Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 15-17
1 Samuel 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord 's, and he will give you into our hands.
How did a young boy have this kind of faith and courage while the armies of Israel were shaking in fear? David knew his God! He knew the Word and he knew what God's Word said in regard to facing the enemies of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 20:1-4 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, 3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4 For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Israel was not to cower before their enemies because God had promised to fight for them. David knew this. Saul did not.
Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Do you know the Word? If you do, you will be able to face the giants in your life with faith. If you do not, you might just cower before them.
Get into the Word and know the promises of God. It will produce the faith you need to face every challenge that comes your way!
In Christ,
Rody
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
A man after his own heart
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 13-14
1 Samuel 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
Saul would not obey the Lord. He was a pragmatist. He looked at the advance of the Philistines and the delay of the prophet and he could wait no longer. He offered the burnt offerings himself. He overstepped his bounds. He would not wait for God's timing.
His disobedience came from his lack of faith in God. Obedience always flows from faith. You will act on that which you believe. If you believe the prophet is coming, you will wait. If you do not, you will act. Saul acted and it was wrong.
Samuel declared that God sought a man after his own heart. What is that man like? Is God still looking for a man after his own heart? The Bible tells us that God found that man in David.
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
A man after God's own heart wants the will of God to be done. He will obey the Word of the Lord. The other thing about a man after God's own heart is that he is looking for worshippers.
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The Father is seeking worshippers. He is pleased with faith (Hebrews 11:6). He wants those who pray for his will to be done in earth as it is in heaven. Are you a worshipper? Are you a man or a woman after God's own heart?
If you trust in Jesus, he will give you a new heart that is in line with his!
In Christ,
Rody
1 Samuel 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
Saul would not obey the Lord. He was a pragmatist. He looked at the advance of the Philistines and the delay of the prophet and he could wait no longer. He offered the burnt offerings himself. He overstepped his bounds. He would not wait for God's timing.
His disobedience came from his lack of faith in God. Obedience always flows from faith. You will act on that which you believe. If you believe the prophet is coming, you will wait. If you do not, you will act. Saul acted and it was wrong.
Samuel declared that God sought a man after his own heart. What is that man like? Is God still looking for a man after his own heart? The Bible tells us that God found that man in David.
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
A man after God's own heart wants the will of God to be done. He will obey the Word of the Lord. The other thing about a man after God's own heart is that he is looking for worshippers.
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The Father is seeking worshippers. He is pleased with faith (Hebrews 11:6). He wants those who pray for his will to be done in earth as it is in heaven. Are you a worshipper? Are you a man or a woman after God's own heart?
If you trust in Jesus, he will give you a new heart that is in line with his!
In Christ,
Rody
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 9-12
1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Samuel was a prophet and a judge in Israel. He was responsible for anointing the first two kings of Israel at God's command. He was a leader. He was an intercessor.
He knew that the people's desire for a king was wicked.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. 7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
1 Samuel 10:19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.
1 Samuel 12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king.
And yet, he loved the people and he knew they were the recipients of God's covenant. It would have been easy for him to grow bitter. It would have been a great temptation for him to be judgmental and have wanted to quit his prophet's role in Israel. But he did not choose those routes. He chose prayer. Even more! He said it would be sin for him not to pray for his people.
Do you have that kind of heart? Do you pray for the people of God? Even when they do wickedly? God's heart is to give mercy, grace and forgiveness.
1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
You do not have to wink at sin. You need to pray for your brother. Please let the Holy Spirit break your heart over the sin of this world and be an intercessor.
In Christ,
Rody
1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Samuel was a prophet and a judge in Israel. He was responsible for anointing the first two kings of Israel at God's command. He was a leader. He was an intercessor.
He knew that the people's desire for a king was wicked.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. 7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
1 Samuel 10:19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.
1 Samuel 12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king.
And yet, he loved the people and he knew they were the recipients of God's covenant. It would have been easy for him to grow bitter. It would have been a great temptation for him to be judgmental and have wanted to quit his prophet's role in Israel. But he did not choose those routes. He chose prayer. Even more! He said it would be sin for him not to pray for his people.
Do you have that kind of heart? Do you pray for the people of God? Even when they do wickedly? God's heart is to give mercy, grace and forgiveness.
1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
You do not have to wink at sin. You need to pray for your brother. Please let the Holy Spirit break your heart over the sin of this world and be an intercessor.
In Christ,
Rody
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