you? If you can’t recognize His voice, how do you know when He is calling you? I wonder, how many calls have you missed?

The Lord calls us to himself for instruction and guidance in life. He calls us to certain tasks in life. He calls those who are listening to hear His voice. There are so many voices out there calling us and vying for our attention. To be sure it is the Lord we are listening to, there are certain things we must do.

We must be willing to get away from the many activities of life and spend time alone with Him. We must find a time and place where we can be all alone with the Lord and focus on Him. You must be deliberate about this. Daily we must make a commitment to spend time in our meeting place with God. If you have to readjust your schedule so that you can do it, then do it. You will never know the voice of God unless you spend quality time alone with Him. If you are too busy to spend quality time with the Lord, your priorities are all messed up.

You must open your Bible, read it and meditate on it. You must be open to what the Lord says to you in it. You must ask the Lord to give you fresh truths to chew on. You must read the Word with the intent of applying it to your life.

You must spend time in prayer talking and listening to God. No subject is off-limits when talking to the Lord. The Lord wants you to talk about everything in your heart. He already knows about it, but it’s important for our sake for us to express it. Carrying on a conversation with God requires time and we can’t rush through it.

God does not confuse us. When we put ourselves into a position where we can hear the voice of God, we will hear and know that it is Him who is speaking to us.

 

SINNING AGAINST GOD

I Sam. 2:25 “If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede? But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put them to death. NLT

Our sins not only hurt us, but they cause damage to others. We may be guilty of leading others into sin or we may hinder other people from worshiping the Lord. We must weigh carefully how our sins will impact others. It is a very serious matter when we lead others astray because of our sin. It is a very serious matter when we damage the faith of others because of our sin.

It’s bad enough when we sin against each other, but Eli’s sons sinned against God and there was nothing Eli or anyone else could do about it. They had treated with contempt the things of God. They had used God for their own advantage. They had brashly treated in an unholy manner that which was holy before God. They had continued in their sin to the point that there was no turning back God’s anger. Their time was up. They had to now face God and account for their sin.

The Lord is not going to let us go on forever with our sin. Once we understand that we have sinned, we are held accountable by God for it. We may think we are getting away with it, but we’re not. God is just and all sin will be dealt with in His time. No one can stand in your place when you sin against God. No one can help you when you stir up God’s wrath against you.

The only way we can stave off God’s wrath when we sin against Him is to let Jesus intercede for us. He alone is qualified to stand between us and God. He alone has the right and authority to forgive sin. He alone can take away our sins so that God will not condemn us to spiritual death. He who refuses to acknowledge, confess and repent of their sins before Christ will surely die. Do you have sins you need to take to Jesus today?

BEWARE OF PRETENDERS

 

BEWARE OF PRETENDERS

I Sam. 2:12-15 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. Sometimes the servants would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting. NLT

Pretenders are everywhere. Often they are disguised very cleverly. They may stand out in the crowd as leaders. They may have all the appearances of people who have it all together, but in reality, they don’t. They may have winsome personalities and are smooth talkers. They may have great influence and are successes at what they do.

Jesus called people like that wolves in sheep clothing. Just because someone may have a title, position, or has authority does not mean they are speaking the truth. There are many church leaders who are scoundrels. They may have a lot of good things to say and may even do a lot of good things, but they are self-serving and not Christ-serving. Be aware of those who have no respect for their role of leadership and take advantage of others. Do not cater to their whims. Do not follow them.

Be wise and discerning. Have some guts and reject those who have no respect for the Lord or their position of leadership in the church. Speak out against them. Silence is not acceptable; it just gives them a license to continue to do what they are doing. There will always be those who will take advantage of others, even in the church. We have no one to blame but ourselves if we don’t hold our leaders accountable for the lives they live.

YOUR LIFE'S LEGACY

 

YOUR LIFE’S LEGACY

I Sam. 2:12-13a Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD or for their duties as priests. NLT

How would you like history to record your life? Eli was a priest, a respected leader in the Temple. He served the Lord faithfully all his life, and yet, there were his sons. They too were serving the Lord, but not like their father was. Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they were taking advantage of people and committing all kinds of sin while in office. These men had no respect for the Lord or his house. They used both for their own advantage. They unlawfully took of the offerings people brought into the Temple for their own purposes. The Scriptures also tell us that they often took advantage of women as they came into the Temple and abused them.

Scripture doesn’t tell us all the reasons why Eli’s sons turned out the way they did. We can only guess. They should have known better; their father was a priest who taught and lived the Word. Yet, they chose to ignore the Law and live for themselves and their pleasures. Given opportunity to serve the Lord, they abused their opportunity and rejected Him. Living under the constant presence and influence of God does not guarantee one will live for God.

We cannot control how our children ultimately will respond to the Lord. They have to decide for themselves whether or not they will live in Him and let Him guide their lives. But, we can influence their decision in a profound way by the way we live.

