Never Let Yourself Believe...

What God commands, He provides. Never let yourself believe His will is impossible, destructive, or harmful to you. If God asks you to do something, it’s the decision you make in obedience in your heart that He’s looking for, not your money, effort, or status. I don’t want to sound cliche, but I once heard this statement, “if it’s God’s will, it’s His bill”. We don’t ever need to take this for granted, just know the truth in God’s character. God will never ask you to do something that He’s not willing to provide us the means of accomplishing, and you not having the ability to do.

35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or extra clothing, did you need anything?”“No,” they replied. Luke 22:35

Guaranteed to Fail...

Being a Christian guarantees more than eternal life, it guarantees us that we will fail. The only difference between a believer and unbeliever in this regard is how a believer responds when he fails. He realizes his error, repents (turns around 180 degrees), and returns to God, who as a result of his contrition, strengthens them. Here, Jesus tells Peter this very thing.

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

The Privilege at Jesus’ Table....

Just think when we serve God in humility (of course being saved) we are granted the right to eat and drink at Jesus’ table in the Kingdom. Wow!!!

26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.28 “You have stayed with Me in My time of trial.29 And just as My Father has granted Me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right30 to eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:26-30

War In Your Heart....

Here’s something unbelievers don’t ever share with others: sinful behavior creates war in their heart. Lying, conniving, betraying, and breaking promises breeds discontentment and war in the heart. The way unbelievers deal with it is tenfold. This pursuit to “escape their reality” comes in many forms. Some ways bring “worldly success” and create a facade that covers over the turmoil that resides inside them. The pursuit of fame, money, power, sex, and all the other avenues only lead to desolate battlefields along the way. It’s not until we realize our true nature and God’s nature that we begin to make progress in finding peace. It’s Jesus that makes our peace treaty and ends the war in our hearts. When we come to Him with this burden, and only then, the war of our soul finally ends.

20 As for my companion, he betrayed his friends;he broke his promises.21 His words are as smooth as butter,but in his heart is war.His words are as soothing as lotion,but underneath are daggers! 22 Give your burdens to the Lord,and He will take care of you.He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. 23 But You, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction.Murderers and liars will die young,but I am trusting You to save me. Psalms 55:20-23

Watching In Real-Time...

Have you ever deeply thought about God’s sovereignty? I mean really dove into the recesses of it? Just think, God knows the beginning and end of your life here on earth. He knows your thoughts and desires. It’s like your life is one long movie in which God knows the plot, the climax, and the end. He knows exactly what you’re thinking right now. When I tell people God knows what’s going on in their lives most don’t believe me or just blow it off as superstition. The point I want to make here is twofold. First, if God knows what’s about to happen in my life, I should trust Him, for He is for us, not against us. He knows me better than I know myself. When I make the decision to pursue knowing God, I truly get to know myself better than I could ever know myself on my own. Secondly, if God knows what’s best, knows the outcome of my life, and loves me enough to die on a cross in my place, the only rational, logical response is to trust Him. And that trust isn’t any good until it’s lived out in action. Thomas Carlisle wrote, "Conviction, be it ever so excellent, is worthless until it converts itself into conduct." Our lives can be looked at as a movie. God wrote the script, and directed and produced it. It’s already been released and is in His theater. We, however, only get to watch it in real time, seeing the present and past, unknowing of the future. Our job is to trust the director and do what He says. By following the script (with obedience), the movie we participate in turns out to be the blockbuster, academy award winning movie in eternity. We just need to trust the director, knowing He knows the script better than we do. By participating with faith in the Director, we ensure our best in this life, and God changes us into a new creation. Do you see God as the Sovereign Director of your life?

1 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession. 2 When you leave me today, you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’3 “When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.5 “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying. 6 At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 7 After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. 8 Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.” 9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. 11 When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?”12 And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?” So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?”13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the place of worship. 14 “Where have you been?” Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant.“We were looking for the donkeys,” Saul replied, “but we couldn’t find them. So we went to Samuel to ask him where they were.”15 “Oh? And what did he say?” his uncle asked.16 “He told us that the donkeys had already been found,” Saul replied. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle what Samuel said about the kingdom. 1 Samuel 10:1-16

To Have Little, Yet....

