Archives for July 2014

Today’s Reading: 1 Sam 16:1–23, James 4:1–17, Ps 119:137–15

Today’s Theme: Exaltation from God

God knows the heart

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

Man is limited in his insight and understanding, often we can only go by what we see externally. Appearances can easily lead us astray.

Like Samuel we may even look at something God used before like the shear size of Saul and just assume that will work in the same way again .

God informs Samuel of man’s limitations and prejudice and let’s Samuel know that God is the only one that can look at a person and see them fully, right down to their heart.

God knows our motives and intentions, he is intimately acquainted with our affections and allegiances and so is best placed to make choices for and give guidance to our live.

Jesus knew mens hearts in John 2:24 proving that he is God. We also read in Revelation 2:23 “…I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”

We must determine to live in honesty and purity before God, hypocrisy and compromise is a fools game because God know every man’s heart.

God’s Enabling Spirit

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:13 (ESV)

God’s Spirit came or rushed upon David from the day of his anointing. This is where the truth about being anointed by the Holy Spirit comes from.

When God anoints us for service he does not just call or send us, he gives us his Spirit to enable us to accomplish the task he has set before us.

This reminds us that David needed the Holy Spirit, he was not good enough in himself, we of course need to Holy Spirit to live for God too.

Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

John tells us in 1 John 2:27 “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”

Pointless prayers!

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3 (ESV)

This is why we need God’s Holy Spirit, our hearts without God are selfish. The world around us wants us to covet and be in competition with everyone else.

If we say prayers to God with selfish motives, greedy and covetous hearts then we will not receive anything from God, we can not hold God to ransom, as we read in Samuel, God knows the heart.

God knows our hearts when we pray and will answer accordingly, this is why we need the Holy Spirit to help us pray too.

Praying with an evil heart is pointless, we need to humble ourselves and submit to God’s word and Spirit before we even begin to pray effectively.

Do not love the world

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4 (ESV)

When this verse mentions the world It is not talking about the physical world which is part of God’s good creation or love for humans who are created in God’s image. Instead it is talking about the desires, influences, and structures that draw a person away from God.

We must avoid a way of life in opposition to, or in disregard of God and his kingdom. So the danger for us is neither delight in the physical world nor love for humanity in its fallenness, but an attitude toward either the physical or the social world that puts it in the place of God.

Humility and Submission

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10 (ESV)

We must humble ourselves before God, submit to God and resist the devil, we need to make an effort to draw near to God and walk in purity. We should live like this and the Lord will exalt us. Exhalation and promotion comes from the Lord

Love God’s Promises

Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it. Psalm 119:140 (ESV)

God promises and decrees are not like man’s they are tried and tested, we can depend on God’s word and we should love the promises of God’s word because we love God.

Today’s Reading: 1 Sam 15:1–35, James 3:13–18, Ps 119:121–136

Today’s Theme: Be Killing Sin

Today’s title is inspired by the Puritan John Owen who said “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” John Owen. (1862). The Works of John Owen (Vol. 6).

Devote to destruction

Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ” 1 Samuel 15:3 (ESV)

This is a true account, God called for the people of Israel to exact his judgement on the people of Amalek by making a call to “haram” or devotion to destruction (see notes on Judges chapter 1 from 1st May 2014) http://goo.gl/Esp8sB

This was also used as a final test for Saul, an opportunity for redemption for the wayward king which he fails to take advantage of.

We need to hear the call of the Spirit today to put sin to death, without pardon, mercy or compromise we are to devote sin to utter destruction in our lives, leave not one sin alive.

As Paul reminds us in Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Darling sins

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 1 Samuel 15:9 (ESV)

There are some sins we put to death without much resistance, but then there are the darling sins, the ones that have a stronghold over our minds or a special place in our hearts, these sins receive pardon, we say oh it will take time to kill this sin or “it’s a process”.

We must not deceive ourselves, we need to break off our love affair with sin and exact on it the judgement it deserves by the power of God the Holy Spirit.

Darling sins are often more subtle than the obvious sins and so by their nature are very dangerous, they eat away at our consciences and gives a foothold to the enemy which leads to a stronghold, bondage and death.

As mentioned in the introduction to todays notes, we must be killing sin or sin will be killing us.

Sin’s intention is your death as Paul makes clear in Romans 7:11 “For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”

Put your dear, precious, darling sins to death today.

A monument to the flesh

And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:12 (ESV)

Saul is so caught up in his own pride and sin, that he sets up a monument to himself. Sin has as one of it’s chief aims to exalt man instead of God.

Sin will cause us to feel puffed up in our flesh through our apparently good achievements we open the door to the chief sin of pride and idolatry of self.

Ask God to help you identity and tear down any monuments in your life to the triumphs of sin and the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5

Also note Samuel said Saul seemed small in his own eyes, often feelings of insecurity lead to over compensation and pride, one sin hiding behind the other

The self deception of sin

And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 1 Samuel 15:20 (ESV)

Saul was walking in self deception, he literally said he had obeyed God when he had not, he only “obeyed” on his own terms which is rebellion and disobedience.

Sin in the human heart is a crafty and deceptive thing. We will literally lie to and deceive ourselves while deceiving others, because our flesh has built up justifications and arguments to excuse or explain away our rebellion and sin.