The issue before us today is: are you doing all you can to live a godly life so that those who watch you will be drawn to the Lord? How we live out what we teach has a huge impact on whether or not others will want to live the life we live. How about it? Are you doing all you can do to live a godly life, a life that is well-pleasing to the Lord? Your living will not guarantee that others will embrace your faith, but one thing is for sure, if you are not living what you profess and teach, it will give others an excuse to reject your faith. Live faithfully to the Lord and strive to obey His Word and you will be long remembered as an example worthy to be followed.

FUTILE RESISTANCE

 

FUTILE RESISTANCE

I Sam. 2:10 “Those who fight against the LORD will be broken. He thunders against them from heaven; the LORD judges throughout the earth. He gives mighty strength to his king; he increases the might of his anointed one.” NLT

Fighting against the Lord is futile, but we do it all the time. There is a price to pay for resisting what God wants to do in your life. Those who refuse to humble themselves before Him for salvation, lose their souls to sin and its consequences. Those who refuse to obey Him and serve Him, live in misery. Those who refuse to follow Him into a deeper walk with Him, miss out on the abundant life He came to give us. Those who refuse to hear His warnings and follow after their own desires, plunge into sin. Those who refuse to sit down and wait on the Lord for renewed strength, suffer the effects of burnout.

It is futile to think that you can fight against the Lord and win. He won’t stop you from trying, but neither will He let you win. Jesus came to make us whole, to right the wrong in our lives. He came to heal and forgive, to lead us into the life God intended for us to live when he first created Adam and Eve. Jesus opened up to us life at its best. Most of us don’t ever get to experience the best of the Christian life because we never give up the fight against His will for us.

If you want to enjoy the abundant life that is ours in Christ, you must submit to His authority over you with your whole heart. Are you willing to stop fighting against the Lord and get on with living in Him? Why waste your energy on a battle you cannot win? It’s your choice, wholeness or brokenness. You will never find peace in resisting the work that God wants to do in you. You will never know peace while contending with the Lord.

The Lord will drive everyone to their knees before Him. He breaks the spirit of all. Either we will bow before Him willingly or we will bow by force. Make it easy on yourself and humble yourself before Him now while you can. Let Him have His way with you.

PRAYING WITHOUT WORDS

 

PRAYING WITHOUT WORDS

I Sam. 1:15-16 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I’m not drunk! But I am very sad, and I was pouring out my heart to the LORD. Please don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” NLT

Hannah was childless. She and her husband, Elkanah had gone to the Tabernacle to present themselves to the Lord, as was their custom. Hannah was deep in prayer and her lips were moving but no words came out. Eli, the priest, had noticed Hannah praying and assumed that she was drunk.

There are times in which words just don’t cut it. Our hearts become so heavy that we can’t even express the emotions that we are feeling inside. During these times of life, no one can really help us, because no one really can understand how our circumstances are affecting our souls. The load is so heavy that all we can do is pray. Praying from the deep anguish of the soul is something that only God can hear and understand.

Praying without words may seem to be not right, but it is so right. The Lord listens to the heart. The words we utter do not always tell the true story of what is going on in us. The Lord reads the heart and is not swayed by what we say. This is both good and bad news.

The good news is that the Lord hears the prayers we can’t even pray. He knows what we need whether we can express it or not. The bad news is that we can’t fool God with our words. No matter how eloquent our prayers may be, God is not impressed. He listens to the heart. If what we say matches up with what is in our hearts, great things happen. If they don’t match, then our prayers don’t mean much.

Pray much, and if it works, use words. Words spoken are good if they come from the heart. If words just aren’t adequate, pray without words. Let your heart cry out to the Lord without words. He hears and answers the prayers of the anguished heart.

AGONY OF THE SOUL

 

AGONY OF THE SOUL

I Sam. 1:10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. NLT

Maybe you understand what Hannah went through. Either you have, or are now going through, something that defies words. No words of comfort help. No well-meaning words can make it better. The pain and anguish is so great that you feel like there is no hope, no help. If so, I would encourage you to do whatever you need to do in order to see the Lord. Zero in on Him.

Consider His love that moved Him to die on a cruel cross for our sins. Consider how though He was rejected by the world and deserted by His closest friends, He refused to not die for our sins. Think about our Savior who had to endure utter loneliness as He fought the battle for our souls. He had never in all eternity past known suffering or what it was like to be all alone, unable to reach out and touch our Father. The pain and anguish of His soul were so great that He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Thinking about our Lord won’t make our pain go away or change our circumstances, but it does help change our perspective. When we know that the Lord loves us more than life itself, that He willingly endured the physical and spiritual agony of the cross, it gets our minds off of ourselves and onto Him. No matter what may be agonizing your soul today, Jesus understands what you are going through and can help you.

