Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this day. It is Friday, and Sunday is coming. Sunday is the Lord's day. It is the day of celebration and worship of the Risen Lord.
In 1 Samuel 28 we continue to look at the life of King Saul. He made some serious wrong turns in his life, mainly whenever he chose to disobey God’s commands. At this point in his story, he was running out of options. Samuel, God’s prophet, had died, so Saul could not go back to the man who anointed him as king for advice or help. Earlier in his reign Saul expelled all the mediums and spiritists - people who try to contact the dead through ceremonies - from the land. I Samuel 28:6 reminds us that God was no longer speaking to Saul through any of the usual means. To top it all off, Israel’s old enemy, the Philistines, decided to mount an attack. Saul was the type of king who needed somebody to give him direction and let him know what he needed to do, but Saul had burned too many bridges behind him. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. To Saul, it looked like taking a wrong turn is his only option.
Because Saul took a wrong turn, he ended up on the wrong road: attempting to call up the dead to discover the future. Though traditionally known as the Witch of Endor,this woman was, more accurately, a medium. That is, she was someone who claimed to be able to call up dead spirits. God condemns these occult practices in the Bible:
Leviticus 20:27 ‘A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’ ”
Isaiah 8:19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards,…,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?
There are always a few who dabble in these forbidden arts, and Saul was able to find one of them. The scene was as eerie and dark as any ghost story. Saul crept out at night and in disguise to ask for this medium to call up the spirit of a dead person. This woman was at first suspicious, but Saul promised her his own personal vow of protection. The irony is heightened by his promise in v. 10 …as the Lord lives… and by the name he calls for: Samuel, the prophet of God.
Through the medium, Saul spoke to Samuel with a tone of pitiful urgency. . . "I don’t have anyone else to turn to, Samuel! Please tell me: What should I do?"
What happened here? Did this woman really call up Samuel’s ghost, or was it a demon? Can a person really communicate with the dead? Clearly Saul took a turn onto the wrong road when he called on the medium. The danger of taking a wrong turn is that it will almost always lead you down the wrong road. It may lead you down the dangerous road of the occult.
Millions of people today are involved in all kinds of occult practices, from witchcraft, or Wicca, to astrology to full-fledged spiritism. A lot of these areas range from the harmless to the silly, but we must not forget that the devil is real, and the occult is dangerous. It is one thing to read a novel that mentions a witch and yet another to try and practice witchcraft. It is one thing to read your horoscope like a Chinese fortune cookie - it’s another thing to really believe your life is controlled by the stars. It’s one thing to believe in life after death - it’s another thing entirely to try and communicate with dead spirits. You and I might not take the occult too seriously, but both God and the devil do. God warns us that if we get involved in the occult, we are taking a wrong turn onto the wrong road.
We do not have to delve into the occult to get on the wrong road. Any time we try and find our own way without God we are turning down the wrong road. God wants to guide us through life not on our terms, but on His. He calls us to walk by faith, not by sight, nor by magic. He calls us to trust Him to give us wisdom and direction for the future. Only when we walk by faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord, our Savior, and our Shepherd can we be sure we are walking down the right road.
In Christ the Way.
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHmiFaX_pk
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-10-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day in His Kingdom. He blessed us with a wonderful Wednesday gathering last evening. Praise the Lord for those who come faithfully to share and rejoice.
The good news that the Bible declares is that the Lord specializes in accomplishing His extraordinary purpose through very ordinary people. The heroes of the Bible are not held up on some unreal pedestal - they are completely unlike our comic book and movie super-heroes. There is never any attempt on God’s part to win our favor by portraying them as being always saintly. Abraham lied; Noah got drunk; Moses lost his temper and committed murder. God paints His people just as they are. No matter how dignified or high their calling they are fully human. I think God lets us see the true nature of each biblical hero for 2 reasons: First, by doing so He tells us that these are real people. (If we were doing a biographical sketch on people of faith we might be tempted to leave their skeletons in the closets). God wants us to understand that these people really lived, that they had imperfections, and that God used them anyway. Secondly, when we see these real people, we have no trouble identifying with them. When we see their sometimes marred character we can say, "If God can use them with their flaws, maybe He can use me too."