Paul warns Timothy that “while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. in 2 Timothy 3:13

Don’t allow sin to lead you and others into deception, kill the sin before it speaks its lies and convinces your flesh that it should stay alive.

Bring God pleasure

And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV)

So how do we kill sin, by positively obeying God according to his word by the power and leading of God the Holy Spirit.

Samuel makes it clear that God gets pleasure from our obedience, not form dead ritual and religiousness.

We should all determine in our hearts today to obey God, this is the pathway to life and true prosperity.

We are reminded that we must obey God in faith to please him in Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

The true nature rebellion

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV)

The first rebel was Satan, he rebelled against the loving rule of Yahweh the king of heaven and was cast out along with a third of the Angels.

When we rebel we are walking in his footsteps, we are engaging in a sort of witchcraft as we rebel against the rule of God the King and align ourselves with Satan the usurper.

Jesus made clear the nature of rebellion to the word of God is demonic and satanic in John 8:43–44 “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

We must not rebel against God and his word, we humble ourselves before his word today.

Hack sin to pieces

And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 1 Samuel 15:33 (ESV)

Samuel filled with God’s righteous anger, is not deceived by the folly of king Agag who says “Surely the bitterness of death is past”

We too must not listen to the deceptive plea of sin which may come in the form of something like this “well you are saved now, no need to keep a watch on every sin, surly the bitterness of sanctification and deliverance has passed, we all sin, learn to live with it”

Samuels response is right, he does not just kill Agag he hacks him to pieces, we must do the same to sin. We must kill sin with a passion

We must be killing sin as Paul says in Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Or sin will be killing us as Paul states in Romans 7:5 “For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.”

Wisdom from above

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. James 3:17 (ESV)

The wisdom of this world is a hiding place for sin, James calls it demonic. Wisdom must come with meekness which is why we need wisdom from above.

We need the wisdom of God in our lives which goes beyond anything we can learn from a book or classroom and requires us to put sin to death so there is no place for jealously or selfish ambition.

James’ description of true wisdom should be an aspiration for us all. If we pursue these things, sin and pride will have to die.

Unfolding of God’s word

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 (ESV)

We must give God thanks for our Pastors who continually unfold God’s word for us by explaining the bible, this gives us light and understanding.

Recognise today that we are not wise but simple and need God’s guidance, we should not try to be smart like Saul, we should simply and humbly obey the word of the Lord.

Today’s Reading: 1 Sam 14:1–52, James 3:1–12, Ps 119:97–120

Today’s Theme: Watch your mouth (what you take in and speak out)

Confess God’s ability

Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” 1 Samuel 14:6 (ESV)

Jonathan has real faith in God and openly declares with his mouth that nothing can stop God from saving by many or by few. His servant is spurred on by his conviction and declares that he is wholeheartedly behind Jonathan.

We should have this same sort of faith in God, our faith shouldn’t be in our ability but in God’s ability to give us the victory even when the odds are stacked against us.

Paul encourages us in Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

We should open our mouth today and declare that God is able and then act in faith.

Eat!

But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 1 Samuel 14:27 (ESV)

We read later in our psalm reading that God’s word is sweeter than honey and through it understanding comes (Psalm 119:103-104)

When we eat God’s word we will be filled with life and energy. Our eyes will be enlightened just like Jonathan’s became bright with life when he ate the honey.

Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 1:18 “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (see Ephesians 1:17–21 for fuller context)

What does it mean to eat God’s word, well as we will read in the psalms we should take in God’s word (listen or read) and then meditate or think about what we have read. These two things will help to fill us with the spiritual energy we need to press forward by living out the word.

Don’t just look at the word, eat it!

Don’t become ravenous

The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. 1 Samuel 14:32 (ESV)

The fact is we are hungry, this is true physically and spiritually. We always eat physically because we can feel the hunger and seek to satisfy it.

In this account the people had been forced by the religiousness and rash vow of Saul to fast which came to a breaking point where they baceme ravenous and ate meat in a way contrary to all their own laws.

If we do not feed ourselves spiritually with God’s word we will become ravenous in the spirit, eating the next thing that passes and taking the life of that thing to energise our own lives. This can be dangerous because it could be at best foolish or at worst false teaching.

Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

Jesus also said in John 6:35 “…“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Turn to the Lord for satisfaction today.

Watch the things you say

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. James 3:10 (ESV)

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us control our tongue because no man can do it himself. We can’t just say anything, we should use our tongue to bless others, not curse them.

What we take in is what will come out, which is why we need a steady intake of Gods word so our responses will be what God intends.

Think about God’s word

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97 (ESV)

We should take time to think about what we have just read in God’s word. If we love the word of God we need to go beyond reading to mediation, study and application

Understanding from the Word

Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Psalm 119:104 (ESV)

We get understanding from God’s word and it is the ruler we can use to measure everything else against. It is by the truth of God’s word that we identify false ways and stand against them.

Joy in the word

Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. Psalm 119:111 (ESV)

The word of God should bring us great joy, we should rejoice in reading and studying the word of God, if you find the word of God a miserable duty then ask God to change your heart today, you are missing out.