He wants you to share your concerns, your burdens with Him. He wants you to put them on Him so that He can lighten your load. He wants you to see Him instead of focusing on your circumstances. He wants you to know today, that things are not as bad as they may seem. He is faithful to His children and will see you through the worst of what life may bring you. Your momentary struggles are not eternal. They will pass. The provisions and promises of God are sufficient for whatever you may be dealing with. Trust in the Lord. He will give you the strength you need and He will show you the way through your trials if you will let Him.

Tell Him how you are feeling. Tell Him about all you are going through. Tell Him everything that agonizes your soul today. He hears the heart cry of all who cry out to Him and gives peace and comfort. Jesus will help you if you will let Him.

GOD IS IN CONTROL

 

GOD IS IN CONTROL

Ruth 4:13 So Boaz married Ruth and took her home to live with him. When he slept with her, the LORD enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. NLT

The book of Ruth is a love story. It portrays the account of Ruth’s life as she learned to first love God and then Boaz. We discover how Ruth showed love and respect for her mother-in-law, Naomi. We learn how a godly woman acts in a strange land. We learn how God showed His love for Ruth by protecting her from unwelcome advances and blessed her for her strong work ethic.

Ruth reminds us of God’s sovereignty as He brought Ruth and Boaz together in the most unlikely of circumstances. We see God at work in both of their lives and because God was in control of their lives, great and unexpected things happened. Boaz and Ruth were married and had a son. Their son became the grandfather of King David. God had a plan and worked it out behind the scenes in the lives of two humble, submissive, godly people.

We don’t know what God is up to in our lives. We don’t know what difference our lives will make for all of eternity in someone else’s life. Live humbly and submissively before God and strive to be holy in all you do, and God will bless you and many others because you do. Great is the reward in heaven for those who let Jesus be Lord of their lives.

BLESS, DON'T JUDGE OTHERS

 

BLESS, DON’T JUDGE OTHERS

Ruth 2:12 “May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully.” NLT

Ruth had made a life choice. She chose to put her trust in the Lord. It was a deliberate act of leaving her childhood roots behind her and align herself up with God and His children. It was not a decision that she took lightly and it was noticed by all who came to know her.

Boaz was a godly man and he noticed. He knew that Ruth had counted the cost carefully before she took the Lord as her own and he respected her greatly for her decision.

We too should respect and honor those who turn away from sin and the life they knew and put their faith in God. We should encourage them in their walk of faith and come alongside them to help them in any way we can. We should lovingly support them with our friendship and prayers. We should ask the Lord to bless them with a full and abundant walk with Him.

Instead of quickly finding fault with those who give their lives to the Lord, we should take the high road and strive to spur them on to greater faith. We should lovingly teach them how to live a godly life and be patient with them when they mess up. And mess up they will, just like you and I do as we live by faith.

Be quick to bless and slow to judge those of the household of faith.

A GOOD STANDING

 

A GOOD STANDING

Ruth 2:4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The LORD be with you!” he said. “The LORD bless you!” the harvesters replied. NLT

Boaz was a landowner in Israel who was highly respected amongst the locals. He was a man of integrity and treated people well. He was known for his trustworthiness and integrity of heart. Daily when he went out to meet the harvesters in his fields, he would greet them with the Lord’s blessings on their day.

It causes me to wonder how others think of me. Am I known and respected for my devotion to the Lord and the way I treat others? As children of God, we should be recognized by those who know us as people who can be trusted to be fair and respectful to all. Others should know us by our integrity and devotion to the Lord.

In order for us to have a good standing in our churches and communities, we must first of all be totally committed to the Lord. We must seek Him daily in our lives and spend time alone in fellowship with Him as often as we can.

We must make our relationship with the Lord our first priority and then we will naturally be the kind of people who reflect His righteousness and goodness in all we do.

A BITTER LIFE

 

A BITTER LIFE

Ruth 1:20-21 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Instead call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why should you call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy?” NLT

Naomi went through some rough years of her life. She had left her home in Israel with her family to go to Moab because of a severe famine in the land, she lived in Moab for several years amongst a people who did not know or serve God, and she had to bury her husband and two sons. She knew what it was to suffer greatly. She had come to a point where seemingly all hope of enjoying the rest of her life was gone. Her life was indeed bleak.

Perhaps you can identify with how Naomi felt. She could only see how bad things were at the moment, not how good things might get in the future. She had lost all joy of living and her hope was nearly gone. She had no one who could hold her hand and help her through her sufferings. The only thing she knew to do was to go back to her home in Israel and try to live out the rest of her days.

Like so many whose lives are characterized by suffering, she blamed God for what was wrong with her life. It’s so easy to do, isn’t it? We don’t like suffering and when we do, we blame God. After all, He is supposed to love us and spare us from sufferings, isn’t He?