David had refused to take revenge on Saul by sparing the monarch’s life. David had expressed no doubt that God Himself would provide deliverance. He said to Saul in I Samuel 24:15 - “May the Lord judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!” He kept that attitude for the next two chapters. In 26:24 he said, "The LORD will reward any person who is righteous and faithful. The Lord will rescue me from all trouble." There was not a word of doubt or vacillation there. David had fully given his trust to God to rescue him from Saul’s murder attempts. And Saul responded to David’s faith by seemingly giving up on his desire to kill him. But something happened between chapter 26 and 27. Saul, even though spared by David, apparently did an “about face” and began once again to hunt him down in an attempt to kill him. Suddenly, in chapter 27, we read, “But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me.” As so often happens, when external situations don’t clear up the way we think they should, David became depressed, questioning "why is this still happening?" In his doubt, he lost his spiritual equilibrium.
In 1 Samuel 27 we read about David’s life at a time when his faith faltered. Up until this point, David has been almost flawless in his character. He was an obedient shepherd, a submissive servant, a courageous warrior and a forgiving enemy. But in 1 Samuel 27 we come to a period of time in which David went into a "spiritual slump" and made a series of drastic mistakes. For instance, he moved to Gath (yes, the home of Goliath), where he became a "thug" for the Philistine king.
His loss of spiritual equilibrium is evident in vs:1 when “David kept thinking to himself.." And his thoughts took him from “God will rescue me from all trouble,” to “Someday Saul is going to get me." Had God backed out on His pledge? No! But because things did not work out as expected, David quavered in his faith and was filled with doubt & fear. Interestingly, not one time in this entire chapter does it say that David prayed, not one time does it say he called on the Lord, but just that he "thought to himself." That’s what happens when you exchange spiritual reliance on God for self-sufficiency.
Doubt can be produced when a person goes through a long period of problems or a time of extreme difficulty. Adversity begins to wear on us and we begin to doubt that God is really in control. That is precisely what David was going through. His doubt was a direct result of continued difficult circumstances. For 8 years he lived the life of a fugitive, constantly in danger. Imagine the pressure of escaping death day in and day out. Eventually, David began to feel sorry for himself. After all, he was innocent. He had spared Saul’s life, so he deserved better. Where was God in all of this? Why didn’t He do something?
All we have to do is read some of the Psalms that David wrote during this period, in order to understand just how low he was. Psalm 10:1- "O Lord, why do you stand so far away?" Sometimes it is very difficult to come up with answers. For instance, how do you answer the questions someone who has just found out that he or she has cancer? What do you say when asked, "Tell me, why is this happening to me?" To see some loved one that has Alzheimers and yet lingers on and suffers so and you wonder, "Why does this have to be this way? What purpose could God have for this?" Time and time again we run into people who are struggling with doubt because of such times of extreme difficulty. Now, we need to know that in times like that God has promised He will not desert us and He has a plan! And I believe that many times in our lives when we go through difficult times and we begin to doubt, that’s when Jesus is the nearest to us. Though David came to a time in his life when he felt alone and rejected, and so he doubted God, God never gave up nor stopped working out His plan.
In His Faithfulness,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HgAVenbUU
Praise the Lord for this new day in His Kingdom. He blessed us with a wonderful Wednesday gathering last evening. Praise the Lord for those who come faithfully to share and rejoice.
The good news that the Bible declares is that the Lord specializes in accomplishing His extraordinary purpose through very ordinary people. The heroes of the Bible are not held up on some unreal pedestal - they are completely unlike our comic book and movie super-heroes. There is never any attempt on God’s part to win our favor by portraying them as being always saintly. Abraham lied; Noah got drunk; Moses lost his temper and committed murder. God paints His people just as they are. No matter how dignified or high their calling they are fully human. I think God lets us see the true nature of each biblical hero for 2 reasons: First, by doing so He tells us that these are real people. (If we were doing a biographical sketch on people of faith we might be tempted to leave their skeletons in the closets). God wants us to understand that these people really lived, that they had imperfections, and that God used them anyway. Secondly, when we see these real people, we have no trouble identifying with them. When we see their sometimes marred character we can say, "If God can use them with their flaws, maybe He can use me too."
