1 Samuel_28

Scripture  1Samuel 28:5-7 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”

 

Observation- What does it say?

 

The Philistines were positioning themselves to come against Israel and when Saul saw the armies he freaked out. Not just “wide eyed” freaked out but “terror filled his heart”.

Understanding- What does it mean?

Humble yourself and go straight to God!  

 

Wow! Why wouldn’t Saul just go straight to God. He was going to God through different channels, “Well, let me see if God will talk to me through dreams, ugh, that didn't work. Ok let’s try divination or are there any prophets in the room?” And when that didn't work his fear was so great that he had to go back to the things he had gotten rid of and probably said he would never use again. A medium! To contact the dead no less!  Why wouldn’t Saul just call out to God!! “Oh Lord God of Israel, merciful and abounding in love. Help me! I am afraid and the armies surround your chosen people Israel. Would it be possible to find favor in your eyes? I was once the anointed king of Israel, I have fallen many times so short of ever coming close to being what you have desired. Even now I am not worthy of a drop of love from you and even still I am calling out to you for help! I am sorry for being afraid and not trusting in you. I am sorry for always pushing my agenda, never fully following through with what you ask of me, I am sorry for caring more about my own life than being fully devoted to you!” It was as if his heart was so hard, a heart of stone. He just could never accept David becoming king. Now, being filled with terror he still would not let the hardness of his heart soften.  Unfortunately, I do this :(  I have diabetes type 2. It doesn’t look like much when you see me but it causes a lot of pain, discomfort, and if left untreated I could lose limbs, kidneys, so on and so on...oh, and I could die. For years, whenever I had a challenge in my life I would use food to comfort me, especially sweets. Well, if your a diabetic, sweets is no bueno. Eating sweets is like swallowing little pieces of glass that tear my blood vessels to pieces (that does not sound good).  Anyway, I had finally conquered sweets. I gathered all of them like Saul did to the mediums and spiritists and cast them out. They were not entering my body! I was doing good! But then... I started to have challenges. I started to feel like I needed comfort. So what did I do, I went out looking for the thing I had expelled. I sunk so low in the hardness of my heart and let pride rule over me. Instead of humbling myself before the “Lifegiver” I went to a “mediocre life stealing scum sucking counterfeit” to make me feel better.  His pride kept him separated. Even while he had fasted all day and after he learned of his fate from the medium he still gave in to eat when he should have continued his fast and humbled himself may be the Lord would have relented but he gave in to the people around him and to his own self pity and pride. 

Life Application  Humble yourself and let God work in our lives. Let him lead us to life. Let him be our comfort. Let him be the final say.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

 

As much as I want to be like David I often find myself reacting like Saul, living my life as if God was so far away from me, wallowing in my self pity, and giving into the emotions that arise in my distress.  Pride keeps me from allowing God to restore me. We may weep, we may feel the pain, and have to go through the steps of God’s work to be healed and be made whole or getting back on track with him and be aligned. But weeping lasts for a night and Joy comes in the morning. 

 

Father, please forgive me for for not being obedient to your word. Please forgive me for trying to go to other sources to receive answers that will make me feel better. Bring down the walls of pride and may my heart always turn toward you first. In Jesus name, Amen. 

-Deborah Lee 

Revelation__21

Scripture

 

Revelation‬ ‭21:7-8‬ ‭

 

“All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

John receives a revelation of the new heaven and the new earth...the new Jerusalem. John’s vision is glorious! No more sorrow, no more tears. Heaven’s gates made of pearls, the roads made of pure gold, no more sun and moon because God’s presence illuminates everything! No temples, because God is our temple who we will be worshiping! It sounds amazing and I can’t wait! However, there is another side of this vision. The side where the unbelievers go. The fiery lake of burning sulfur. A place Jesus describes as a place of torment (Jesus’ story of Lazarus and the rich man). This is their second death. A place we as Christians, who are called to love our neighbors, and are to have compassion for those in need, should be praying that no one goes to.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.

