Let Your Service is for God.. Jeremiah 38

Judah's leader persecuted Jeremiah repeatledly for faithfully proclaiming God's messages. For 40 years of faithful ministry, he received no acclaim, no love, no popular following. He was beaten, jailed, threatened, and even forced to leave his homeland.

Only the pagan Babylonians showed him any respect. God does not guarantee that HIS servants will escape persecution, even when they are faithful. But God does promise that HE will be with them and will give them strength to endure. 

As you minister to others, recognize that your service for God and not just for human approval. God rewards our faithfulness, but not always during our lifetime.

Trust Does Not Come Easy.. Jeremiah 32

It wasnt easy for Jeremiah to publicly buy land already capture by the enemy. But he trusted God.

It wasnt easy for David to believe that he would become kingeven after he was anointed. But he trusted God.

It wasnt easy for Moses to believe that he and his people would escape Egypt, even after God spoke to him from a burning bush. But he trusted God.

It isnt easy for us to believe that God can fulfill HIS "impossible" promises either, but we must trust HIM. God, who worked in the lives of biblical heroes, will work in our lives, too, if we will let HIM.

Run and Hide or Call on God.. Jer 11

To Jeremiah's surprice, the people of Anathoth, his hometown, were plotting to kill him. They wanted to silence Jeremiah's message for several reasons;

1) economic--his condemnation of idol worship would hurt the business of the idol makers;

2) religious--the message of doom and gloom made the people feel depressed and guilty;

3) political--he openly rebuked their hypocritical politics and;

4) personal--the people hated him for showing them that they were wrong.

Jeremiah had two options : run and hide, or call on God. Jeremiah called, and God answered. Like Jeremiah, we can either run and hide when we face opposition because of our faithfulness to God, or we can call on God for help. Hiding compromises our message, calling on God lets HIM reinforce it

God's Chosen Servant .. isa 53

How could an Old Testament person understand the idea of Christ dying for our sins--actually bearing the punishment that we deserved? But God has pulling aside the curtain of time to let people of Isaiah's day look ahead to the suffering of the future Messiah and that resulting forgiveness made availabe to all people.

We have the hindsight to see and know the identity of the promised Messiah, who has come and died for our sins. But if we know all that Jesus did and still reject HIM, our sin is much greater than that of the ancient Israelites.

Have you given your life to Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, or are you still going your own way like a wandering sheep?

Here, the sinless servant of the Lord offers HIMself for our sins. HE is the lamb offered for the sins of all people.

The Messiah suffered for our sake, bearing our sins to make us acceptable to God. What can we say to such love? How will we respond ti HIM?

Today's Idolatry--Money Fame Power.. Isaiah 44

Isaiah tells us , "who but a fool would make his own god--an idol that cannot help him one bit?".

we think of idols as statues of wood or stone, but in reality idols is anything natural that is given sacred value and power.

If your answer to any of the following questions is anything or anyone other than God, you may need to check out who or what you are worshiping;

1) who created me?

2) whom do i ultimately trust?

3) whom do i look to for ultimate truth?

4) whom do i look for security and happiness?

5) who is in charge of my future?

Being Young--A Life Without God.. Ecc 12

A life without God can produce bitterness, loneliness, and hopelessness in old age. A life centered around God is fulfilling and can be richer and more bearable when we faced with disabilities, sickness, or handicaps.

Being young is exciting. But the excitement of youth can become a barrier to closeness with God if it makes young people focus on passing pleasures instead of eternal values. 

Make your strength available to God when it is stil yours--during your youthful years. Dont waste it on evil or meaningless activities that become bad habits and make you callous.. Seek God now.

It Is All Decided by Chance--by Being in The Right Place at The Right Time.. Ecc 9

It isnt difficult to think of cases where the fastest and the strongest dont win, the wise are poor, and the skillful are unrewarded with wealth or honor. Some people see such examples and call life unfair, and they are right.

The world is finite , and sin has twisted life, making it what God did not intend. Solomon is trying to reduce our expectations. The book of Proverbs emphasized how life would go if everyone acted fairly; ecclesiastes explains what usually happens in our sinful and imperfect world.

We must keep our perspective. Dont let the inequities of life keep you from earnest, dedicated work. We serve God, not people.

Prosperity is not always good--adversity is not always bad.. Ecc 6

Solomon shows that having the right attitude about God can help us deal with present injustices.

Prosperity is not always good, and adversity is not always bad. But God is always good; if we live as HE wants us to, we will be content.

Many people died without being able to enjoy his wealth and honor. Many people work hard to prolong life and improve their physical condition. Yet people spend little time or effort on their spiritual health. How shortsighted it is to work hard to extend this life and not take the time for eternity.