David had refused to take revenge on Saul by sparing the monarch’s life. David had expressed no doubt that God Himself would provide deliverance. He said to Saul in I Samuel 24:15 - “May the Lord judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!” He kept that attitude for the next two chapters. In 26:24 he said, "The LORD will reward any person who is righteous and faithful. The Lord will rescue me from all trouble." There was not a word of doubt or vacillation there. David had fully given his trust to God to rescue him from Saul’s murder attempts. And Saul responded to David’s faith by seemingly giving up on his desire to kill him. But something happened between chapter 26 and 27. Saul, even though spared by David, apparently did an “about face” and began once again to hunt him down in an attempt to kill him. Suddenly, in chapter 27, we read, “But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me.” As so often happens, when external situations don’t clear up the way we think they should, David became depressed, questioning "why is this still happening?" In his doubt, he lost his spiritual equilibrium.
In 1 Samuel 27 we read about David’s life at a time when his faith faltered. Up until this point, David has been almost flawless in his character. He was an obedient shepherd, a submissive servant, a courageous warrior and a forgiving enemy. But in 1 Samuel 27 we come to a period of time in which David went into a "spiritual slump" and made a series of drastic mistakes. For instance, he moved to Gath (yes, the home of Goliath), where he became a "thug" for the Philistine king.
His loss of spiritual equilibrium is evident in vs:1 when “David kept thinking to himself.." And his thoughts took him from “God will rescue me from all trouble,” to “Someday Saul is going to get me." Had God backed out on His pledge? No! But because things did not work out as expected, David quavered in his faith and was filled with doubt & fear. Interestingly, not one time in this entire chapter does it say that David prayed, not one time does it say he called on the Lord, but just that he "thought to himself." That’s what happens when you exchange spiritual reliance on God for self-sufficiency.
Doubt can be produced when a person goes through a long period of problems or a time of extreme difficulty. Adversity begins to wear on us and we begin to doubt that God is really in control. That is precisely what David was going through. His doubt was a direct result of continued difficult circumstances. For 8 years he lived the life of a fugitive, constantly in danger. Imagine the pressure of escaping death day in and day out. Eventually, David began to feel sorry for himself. After all, he was innocent. He had spared Saul’s life, so he deserved better. Where was God in all of this? Why didn’t He do something?
All we have to do is read some of the Psalms that David wrote during this period, in order to understand just how low he was. Psalm 10:1- "O Lord, why do you stand so far away?" Sometimes it is very difficult to come up with answers. For instance, how do you answer the questions someone who has just found out that he or she has cancer? What do you say when asked, "Tell me, why is this happening to me?" To see some loved one that has Alzheimers and yet lingers on and suffers so and you wonder, "Why does this have to be this way? What purpose could God have for this?" Time and time again we run into people who are struggling with doubt because of such times of extreme difficulty. Now, we need to know that in times like that God has promised He will not desert us and He has a plan! And I believe that many times in our lives when we go through difficult times and we begin to doubt, that’s when Jesus is the nearest to us. Though David came to a time in his life when he felt alone and rejected, and so he doubted God, God never gave up nor stopped working out His plan.
In His Faithfulness,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HgAVenbUU
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-9-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. We will meet for our mid-week service today, beginning at 6 PM with a special meal prepared with much love. The children will join us for their Wednesday Evening ministry.
It is fascinating to look at the life of King David and to see how the Lord guided him into making a life granting decision in relation to Saul, who pursued him to destroy his life. About twent-five years after David was anointed to become king, Saul was still chasing him, intent on killing him in the desert. David decided to forget about Saul and get on with his life. As we discovered yesterday, he had found a beautiful, gracious woman by the name of Abigail. Following the death of Abigail's husband, David took her as his wife.
The drama unfolds in 1 Sam 26. King Saul’s hatred had been stirred up again, so once again with his special private army of 3,000 choice soldiers he went after David. David felt that he had already demonstrated his willingness to not take matters in his own hand to become king. However, our victory over an area last week or last month does not mean we are going to easily conquer that area the next time it comes up.