We must never forget that our sufferings serve a very important role in life. James tells us they help to mold and shape our faith. Jesus often spoke of the difficulty of living the life of faith. He never once promised us a life of comfort and ease. Paul reminds us that God is in control and everything He does is for our good, that He is working things out for us if we will but trust Him and let Him be in control.

God never promised us an easy road to heaven in this life. But, He does promise to walk with us each step we take. He promises us all we need to endure our sufferings. He promises us that it will be worth it all when we leave this life and see Jesus face-to-face.

Don’t let your circumstances determine your faith or confidence in God. Don’t let your heart become bitter because of how your life is. Fix your eyes upon Jesus, trust Him to walk with you and you will be able to live above your circumstances instead of underneath them.

CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL SERVE

 

CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL SERVE

Ruth 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go and live wherever you live. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God.” NLT

This verse has a special place in my heart. It was the foundation of the song my wife sang to me at our wedding. She sang it from her heart and has lived it for the over 40+ years of our marriage.

Naomi was on her way back to her home in Israel after spending many years in Moab because of a drought. Her two daughters-in-law were walking with her until Naomi stopped and encouraged them to go back to their native home in Moab. Ruth would have none of it. She insisted on going with Naomi and declared that she was adopting Naomi and her family as her own as well as the God of Israel as her own.

Ruth had discovered that God was real and only worth embracing as her own. In Moab, there were many gods that people turned to and worshiped, but Ruth knew they were not real and chose to align herself with God and His chosen people.

We also must choose. We must choose between the gods of this world or God. We can’t have it both ways. We either are aligned with God and His children or we’re not. Choose today whom you will live for and serve. If you do not choose to live in Christ, you are choosing to live for Satan.

RETURN HOME

 

RETURN HOME

Ruth 1:6 Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. NLT

Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, had gone to Moab with their family because there was a severe famine in Israel. They settled there and raised their family. Their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, married local girls. Over the course of time, Elimelech and his two sons died.

When Naomi heard that the famine was over, she headed home with her two daughters-in-law. She had wandered away from home, and now it was time to return.

Spiritually, we are prone to wander away from home, away from the love, safety, and security of the Lord. Some wander far, far, away and immerse themselves in the life of sin. Some wander away just far enough so that they lose touch with the Lord. No matter how long it has been, nor how far you have wandered, it’s always a good time to return home.

Dear friend, have you wandered away from the Lord? Maybe you didn’t even realize you had wandered, but now you know you did. The Lord just isn’t near. You no longer sense His love. You no longer hear His voice drawing you to Him. You perhaps have even lost your interest in Him. Perhaps the pleasures of sin have captivated you, yet you are not happy, you do not have peace in your soul.

Return home. Return to the lover of your soul, Jesus Christ the Lord. He has open arms waiting for you. He loves you and longs to welcome you home. No matter what you may have done, it’s not too late. Return to the Lord, confess your sins to Him, and ask Him to forgive you. He promises to draw near to you and give you His peace.

Return home. Jesus tells us in the story of the Prodigal Son that there was a great celebration when he returned home. He had left home and squandered away all that he had been given. He had partied until it was all gone. When he hit rock bottom, he returned home not knowing how he would be received. His father saw him coming at a distance and held a huge feast to celebrate. All heaven is waiting for you to come home. Great will be the joy in heaven when you do.

What are you waiting for? Return to Christ today and He will take the heavy burden of your sin from you, wash you clean with His shed blood, make you whiter than snow, and give you something worth living for. Today is your day of salvation. Don’t delay. Tomorrow may be too late.

WHO NEEDS GOD?

 

WHO NEEDS GOD?

Judges 17:6 In those days Israel had no king, so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. NLT

There was no one to hold them accountable, guide them, instruct them, etc. The Biblical record records what happened. People chased after the gods of the pagan nations. They practiced all kinds of evil. They treated God with little or no respect. They ignored God’s instructions and did not seek Him at all unless they were under great distress. They often ridiculed and even killed God’s prophets. Life was a mess and made for miserable living. They shut God out and had no one to turn to for help.

Left to ourselves, we will do what seems right in our own eyes. Considering that we were born into the darkness of sin and without God’s intervention can only see darkness, is it any wonder that we get into all kinds of trouble with God? What seems right to us is usually far from what is right to God. We reap what we sow. When we do what we want and not what God wants for us, we make a royal mess of life. The absence of God is fertile soil for evil to grow and flourish.

The Lord has not left us without a witness. He has clearly shown us a way to live that is not of our own making. God is all around us showing us a better way to live. He declares loudly for all to hear, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He reminds us over and over again that when we do what is right in our own eyes, we will self-destruct. We are not capable of living righteously on our own. We need a Savior and a Lord.

Who needs God? We all do!!!