The Bible says the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. I can’t agree more. We are much better off with having little and honoring God, than having great wealth (without God) that torments your daily life. The more you own, the more it owns you. Your time, talents, and attitude are all stolen by Satan, due to the lack of guidance from God. Without a healthy fear or reverence of God, the more likely you’ll have inner turmoil. That’s a place I never want to visit, even for just one a day.

16 Better to have little, with fear for the Lord,than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. Proverbs 15:16

Matching Up....

People without spiritual insight see themselves as good. They believe they are invincible, like a well guarded city wall. What they fail to realize, in keeping up with the “Jones”, is the darkness in the world starts with them. Our sinful nature cause us to do evil things. It’s our sinful nature that got us in this predicament to begin with. We can clean the outside of our cup (like Jesus told the Pharisees), but it’s the inside that needs attending to. Our appearance and the condition of our hearts must match up. If they don’t, then we need to get right with God. We can either spend our time working on the superficial stuff, or we can start making an impact on the world by doing what we all know we should do. As Wonder Woman stated at the end of the movie, “both darkness and light resides in each one of them (us), and it’s our own battle, that no superhero can conquer”. We need to ask God for this battle victory. Then and only then will our insides truly match up.

10 Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders,but the real danger is wickedness within the city. Psalms 55:10

A Master Story Teller....

Reading through the Bible year after year I read the same stories over and over. You’d think that I’d get bored reading something I’m well aware of, but I don’t. Each time I see different messages that mean something to me. I guess that’s why Paul tells us that God’s word is “alive and active”. If something is alive it moves, it breathes, and it enlightens. As I read about How King Saul came to be Israel’s first king, I can’t get over how God orchestrated his initial meeting with Samuel. A list set of donkeys brought Samuel and Saul together. Come on, donkeys? God is a master story teller, and He’s still writing the story of our lives. We should seek Him out on a daily basis, just as Saul and his servant did of Samuel. When you want to know, go to the Source.

1 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel–head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.3 One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.11 As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”12 “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of My people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on My people in mercy and have heard their cry.”17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule My people.”18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. 23 Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 24 So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.25 When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. 26 At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. 27 When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.” 1 Samuel 9

Serving The Only King...

We must always remember that as we choose to serve God, the world will see us as different and reject us. The world wants us to “fit in”, and it doesn’t matter what that costs. As Christians we are to do our best to not go out of our way to “fit in” by compromising our values. I’m not talking about tolerance or humility. When the world rejects us because we follow Jesus and believe what the Bible says is true, it’s because it rejects God first. We are only the by product of that rejection. Serving God makes us different for a reason. It’s to show people that serving God sets us apart. It makes us standout from the rest of the world. It’s supposed to. When people see us as different it sparks a natural curiosity inside them to want to know more. It’s in that pursuit of curiosity that we share the truth of the Gospel with them and God does His “stirring of the soul”. Here in 1 Samuel 8 we get an glimpse of “this world rejecting God” as Samuel is told by God to give Israel a king. Apparently, Israel was discontent with God due to the corrupt behavior of Samuel’s sons being corrupt judges (unlike their father). Israel wanted to be like other nations who had a king to rule over them. What Israel had forgotten was the fact that God was their King, so wanting to be like other nations meant rejection to the King they already had. Being different may bring hardship, rejection, persecution, and loneliness at times, but the rewards of serving the only King we were ever meant to have, has the greatest rewards and sends us on the most incredible adventure we could ever possibly imagine. Love God and people, cling to Him and His Word. It will make you “different” from the masses, but that “different” makes all the difference in the world.

1 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.4 Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. 5 “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”6 Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. 7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want Me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned Me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. 9 Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.” 1 Samuel 8:1-9

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. 20 “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” 1 Samuel 8:19-20

Seeing Spiritually...

While believers must live on this sin-marred earth and deal with all that comes with it, we must not lose heart and allow ourselves to be calloused or distracted by all that the world does to trap us in our own thinking. Being unaware spiritually is a trap set by the devil to keep us from seeing spiritually. We need to ask God in a daily basis to train us to see spiritually. Even though our physical eyesight may eventually fail us, our spiritual eyesight will only grow stronger. If we prioritize it.

34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware,35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth.36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

Stripping Away All the Distractions....

There’s something about nature that soothes the soul. Jesus, many times retreated to the wilderness to commune with the Father. Here the Psalmist wishes to fly away to the quiet of the wilderness. I can honestly say, I know exactly what he means by “quiet of the wilderness”. Nature has a way of stripping away all the distractions in life and allowing us to connect with our Maker. You should try it some time.

Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! 7 I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Psalms 55:6-7a

Serious About Getting Right....

If you are serious about getting right with God, it’s a simple process. It’s just not easy letting go of self. God will see you through, if it’s truly what your heart desires, for He knows it better than we do.

3 Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the Lord; then He will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord. 1 Samuel 7:3-4

Willfully or Defiantly....

God will be praised. Every knee will eventually bow to Him. He doesn’t share His glory with anyone here in earth. Not even statues of false gods. You’ll either do it willfully (out of love and respect), or bow defiantly on your way into eternity without Him.

1 After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. 2 They carried the Ark of God into the temple of Dagon and placed it beside an idol of Dagon. 3 But when the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord! So they took Dagon and put him in his place again. 4 But the next morning the same thing happened–Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold. 1 Samuel 5:1-5

Serving With No Reservations....

When we truly give our hearts to God, and serve Him with no reservations, we will never be useless. Even in our darkest hour, God will still use us to shine His truth into the lives of others. We must never give up hope or think God doesn’t care, because He will always use a willing spirit to rescue lost souls. And those souls we help rescue, will be a great reward in Heaven. What you do matters, especially when it involves persecution. Get and stay close to God, it’s the only true and real way to live.

12 “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are My followers.13 But this will be your opportunity to tell them about Me.14 So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you,15 for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!16 Even those closest to you–your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends–will betray you. They will even kill some of you.17 And everyone will hate you because you are My followers.18 But not a hair of your head will perish!19 By standing firm, you will win your souls. Luke 21:12-19

Praising God Consistently....

Praising God in the good, as well as hard times, is what the Christian life is all about. Trusting Him daily with your life is how it should be. When is it hardest to trust Him? Do you praise Him during those times?

6 I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to You;I will praise Your name, O Lord,for it is good.7 For You have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies. Psalms 54:6-7

Staying In God’s Word.....

Why is it important to stay in God’s word? Because it keeps our heart close to Him. When we drift or go so far to abandon God, His presence becomes hard to find. Just because we know God doesn’t guarantee us victory in our battles. Certainly God won’t abandon us in times of need. But He May discipline us when we stray or rebel. Humility is always a sign of our closeness to God. When humility is lacking in our lives, we must examine our hearts. We will most likely find ourselves living for self, which means God isn’t our focus. Once this happens, we can no longer think God will give you victory in our battles. He may always be with us, but when we stray, He usually has a way of bringing us back. And that usually involves pain, loss, and events that humble us. In this passage we read of the Israelites fighting the Philistines. They believe they will win the battle because the Ark is in the battlefield with them. What they forget to acknowledge is the fact that their hearts are not right with God. Just because God is on a believer’s side doesn’t guarantee victory in our battles. We have to align our hearts with His, and continually pray for His protection and rescue. That’s what walking with God is all about.

At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4 ,000 men. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30 ,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed. 1 Samuel 4:1c-11

Reality Usually Sets Us Straight....

When I was a child we used to play all kinds of fun games. We would watch a movie then pretend we were one of the characters in it. Star Wars, numerous military movies, and of course all the movies with larger than life characters. I remember when we watched Rocky lll, we went to the sporting good store and purchased boxing gloves. My friend and I then proceeded to the “backyard boxing ring” and started to beat on each other. My brother then came out with his friend (3 years older than we were), who was much larger than both of us and asked if he could try on the gloves. He then asked if he could spar with my friend. One punch later my friend was a little woozy (punch drunk). I had a great imagination, and still do, but I’ve realized when you pretend for more than a few minutes, reality will usually set you straight. If it doesn’t, then you’ll begin to believe your own fantasy to be real and start reaping the consequences of your contrived Pseudo-reality. After awhile you will lose touch with truth and start to make up your own. Here in Luke chapter 20 we see the sadducees living out their false reality. Jesus confronts then with the truth, and they don’t receive it well. Pretending to be something you’re not or believing something to be true when it’s not, will only lead you down a path of destruction; especially if you promote your pseudo-reality to others as being the only way to live.

45 Then, with the crowds listening, He turned to His disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.” Luke 20:45-47

You’ll Never Know Yourself Better Than...