 

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’”

John‬ ‭3:3-7‬ ‭

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“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”-John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭

 

So how do we avoid that fiery death (the second death) spoken of in this passage? It’s really quite simple actually. Put your faith in Jesus, repent (turn away) from your sins, and get baptized! God doesn’t want anyone of us to go to Hell. He actually created Hell to imprison Satan and his demons. God actually went out of His way for us to avoid Hell so we can be able to spend eternity with Him in Heaven...and the ONLY way is Jesus! So what are we waiting for?! I’m sure we all know someone in need of this message. Someone in need of saving. Another way to put it is if we saw someone about to drown to death, wouldn’t you throw them a life saver? Or would you just watch them flapping away, sinking, dying an excruciating death?! Wouldn’t you want someone to help you if you were in that situation?

 

Life Application

 

Be more purposeful with my relationships.

 

After this past Sunday’s message from R.K. aren’t you motivated to share with others the gospel? I know I am. I need to find more ways to be purposeful with the people God puts around me. Whether it’s at work or in my neighborhood, I know God desires all to come to know Him through His only Son Jesus Christ.

 

Father God, give me Your eyes to see and Your ears to hear the people in need of You. May Your Holy Spirit fill me with courage and boldness to speak life into their lives as I rub shoulders and live life with them. Ultimately it’s You Jesus who saves. So help me to do my part and just pray and obey. In Your name I pray, Amen.

 

-Moses Gaddi

1 Samuel_26

Scripture

 

1 Samuel 26:10

 

“Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

Once again Saul and his men are hunting after David... AGAIN!!! David learns about it, goes out one night, and what does he find?... Saul and his men asleep along the hillside.-(Saul and the commander of his army, Abner, were sleeping inside a ring, formed by the rest of the slumbering  army). So once again, God had delivered David's enemy to him, and David shows mercy instead of vengeance. You see, while Saul and his men were caught napping on the job, David and his men were close enough to strike and kill them; but they chose to spare Saul and his men, and show them grace and mercy instead. 

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Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Instead of taking matters into his own hands, David trusts God's hands. David trusts in God ways, God's vengeance for His people, and God's peace in his life.

 

David had yet another opportunity to rid this thorn in his side, who is Saul. Instead of taking matters into his own hands, by killing Saul, which many of us probably would have done, David chose to show him grace and mercy. How can he do this we might ask? I believe it's because of his personal relationship with God, his trust in God. It is through this relationship and trust he has in God, that David was able to demonstrate submission and obedience to God's ways. 

Imagine if David would have took the opportunity to kill Saul. What then? Maybe it would have caused dissension among the people. Some might believe what Saul was saying all this time was true, that David was out to kill Saul because he was after the throne. David on the other hand, would have disobeyed God, blood would be on his hands, and the people may have thought of him a murderer. Instead David's choice to trust God, brought him peace of mind. He knew Saul's blood would not be taken from his hands. He would be innocent of that. He knew by showing grace and mercy to his enemy that God's favor would continue to bless him wherever he went and whatever he did. 

 

Life Application

 

We could all learn and use the faith and trust that David showed to God in our lives.

 

People are taking matters into their own hands, going out for vengeance because of the injustice they feel,  and bringing even more violence and bloodshed into this world. I know this breaks God's heart. 

Doing what David did here isn't easy. It takes faith! It takes faith in God, knowing and trusting that it is God who will bring you justice and will be your vengeance when it's all said and done! The world needs more David's. Whose willing to stand up and lead?

Father God, we need you now more than ever. We ask that you bring strength and obedience to your people as we take lead and take a stand against sin! Help us to trust you in your ways and your will. Give us patience to let you play things out accordingly. Help your people be beacons of light into a world that seems to be heading into darkness. May the rest of the world benefit from it, and understand just how much they need you. May the world remember the most heinous injustice done was to your only son Jesus. May the world remember why it had to be done. To free us from our sins. Thank you God. Amen.

 

-Moses Gaddi