Jealousy One Step Short of Murder.. 1Sam18

Saul's appreciation for David turned to jealousy as people began to applaud David's exploits. In a jealous rage, Saul attempted to murder David by hurling his spear at him. Jealousy may not seem to be a major sin, but in reality , it is one step short of murder. Jealousy start as you resent a rival, it leads you to your wishing he or she removed, then it manifest itself in your seeking ways to harm that person in word or action.

Beware of letting jealousy get a foothold in your life.

What Made David Effective... 1Sam17

David was able to move faster than Goliath because David Carried no weapons or armor. David was expert marksman with a sling, and as he advanced on Goliath, he stayed out of range of Goliath's huge weapon. What made David effective, however, was more than his ability with a sling, it was his courage and his faith in God. To fight like David we need David's kind of fearlessness. David had grown strong in his confidence by trusting God when he had encountered wild animals while guarding his father's sheep.

When you face towering problems, recall how God has helped you in the past. Take heart because God goves you strength. Use the skills God has already given you and move forward.

A Difference Perspective.. 1Sam17

What a difference perspective can make. Most of the onlookers saw only a giant. David, however, saw a mortal man defying almighty God. Goliath was a target too big to miss. He knew he would not be alone when he faced Goliath; God would fight with him. He looked at his situation from God's point of view. Who or what are the giants are you facing? Viewing impossible situations from God's point of view helps us put giant problems in perspective. Once we see clearly, we can fight more effectively.

Critism couldnt stop David. While the rest of the army stood aroung, he knew the importance of taking action. With God to fight for him, there wasno reason to wait. People may try to discourage you with negative comments or mockery, but continue to do what you know is right. By doing what is right, you will pleasing God, whose opinion matters most.

Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice.. 1Sam15

Saul thought he had won a great victory over the amalekites, but God saw it as a great failure because Saul had disobey HIM and then lied to Samuel about the result of the battle. Saul may have thought his lie wouldnt be detected, or that he did was not wrong, Saul was deceiving himself.

Dishonest people soon begin to believe your own lies, you deceive yourself, you alienate yourself from God, and you lose credibility in all your relationships, in the long run, honesty wins out.

Obedience is better than sacrifice, was Samuel saying that sacrifice is unimportant?

No, he was urging Saul to look at his reasons for making the sacrifice itself. A sacrifice was a ritual transaction between a person and God that physically demonstrated a relationship between them. But if the person's heart was not trully repentant or if he did not trully love God, the sacrifice was a hollow ritual. Religious ceremonies or rituals are empty unless they are performed with an attitude of love and obedience.

Being religious (going to church, serving a committee, giving to charity) is not enough if we do not act out of devotion and obedience to God.

When God Said He Was Sorry, Was He Made a Mistake?.. 1Sam15

When God said HE was sorry that HE had made Saul king, HE was saying HE had made a mistake? 

God's comment was an expression of sorrow, not an admission of error. An omniscient God cannot make a mistake; therefore, God did not change His mind. HE did, however, change HIS attitude toward Saul when Saul changed. Saul's heart no longer bellonged to God but to his own interest.

Saul thought he had won a great victory over the Amalekites, but God saw it as a great failure because Saul had disobeyed HIM and then lied to Samuel about the result of the battle. Saul may have thought his lie would not be detected, or that what he did was not wrong. Saul was deceiving himself.

Dishonest people soon, begin to believe the lies they construct aroung themselves. Then they lose the ability to tell the difference between truth and lies. By believing your own lies, you deceive yourself, you allienate yourself from God, and you lose credibility in all your relationships. In the long run, honesty wins out.

Why Sometimes Ungodly People Win Battles?.. 1Sam14

Why was Saul so successful right after he had disobeyed God and been told that his reign would end. Sometimes ungodly people win the battles. Victory is neither guaranteed nor limited to the righteous. God provides according to HIS will. God might have given Saul success for the sake of the people, not for Saul. HE may have left Saul on the throne for a while to utilize his military talents so that David, Israel's next king, could spend more time focusing on the nation's spiritual battles. Regardless of God's reasons for delaying Saul's demise, his reign ended exactly the way God had foretold. The timing of God's plans and promises id known only to HIM. Our task is to commit our ways to God and then trust HIM for the outcome.

Courage to Admit a Mistake.. 1Sam14

After being King for several years, Saul finally built his first altar to God, but only as a last resort. Throughout Saul's reign he consistently approached God only after he had tried everything else. This was in sharp contrast to the priest, who suggested that God be consulted first. How much better if Saul had gone to God first, building an altar as his first official act as king. God is to great to be an afterthought. 