You will never know yourself better than God knows you. Until you understand the only way to truly know yourself is by knowing our Maker, pursuing anything other than God will be in vain.

11 Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the Lord.How much more does He know the human heart! Proverbs 15:11

Who Gets the Credit?

When you start to think you’re a good person, read Psalm 53. It’s a reminder that no one but God is good. Jesus used this passage when He spoke with the rich young ruler. It’s not even possible to do good without God’s help. Remember, every perfect and good work comes from Him. We can’t take the credit. True believers know this. Everyone else thinks they can. How foolish.

 1 Only fools say in their hearts,“There is no God.”They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;not one of them does good! 2 God looks down from heavenon the entire human race;He looks to see if anyone is truly wise,if anyone seeks God.3 But no, all have turned away;all have become corrupt.No one does good,not a single one! 4 Will those who do evil never learn?They eat up my people like breadand wouldn’t think of praying to God.5 Terror will grip them,terror like they have never known before.God will scatter the bones of your enemies.You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them. 6 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?When God restores His people,Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. Psalms 53

How Would You Respond?

If you knew God opposed you due to disobedient behavior, and that you were going to die soon because of it, do you think your reaction would resemble anything close to Eli’s response to Samuel when he was told of God’s conversation with Samuel the night before?

17 “What did the Lord say to you? Tell me everything. And may God strike you and even kill you if you hide anything from me!” 18 So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back. “It is the Lord’s will,” Eli replied. “Let Him do what he thinks best.” 1 Samuel 3:17-18

Justice is always served...

Evil behavior has consequences. Just think, if people knew before they committed a crime that they would be put to death for it, do you think they’d follow through and do it? Justice is always served.

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. 1 Samuel 2:25

Who Is In Control?

God is in control. For us to think any different would be foolish. He helps the needy, gives both life and death, and brings some down while lifting others up. He makes some poor and others rich. He has set the world in order. Why would anyone try to take credit away from God? He owns everything. The only answer to this question would be the fact that we all have a sinful nature. It is naturally wanting to promote self. This is contrary to what God intends. It’s not for us to demand our own way, rather seek the good God wants by seeking His will and obeying it. As it says, “no one will succeed by strength alone”, and yet so many still try doing life on their own.

21 Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord!The Lord has made me strong.Now I have an answer for my enemies;I rejoice because You rescued me.2 No one is holy like the Lord!There is no one besides You;there is no Rock like our God. 3 “Stop acting so proud and haughty!Don’t speak with such arrogance!For the Lord is a God who knows what You have done;He will judge your actions.4 The bow of the mighty is now broken,and those who stumbled are now strong.5 Those who were well fed are now starving,and those who were starving are now full.The childless woman now has seven children,and the woman with many children wastes away.6 The Lord gives both death and life;He brings some down to the grave but raises others up.7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich;He brings some down and lifts others up.8 He lifts the poor from the dustand the needy from the garbage dump.He sets them among princes,placing them in seats of honor.For all the earth is the Lord’s,and He has set the world in order. 9 “He will protect His faithful ones,but the wicked will disappear in darkness.No one will succeed by strength alone.10 Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.He thunders against them from heaven;the Lord judges throughout the earth.He gives power to His king;He increases the strength of His anointed one.” 1 Samuel 2:1-10

The Purification Process....

Here’s one sure thing that will constantly be near you as you grow in your walk with the Lord: you will be tested to see if your gold is pure. This purification process will involve flattery, deception, and opposition. Satan will constantly be tempting you to find something that he will use to invalidate your testimony. He will even use half truths to get into your head and begin to stir your pride. We must be careful and insulate ourselves with God’s truth. Allowing the Holy Spirit to keep us from these evil plots is the only true defense we have. Here in Luke chapter 20, we see this very thing play out. The Pharisees even go so far to tell Jesus, “we know that You speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully.” We must be very careful not to fall for this type of rhetoric, by knowing God’s word. And even more important is knowing God Himself. Truth always silences the critics.

20 Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. 21 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. 22 Now tell us–is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”23 He saw through their trickery and said, 24 “Show Me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”“Caesar’s,” they replied.25 “Well then,” He said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”26 So they failed to trap Him by what He said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by His answer, and they became silent. Luke 20:20-26

Stumble or Crushed?

God gives every soul on earth a choice. You either choose Him, or you choose everything other than Him. With that comes the rewards and consequences of your choice. Which leads us to the question, “would you rather stumble or be crushed?