Most of us know what it's like to have been tempted and came so close to falling, but to say no to the temptation. When David saw King Saul’s army that night as they surrounded their king, a strange series of events ensued. He asked Ahimelech and Abishai, “who will go down into the camp with me to Saul”.
Abishai quickly said, “ I’ll go with you.” David and Abishai were only two men against 3,000 trained warriors. What could they possibly hope to accomplish? As they headed into the camp, they had to get all the way to the center of the camp to reach Saul, because the army was surrounding him. To their amazement, most of the soldiers were asleep along the path they chose. They finally reached the center of the camp.
There lay King Saul, sleeping. David looked at him, the person who had dedicated his life to trying to kill David. There lay the man that caused him to live on the run, out in the desert instead of enjoying life. With Saul out of the way David could become the next King of Israel. He could move into the palace, give his wife the kind of life he felt she deserved to have, and become what God had told him he would be. He could have gained so many of the things he must have longed for. All it would have taken was one stroke of the spear. To make the temptation even greater, a voice whispered to him from the lips of Abishai, “ Can’t you see that today, God has delivered your enemy into your hands. The time is ripe. You don’t have to do anything. Just let me pin him to the ground with my spear. I will not have to strike him twice and there won’t be a sound from him.” Abishai was ready to get rid of King Saul at a moment’s notice. (Notice too that He said God was on his side). "God has opened this door of opportunity for you.”
David must have been sorely tempted to take matters into his own hands. After all, this was an opportunity that probably would not come again. However, David chose to believe that if God had anointed him king then God was able to make him king without him compromising his faith. It meant a little longer wait out in that miserable desert, a smaller "paycheck", a smaller house, and giving up the right to get back at someone who had hurt him very badly. David told Abishai, “Look, don’t put your hand on him because God chose him to be king and God will remove him when the time is right. God forbid that I will lay my hand upon him. Just take his spear and his jug of water and let’s go.” That they did and they made their way out of the camp.
Again David made a life-giving decision, by sparing the life of King Saul. The reason they made it into the camp and out of it alive is that the Lord had brought about this situation as a test for David. Verse 12 tells us it was the Lord who had caused all of the soldiers to fall into a deep sleep. The only reason David took the spear and jug of water was to try to convince Saul once again, that even though the opportunity had presented itself, he still would not lay his hand against the King.
This was the last time King Saul pursued David, but not because of a change on Saul’s part. David went to the land of the Philistines and Saul was afraid to pursue him there. Not long afterwards King Saul lost his life in battle with the Philistines. God, being faithful and true to His word, made David King over Israel without David having to murder anyone.
God has anointed us to be His servants in His Kingdom. Each of us faces different circumstances and trials. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you". 1 Peter 4:12 [NIV] Our Lord knows what we are going through. Not only does He know the trials we go through, but He has already seen us coming out victorious on the other side. There is a right time for the Lord to provide us with what we need and what He has promised to give us. Satan wants us to seek it NOW. God’s way is always going to be the best way. In light of this, whatever our problems may be today, let’s make up our minds to let the Lord bring about a solution and do it His way.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns
Praise the Lord for this new day. We will meet for our mid-week service today, beginning at 6 PM with a special meal prepared with much love. The children will join us for their Wednesday Evening ministry.
It is fascinating to look at the life of King David and to see how the Lord guided him into making a life granting decision in relation to Saul, who pursued him to destroy his life. About twent-five years after David was anointed to become king, Saul was still chasing him, intent on killing him in the desert. David decided to forget about Saul and get on with his life. As we discovered yesterday, he had found a beautiful, gracious woman by the name of Abigail. Following the death of Abigail's husband, David took her as his wife.
The drama unfolds in 1 Sam 26. King Saul’s hatred had been stirred up again, so once again with his special private army of 3,000 choice soldiers he went after David. David felt that he had already demonstrated his willingness to not take matters in his own hand to become king. However, our victory over an area last week or last month does not mean we are going to easily conquer that area the next time it comes up.
