Month: December 2019

1Samuel 15, The Rebellion of Saul.

1Sa 15:3, Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly DESTROY ALL THAT THEY HAVE, and DO NOT SPARE THEM. BUT KILL BOTH MAN AND WOMAN, INFANT AND NURSING CHILD, OX AND SHEEP, CAMEL AND DONKEY.’ ” 

AMALEK IS A TYPE OF SIN THAT WE MUST COMPLETELY DESTROY FROM OUR LIVES!

1Sa 15:9, BUT SAUL AND THE PEOPLE SPARED AGAG AND THE BEST OF THE SHEEP, THE OXEN, THE FATLINGS, THE LAMBS, AND ALL THAT WAS GOOD, AND WERE UNWILLING TO UTTERLY DESTROY THEM.

By sparing Agag and some animals Saul completely disobeyed GOD! We must utterly cut off sin from our lives! Spare nothing, including our favorite sin!

Psa 37:38-39, BUT THE TRANSGRESSORS SHALL BE DESTROYED TOGETHER; THE FUTURE OF THE WICKED SHALL BE CUT OFF. BUT THE SALVATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS FROM THE LORD; …

1Sa 15:15, And Saul said, “THEY have brought them from the Amalekites; FOR THE PEOPLE spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD YOUR GOD;…

SAUL BLAMES EVERYONE BUT HIMSELF! SAUL SAID IT BEST BY SAYING “YOUR GOD”! HE WASN’T SAUL’S GOD FOR HE WAS UNWILLING TO OBEY HIS WORD!

Psa 119:9, HOW CAN A YOUNG MAN CLEANSE HIS WAY? BY TAKING HEED ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. 

1Samuel 14, the faith of Jonathan!

1Sa 14:1, Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “COME, LET US GO OVER TO THE PHILISTINES’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father

While Saul was sitting the glory departed Saul; Jonathan was filled with faith in the LORD!

1Sa 14:6, …”Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; IT MAY BE THAT THE LORD WILL WORK FOR US. FOR NOTHING RESTRAINS THE LORD FROM SAVING BY MANY OR BY FEW.” 

Jonathan didn’t tell his father nor the people of Israel what he intended to do! He wasn’t looking for his own glory, but he knew the work of HIS GOD & HIS PROMISES! Nothing restrains GOD BUT OUR OWN FAITHLESSNESS!

Mat 13:58, Now He (JESUS) did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. 

1Sa 14:15, And there was TREMBLING IN THE CAMP, IN THE FIELD, AND AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE. THE GARRISON AND THE RAIDERS ALSO TREMBLED; and THE EARTH QUAKED, so that it was a VERY GREAT TREMBLING. 

JONATHAN & HIS ARMOR-BEARER STEPPED OUT IN FAITH, THEN THE LORD DID WHAT ONLY THE LORD COULD DO! HE CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO TREAMBLE IN FEAR WITH AN EARTHQUAKE AND CONFUSION! WE HAVE AN AMAZING POWER BEHIND US IF ONLY WE WOULD BELIEVE IN THE LORD & HIS WORD!

Rom 8:31, … IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?

1Samuel 13, King and Priest!

1Sa 13:9, So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” AND HE OFFERED THE BURNT OFFERING. 

Saul was a king but not a priest! Also reminds me of king Uzziah who did right according to the LORD Yet, was plagued with Leprosy for burning incense to the LORD! 2Chr 26:16-20.

2Ch 26:16, But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, TO HIS DESTRUCTION, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD TO BURN INCENSE ON THE ALTAR OF INCENSE. 

1Sa 13:11, And Samuel said, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, AND THAT YOU DID NOT COME WITHIN THE DAYS APPOINTED, and that the PHILISTINES GATHERED TOGETHER AT MICHMASH,

Saul, like a child, blames Samuel for not showing up on time! He felt compelled to do the work of a priest (ver 13)

THERE IS ONLY ONE KING AND PRIEST AND THAT IS THE LORD JESUS. HE IS THE KING OF kings AND LORD OF lords! HE IS ALSO THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO OFFERED HIMSELF RATHER THAN THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS TO COVER OUR SINS!

Heb 4:14-15, Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN.

1Samuel 12, Word of Wisdom!

1Sa 12:20-21, Then Samuel said to the people, “DO NOT FEAR. YOU HAVE DONE ALL THIS WICKEDNESS; YET DO NOT TURN ASIDE FROM FOLLOWING THE LORD, BUT SERVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART. AND DO NOT TURN ASIDE; FOR THEN YOU WOULD GO AFTER EMPTY THINGS WHICH CANNOT PROFIT OR DELIVER, FOR THEY ARE NOTHING.

Ecc 7:20, For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. 

It’s true, we all have fallen short of the glory of GOD yet, WE MUST CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE LORD AND NOT OUR HEARTS! GOING AFTER ANYTHING ELSE IS LIKE SEEKING A FALSE IDOL WHICH CANNOT DO ANYTHING!

Isa 46:7, They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, YET IT CANNOT ANSWER NOR SAVE HIM OUT OF HIS TROUBLE. 

1Sa 12:22, FOR THE LORD WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE, FOR HIS GREAT NAME’S SAKE, BECAUSE IT HAS PLEASED THE LORD TO MAKE YOU HIS PEOPLE. 

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE AND IN DROUGHT WE MAY DOUBT, BE ANXIOUS AND FEAR! YET HE IS FAITHFUL AND WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE! HE IS ALWAYS NEAR AND HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS! DO NOT BE RULED BY EMOTION, BUT BY FAITH IN THE ONLY TRUE AND LIVING GOD! HE SEE’S YOU!

Psa 94:14, For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. 

1Samuel 11, Victory over Nahash!

1Samuel 11:1, Then NAHASH the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “MAKE A COVENANT WITH US, AND WE WILL SERVE YOU.”

The name NAHASH stems from the name NÂCHÂSH found in Gen 3:1 which means SNAKE OR SERPENT. Son’s of Israel wanted to make a covenant with the Snake (satan)!

1Sa 11:2, And Nahash… answered them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you, THAT I MAY PUT OUT ALL YOUR RIGHT EYES, AND BRING REPROACH ON ALL ISRAEL.” 

AS CHRISTIANS WHEN THE ENEMY COMES UPON US WE FIGHT FROM A POSITION OF VICTORY YET, WE FORGET THIS SIMPLE FACT! Satan WANTS TO BLIND, ENSLAVE & HUMILIATE ALL CHRISTIANS. WHEN WE FORGET OUR LORD WE SUCCUMB TO FEAR!

Psa 56:3, WHENEVER I AM AFRAID, I WILL TRUST IN YOU.

Psa 34:4, I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME, AND DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS. 

HE IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH YET WE MAY FORGET AT TIMES AND SUBMIT OURSELVES TO FEAR AND ANXIETIES!  JESUS SAID HE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH US!

Jos 1:9, Have I not commanded you? BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE; DO NOT BE AFRAID, NOR BE DISMAYED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.”