17 Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 18 Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”19 The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized He was telling the story against them–they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Luke 20:17-19

What’s Missing in the Medium...

The reason I don’t watch much TV is because most of the time truth is missing in the medium. Occasionally, I’ll come across truth being projected in a show or comment, but it’s rare. The reason being, as found in this proverb, the heart of a fool has no wisdom to give. You can’t give what you don’t possess. We live in a world where everyone has an opinion. And they think their opinion matters; like it’s the law. If you don’t follow their hollow advice then something is wrong with you. We have come to think opinions and truth are linked. In reality, truth trumps anyone’s opinion, because it comes from God. His ways are above our ways, and His thoughts are above our thoughts (Isaiah 55). If Shakespeare could be alive today, I think his often quoted statement would be radiated through the living rooms of America when he watches 99.9% of all news and talk shows: “This life, which had been the tomb of his virtue and of his honour, is but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” And “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.”

7 The lips of the wise give good advice;the heart of a fool has none to give. Proverbs 15:7

Productive and Secure....

Do you want to be productive and secure? Do you want to thrive instead of dragging your feet through life? Do you want to live deceived by trusting in wealth? Then trust in God. Place your faith in the immovable, unshakable, and everlasting God. It won’t depend on you, for He is outside of you. And He doesn’t change so you can rest assured. When you place your trust and faith in God, you will thrive like the olive tree, productive and secure. Sounds like everything the world strives for but cannot gain because they don’t seek the Lord.

6 The righteous will see it and be amazed.They will laugh and say,7 “Look what happens to mighty warriorswho do not trust in God.They trust their wealth insteadand grow more and more bold in their wickedness.” 8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.9 I will praise You forever, O God,for what You have done.I will trust in Your good namein the presence of Your faithful people. Psalms 52:6-9

Make or Break You....

The Christian faith can make or break you. God longs for all of us to come to embrace “the way of peace”. Jesus longed for that so much so, He began to weep over Jerusalem. The heart of God is revealed in this short passage. It’s our responsibility to respond when we are called. If we don’t, we will be left out of the eternal kingdom, one day when Jesus returns. And there will be no one to blame, except for yourself.

41 But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side.44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.” Luke 19:41-44

Gentle Words....

A sure-fire way of ruining someone’s day is to lie to someone. The way you present it, also plays a major role in wounding a spirit. As it says here, when we choose gentleness and respect in dealing with people, regardless of how they are treating us, it provides us with fresh fruit to eat, and it edifies the other person. It’s not blowing smoke.... rather it’s just applying the “Golden Rule”.

4 Gentle words are a tree of life;a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4

Immeasurable Loyalty...

How many people have this kind of relationship with anyone? Let alone with God Himself. I’d say on a scale of 1 to 1 trillion, you’d find a few. Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-law was immeasurable. When Ruth tells Naomi that her God will be my God, we truly get a sense of Ruth’s desperate longing to belong. Because of Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi, and her willingness to take care of her, God rewarded her. She became the great grandmother of King David. And eventually the great, great..... grand mother of Jesus. All of this because she followed Naomi.

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. Ruth 1:16-18

17 The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. Ruth 4:17

Security in the Union...

With all the talk and actions of our country‘s attempt at redefining marriage, here we get a glimpse of what a God-centered marriage does for its participants. Naomi is talking to her two daughters-in-law when she tells them, “may the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage”. Think about that for one second. God blesses us with a secure marriage. Marriage brings security. And it’s a blessing. When we redefine marriage with anything other than what God intended, it won’t bring security into the union. And it won’t be a blessing either.

8 But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. Ruth 1:8-9

What We Possess...

One key to living a content filled life is taking responsibility for what you possess, and making good use of it. When our eyes focus on other things, usually what we don’t have, we end up neglecting what God has entrusted us with. These blessings when used properly, usually lead to more blessings. It shows God that we are worthy of what He has giving us. Keep your focus on using what you’ve been given, and use it for helping others. That way, others may see your good deeds and praise God for it.

11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because He was nearing Jerusalem, He told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’15 “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were.16 The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’17 “ ‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’18 “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’19 “ ‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’20 “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe.21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’22 “ ‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant,23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’24 “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’25 “ ‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’26 “ ‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.27 And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king–bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’ ” Luke 19:11-27