Most of us know what it's like to have been tempted and came so close to falling, but to say no to the temptation. When David saw King Saul’s army that night as they surrounded their king, a strange series of events ensued. He asked Ahimelech and Abishai, “who will go down into the camp with me to Saul”.
Abishai quickly said, “ I’ll go with you.” David and Abishai were only two men against 3,000 trained warriors. What could they possibly hope to accomplish? As they headed into the camp, they had to get all the way to the center of the camp to reach Saul, because the army was surrounding him. To their amazement, most of the soldiers were asleep along the path they chose. They finally reached the center of the camp.
There lay King Saul, sleeping. David looked at him, the person who had dedicated his life to trying to kill David. There lay the man that caused him to live on the run, out in the desert instead of enjoying life. With Saul out of the way David could become the next King of Israel. He could move into the palace, give his wife the kind of life he felt she deserved to have, and become what God had told him he would be. He could have gained so many of the things he must have longed for. All it would have taken was one stroke of the spear. To make the temptation even greater, a voice whispered to him from the lips of Abishai, “ Can’t you see that today, God has delivered your enemy into your hands. The time is ripe. You don’t have to do anything. Just let me pin him to the ground with my spear. I will not have to strike him twice and there won’t be a sound from him.” Abishai was ready to get rid of King Saul at a moment’s notice. (Notice too that He said God was on his side). "God has opened this door of opportunity for you.”
David must have been sorely tempted to take matters into his own hands. After all, this was an opportunity that probably would not come again. However, David chose to believe that if God had anointed him king then God was able to make him king without him compromising his faith. It meant a little longer wait out in that miserable desert, a smaller "paycheck", a smaller house, and giving up the right to get back at someone who had hurt him very badly. David told Abishai, “Look, don’t put your hand on him because God chose him to be king and God will remove him when the time is right. God forbid that I will lay my hand upon him. Just take his spear and his jug of water and let’s go.” That they did and they made their way out of the camp.
Again David made a life-giving decision, by sparing the life of King Saul. The reason they made it into the camp and out of it alive is that the Lord had brought about this situation as a test for David. Verse 12 tells us it was the Lord who had caused all of the soldiers to fall into a deep sleep. The only reason David took the spear and jug of water was to try to convince Saul once again, that even though the opportunity had presented itself, he still would not lay his hand against the King.
This was the last time King Saul pursued David, but not because of a change on Saul’s part. David went to the land of the Philistines and Saul was afraid to pursue him there. Not long afterwards King Saul lost his life in battle with the Philistines. God, being faithful and true to His word, made David King over Israel without David having to murder anyone.
God has anointed us to be His servants in His Kingdom. Each of us faces different circumstances and trials. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you". 1 Peter 4:12 [NIV] Our Lord knows what we are going through. Not only does He know the trials we go through, but He has already seen us coming out victorious on the other side. There is a right time for the Lord to provide us with what we need and what He has promised to give us. Satan wants us to seek it NOW. God’s way is always going to be the best way. In light of this, whatever our problems may be today, let’s make up our minds to let the Lord bring about a solution and do it His way.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-8-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for the way He is at work in the world today. He rules and overrules. He is mighty to save. He is mighty to accomplish His divine purpose in the world. At times He is pleased to use people like us to accomplish His perfect plans. Our daughter, Sunita, is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with her work. She sent an e-mail that she arrived safely in Ethiopia after a long flight. She attended worship in an Anglican church on Sunday, worshipping the Lord with believers from various nations. It is exhilarating and a great thrill worship the Risen Lord.
