Wednesday, January 26, 2011

I SAMUEL

We had a wonderful service with Dr. Trieber last night, and it was a blessing to have this man of God with us.  He is a dear friend of mine and I so enjoyed having time to spend with him.  Today is Wednesday, and I'm looking forward to the service tonight.  I am again in I Samuel and here are a few thoughts to share with you today:
1) TWO DIFFERENT OPINIONS- In I Samuel 15, Saul is commanded to go after the Amalekites and to wipe them out.  He went and did a partial job of it.  Here comes the two different views of what happened:  vs. 11-"It repented me that I have set up Saul to be king:  for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments."  vs. 13 "And Samuel came to Saul:  and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD:  I have performed the commandment of the LORD."   God saw it one way, and Saul saw it another.  Notice again in verse 19:  "wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD,.."  and then verse 20:  "And Saul said  unto Samuel, yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD,"  Now, this shows how someone can be so wrong... and yet defend themselves as being right!  I have seen this in the lives of Christians when they are plainly in the wrong, and yet they believe that they have done no wrong.  You see, sin deceives!  Sin justifies itself and grants reasons for the allowance of that sin, so that in the mind of the transgressor, it is justified.  Proverbs 14:12  "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."  It grieves me more when I come to realize at times I have been guilty of the same thing!  Saul was a good man who made a wrong move and never really repented of it.  When we come to the understanding that we have been justifying and overlooking a sin, at that point.... stop and be honest and open with yourself and God.... don't hold on to our point of view verses God's.  Abandon our point of view for God's!
2) IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?  When David was confronted with the challenges of Goliath, that mighty giant of 9'9'' tall, he said in I Samuel 17:26 "for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God.?"  Having said that to many different soldiers, his oldest brother comes to rebuke him, and David responds in verse 29 saying:  "And David said, What have I now done?  Is there not a cause?"  Isn't there a cause that someone should get upset at the blasphemes that Goliath was spouting out?  Isn't there a cause that someone tries to reach a lost world that is headed quickly to a Christ-less eternity?  Yes, there is a cause!  There are many reasons why we as Christians should work hard, pray hard, win others to Christ, and live for God.
3) THAT ALL THE EARTH MAY KNOW- I never really noticed this before, but this is true of many of the things I share each morning.  I don't usually share the things I know already, but look for new things the LORD shares with me as I read.  Here in I Samuel 17:46, David says:  "This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand;...... that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."  What would make David think that what is done on that one day in that one valley, would spread around the world so that all of the earth would know that God was real?  He didn't, but I believe he spoke by inspiration and God led him to say that exact phrase because there is not a people who have ever been confronted with the Holy Scriptures, that do not know about David and Goliath and the boy with the sling who conquered a giant!  God made sure that "all the earth may know" that He alone is God Almighty, the God of Israel.  God used little David to do far more than win a battle and kill a Giant, God used him to show that God is the God of giant killers!

Well, just three simple truths to share, but I enjoyed each one of them.  Hope you have a blessed day!  Pastor Mike Mutchler
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