Saul made foolish vows because he was overly anxious to defeat the Philistines and wanted to give his soldiers an incentive to finish the batlle quickly. God never asked people to make vows, but if they did, HE expected them to keep them.

Saul had issued a ridiculous command and had driven his men to sin. But still he wouldnt back down even if he had to kill his son. When we make ridiculous statements, it is difficult to admit we are wrong. Sticking to the story, just to save face, only compounds the problem. It takes more courage to admit a mistake than to hold resolutely to an error.

God is never intimidate by the size or the complexity of a problem.. 1Sam14

Why would Jonathan go alone to attack the Philistines? Jonathan may have been weary of long, hopeless standoff in the battle; he trusted God to give the victory and wanted to act on that trust. He also knew that the number of Philistines was no problem for God. Perhaps he didnt tell his father about his mission because he thought Saul would not lethim go.

Jonathan and his armor bearer were not much of a force to attack the huge philistines army. But while everyone else was afraid and brave action of these two men with a tremendous victory.

Have you ever felt surrounded by the enemy or faced overwhelming odds? God is never intimidated by the size of the enemy or the complexity of a problem. With HIM, there are always enough resources you have to God, and rely upon you to victory.

God uses delays to test our obedience and patience.. 1Sam13

Rather than waiting for a priest, Saul offered the sacrifice himself. This was againts God's laws. Under pressure from the approaching Philistines, he took matters into his own hands and disobeyed God. He was doing a good thing , but he did it in the wrong way. 

Like Saul, our true spiritual character is revealed under pressure. The methods we use to accomplish our goals are as important as the attainment of those goals.

It is difficult to trust God when you feel your resources slipping away. When Saul felt that the time was running out, he became impatient with God's timing. In thinking that the ritual was all he needed, he substituted the ritual for faith in God. 

When faced with a difficult decision, dont allow impatience to drive you to disobey God. When you know what God's wants, follow HIS plan regardless of the consequences. God often uses delays to test our obedience and patience.

Saul had plenty of excuses for his disobedience. But Samuel zeroed in on the real issue. "you have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you". Like Saul, we often gloss over our mistakes and sins, trying to justify our actions because of our 'special' circumstances. Our excuses, however, are nothing more than disobedience. 

God knows our true motive, HE forgives, restores, and blesses only when we are honest about our sins. By trying to hide his sins behind excuses, Saul lost his kingship.

Growing Pride Left Unchecked.. 1Sam13

Jonathan attacked and destroyed the Philistine outpost, but Saul took all the credit for it. Although this was normal in that culture, it didnt make his action right. Saul's growing pride started out small--taking credit for a battle that was won by his son. Left unchecked, his pride grew into an ugly obssession, thus, it destroyed him, tore his family apart, and threatened the wellbeing of the nation.

Taking credit for the accomplishments of other indicates that pride is controlling your life. When you notice pride taking a foothold, take immediate steps to put it in check by giving credit to those who deserve it.

Count on God's Provision to Step Up to Your Future.. 1Sam10

Israel's true king was God, but the nation was demanded another. Imagine wanting a human being instead of God as guide & leader! Throughout history, men and women have rejected God, and they continue to do it today. Are you rejecting God by pushing HIM aside and acknowledging someone or something else as your king or top priority? Learn from these stories of Israel's kings, and dont push God aside.

When the Israelites assembled to choose a king, Saul already knew he was the one. Instead coming forward, however, he hid among the baggage. Often we hide , from important responsibilities because we are affraid of failure, affraid of what others will think, or perhaps unsure about how to proceed. Prepare now to step up to your future responsibilities. Count on God's provision rather than your feelings of adequacy.

the Spirit even came upon unbelievers.. 1Sam10

Often we think that events 'just happen' to us, but as we learn from Saul, God may use common accurences to lead us where HE wants. It is important to evaluate all situations as potential 'divine appointments designed to shape our lives. Think of all good and bad circumtances that have affected you lately. Can you see God's purpose in them? Perhaps HE is building a certain quality in you or leading you to serve HIM in a new area.

How could Saul be so filled with the Spirit and yet later commit such evil acts? Throughout the Old Testament. God's Spirit 'came upon' a person temporarily so that God could use him / her for great acts. This was not always a permanent, abiding influence, but sometimes a temporary manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Yet, at times in the Old Testament, the Spirit even came upon unbelievers to enable them to do unusual tasks. The Holy Spirit gave the person power to do what God asked, but it dis not always produce the other fruits of the Spirit, such as self-control. Saul, in his early years as king, was a different person as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in him. But as Saul's power grew, so did his pride. After a while he refused to seek God, The Spirit left him, and his good attitude melted away.