I have been reading from 1 Samuel 25 this morning about Nabal and his wife, Abigail, mentioned in verses 2 and 3. Nabal was a very wealthy man; however he was both harsh and evil in his dealings. His very name means "fool". When David tried to get help from Nabal, he was dealing with a man who lived his life as if he never had to reckon with God. Abigail could not have been more different from her husband. Their marriage was a study in contrasts. Her name means "source of joy". Furthermore, her name even suggests God's ownership. Her appearance and character are also described, revealing that she was a woman of wisdom, intelligence, and elegance. She had beauty within and without. She was not ruled by her emotions, but remained balanced and prudent in a difficult situation. She became a key person to effect the Lord's plans in David's life. People of godly influence are invaluable provisions. They add value to others. The Lord uses people of godly wisdom to speak wise counsel into our lives that will keep us on course toward His kingdom purpose being realized. The situation in which Abigail found herself demanded a prudent response. It was a potentially dangerous, even explosive, situation which presented itself in Abigail's life, yet she didn't hesitate in her actions. Her resourcefulness placed her in a position to make a difference. She was able to rectify the situation with David's and his men and extend a stay of execution for her wicked husband. In the same similar actions should mark each of us who serve Jesus, and we are to extend grace to multitudes who might never know Him. In Ephesians 5:15 it is written, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Billy Graham said, "Unless our belief in God causes us to serve, then our faith stands condemned."
Abigail took upon herself much of the blame on behalf of her wicked husband, Nabal. It was her submission to David that earned her a right to appeal to him. Imagine the sight of such a spread of food and the humility of her approach. "David, my lord, I place myself on your mercy as your servant. Relent your anger." This represents a principle stated over and over again in Scripture. The way up in the kingdom is to first go down. It is modeled for us in Jesus, the good shepherd who leaves the 99 in order to pursue one that is lost, the same Savior who girded himself with a towel and a wash basin. We are never more like Jesus than when we don the spirit of servanthood. Integrity, by definition, implies whole-hearted devotion. It is in complete honesty that Abigail came to David. Abigail fulfilled her loyalty to her husband even though he was wicked and, by all natural observation, deserving of all that he had coming to him. We see no implication that she was scheming to rid herself from the relationship with Nabal. She was honest and forthright about the moral failings and weaknesses in Nabal. In somewhat of a humorous way she said, Well, what do you expect from a foolish man, whose name means fool? Nevertheless, her purpose is to avert certain death for her husband. It was her loyalty on display.
Consider for a moment that David could trust Abigail because of her integrity. His heart reasoned with her plea because he knew that he was in the presence of a woman of integrity. David could trust Abigail because she came to him in honesty. She came to him in the exhibition of undivided loyalty. She expressed faith in God's purpose and work in David's life. One of the great challenges today is to believe in people. We almost make a virtue out of not trusting, but true people of faith see God's possibilities in others.
Abigail expressed faith in what God could do in her own life. In verse 31, she acknowledges what God would do in David and requested that David remember her service to him. Our world desperately needs people of faith, influencers of faith. May God keep us as flexible and teachable.
In Christ our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ
Praise the Lord for the way He is at work in the world today. He rules and overrules. He is mighty to save. He is mighty to accomplish His divine purpose in the world. At times He is pleased to use people like us to accomplish His perfect plans. Our daughter, Sunita, is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with her work. She sent an e-mail that she arrived safely in Ethiopia after a long flight. She attended worship in an Anglican church on Sunday, worshipping the Lord with believers from various nations. It is exhilarating and a great thrill worship the Risen Lord.
I have been reading from 1 Samuel 25 this morning about Nabal and his wife, Abigail, mentioned in verses 2 and 3. Nabal was a very wealthy man; however he was both harsh and evil in his dealings. His very name means "fool". When David tried to get help from Nabal, he was dealing with a man who lived his life as if he never had to reckon with God. Abigail could not have been more different from her husband. Their marriage was a study in contrasts. Her name means "source of joy". Furthermore, her name even suggests God's ownership. Her appearance and character are also described, revealing that she was a woman of wisdom, intelligence, and elegance. She had beauty within and without. She was not ruled by her emotions, but remained balanced and prudent in a difficult situation. She became a key person to effect the Lord's plans in David's life. People of godly influence are invaluable provisions. They add value to others. The Lord uses people of godly wisdom to speak wise counsel into our lives that will keep us on course toward His kingdom purpose being realized. The situation in which Abigail found herself demanded a prudent response. It was a potentially dangerous, even explosive, situation which presented itself in Abigail's life, yet she didn't hesitate in her actions. Her resourcefulness placed her in a position to make a difference. She was able to rectify the situation with David's and his men and extend a stay of execution for her wicked husband. In the same similar actions should mark each of us who serve Jesus, and we are to extend grace to multitudes who might never know Him. In Ephesians 5:15 it is written, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Billy Graham said, "Unless our belief in God causes us to serve, then our faith stands condemned."
Abigail took upon herself much of the blame on behalf of her wicked husband, Nabal. It was her submission to David that earned her a right to appeal to him. Imagine the sight of such a spread of food and the humility of her approach. "David, my lord, I place myself on your mercy as your servant. Relent your anger." This represents a principle stated over and over again in Scripture. The way up in the kingdom is to first go down. It is modeled for us in Jesus, the good shepherd who leaves the 99 in order to pursue one that is lost, the same Savior who girded himself with a towel and a wash basin. We are never more like Jesus than when we don the spirit of servanthood. Integrity, by definition, implies whole-hearted devotion. It is in complete honesty that Abigail came to David. Abigail fulfilled her loyalty to her husband even though he was wicked and, by all natural observation, deserving of all that he had coming to him. We see no implication that she was scheming to rid herself from the relationship with Nabal. She was honest and forthright about the moral failings and weaknesses in Nabal. In somewhat of a humorous way she said, Well, what do you expect from a foolish man, whose name means fool? Nevertheless, her purpose is to avert certain death for her husband. It was her loyalty on display.
Consider for a moment that David could trust Abigail because of her integrity. His heart reasoned with her plea because he knew that he was in the presence of a woman of integrity. David could trust Abigail because she came to him in honesty. She came to him in the exhibition of undivided loyalty. She expressed faith in God's purpose and work in David's life. One of the great challenges today is to believe in people. We almost make a virtue out of not trusting, but true people of faith see God's possibilities in others.
Abigail expressed faith in what God could do in her own life. In verse 31, she acknowledges what God would do in David and requested that David remember her service to him. Our world desperately needs people of faith, influencers of faith. May God keep us as flexible and teachable.
In Christ our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ
Monday, June 7, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-7-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. The Lord blessed us in His house with His presence as we gathered with His people on His day yesterday. One of the readings for yesterday was taken from 1 Kings 17.
Yesterday was also the 66th anniversary of D-Day. The assault was conducted in two phases. First there was an air assault, which landed 24,000 British, Canadian, and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight. There was also
an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armored divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6:30 AM. The operation was the largest amphibious invasion of all time, with over 160,000 troops landing on June 6, 1944. Praise the Lord for the gallantry and courage, and the ultimate sacrifice, of those gave their lives for the sake freedom.
It is written," The Effectual, Fervent Prayer of A Righteous Man Availeth Much" James 5:16. We have all been cautioned to be careful what we pray because we just might get it. That is exactly the case for Elijah. Elijah was a man of effectual prayer, who took on the dubious joy of praying against his own nation as it fell deeper and deeper into sin. The effect of his prayer was that Jew and Gentile, young and old, person and livestock were all in the midst of a deep drought and the famine that went with it.
Elijah's prayers were generated because Ahab, King of Israel, had decided to worship the god of his wife, Jezebel. It had been a scant fifty years after Solomon when Ahab rose to power. The once peaceful nation had been torn apart by warfare from within and from without, and split into a Northern and Southern kingdom. Of the six kings who had ruled in Israel three of them had been murdered. To further complicate the matter Baal, a Canaanite god often linked to rain, had begun to be worshipped in earnest in Samaria. God had had enough. If the people wanted to worship this Baal then let Baal provide the rains.
The Lord brought judgement upon the nation of Israel, allowing natural disaster to come upon the land to bring His people back to Him. God alone is sovereign. He is upon the throne. Sometimes, in our arrogance and pride we go after the false gods. We begin to worship the idols that we fashion in our own images. Currently, as a nation we are deeply concerned and consumed by the disaster emanating from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Perhaps the Lord may be once again allowing this to happen in order to draw His people back to Him.
Elijah seemingly came from out of nowhere to rebuke King Ahab, telling him that there would be no rain, nor even dew, according to his word. One of the great judgments that God said He would send against His people if they did not keep His word was drought. Deuteronomy 11:17 states, "And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you". Elijah delivered the word of God’s judgment against Ahab. He withstood the king and was, no doubt, under the king’s anger.
Following Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, the word of the Lord came to him to give him direction. God told him to go east and hide by the brook Cherith. It is interesting that Cherith means in the Hebrew a “cutting” or more literally a separation. Elijah was going to separate himself from Israel and hide under God’s protection. According to 1 Kings 18:10 Obadiah, Ahab’s servant, spoke to Elijah, "As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee". Elijah, however, went to Cherith, and while he was there he was able to drink from the brook and every day God commanded the ravens to bring him food to eat.
While I was studying for this message I discovered that ravens are not noted for being good parents for they will often leave their young without. Yet, when God commands, even the ravens obey. God was taking care of His prophet. Most Biblical scholars believe that Elijah stayed by the brook for around 2 years. Everyday the ravens brought him food and everyday he drank from the brook. In a sense, Elijah had it made. His needs were being taken care of; he was hidden, he was fed, and he had water to drink while the rest of Israel were under the judgment of severe drought. However, in verse 7, it says that the brook dried up.
If God can command ravens, He certainly could have commanded that brook to continue to flow, even during dry times. God provided a million Israelites and their flocks in the desert with enough water; surely He could have watered one man for a period of time. However, it was not the will of God that Elijah stay at Cherith, for there were still greater miracles to perform. Elijah did not raise the dead at Cherith, but he would where God was calling for him to go. There were greater miracles in store for Elijah and that was why God was moving him from Cherith to someplace else.
When our brook dries up, it may well be because God has some greater miracles in store for us and that may be the only way God has of getting us to move.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngw3jUt5v60
Praise the Lord for this new day. The Lord blessed us in His house with His presence as we gathered with His people on His day yesterday. One of the readings for yesterday was taken from 1 Kings 17.
Yesterday was also the 66th anniversary of D-Day. The assault was conducted in two phases. First there was an air assault, which landed 24,000 British, Canadian, and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight. There was also
an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armored divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6:30 AM. The operation was the largest amphibious invasion of all time, with over 160,000 troops landing on June 6, 1944. Praise the Lord for the gallantry and courage, and the ultimate sacrifice, of those gave their lives for the sake freedom.
It is written," The Effectual, Fervent Prayer of A Righteous Man Availeth Much" James 5:16. We have all been cautioned to be careful what we pray because we just might get it. That is exactly the case for Elijah. Elijah was a man of effectual prayer, who took on the dubious joy of praying against his own nation as it fell deeper and deeper into sin. The effect of his prayer was that Jew and Gentile, young and old, person and livestock were all in the midst of a deep drought and the famine that went with it.
Elijah's prayers were generated because Ahab, King of Israel, had decided to worship the god of his wife, Jezebel. It had been a scant fifty years after Solomon when Ahab rose to power. The once peaceful nation had been torn apart by warfare from within and from without, and split into a Northern and Southern kingdom. Of the six kings who had ruled in Israel three of them had been murdered. To further complicate the matter Baal, a Canaanite god often linked to rain, had begun to be worshipped in earnest in Samaria. God had had enough. If the people wanted to worship this Baal then let Baal provide the rains.
The Lord brought judgement upon the nation of Israel, allowing natural disaster to come upon the land to bring His people back to Him. God alone is sovereign. He is upon the throne. Sometimes, in our arrogance and pride we go after the false gods. We begin to worship the idols that we fashion in our own images. Currently, as a nation we are deeply concerned and consumed by the disaster emanating from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Perhaps the Lord may be once again allowing this to happen in order to draw His people back to Him.
Elijah seemingly came from out of nowhere to rebuke King Ahab, telling him that there would be no rain, nor even dew, according to his word. One of the great judgments that God said He would send against His people if they did not keep His word was drought. Deuteronomy 11:17 states, "And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you". Elijah delivered the word of God’s judgment against Ahab. He withstood the king and was, no doubt, under the king’s anger.
Following Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, the word of the Lord came to him to give him direction. God told him to go east and hide by the brook Cherith. It is interesting that Cherith means in the Hebrew a “cutting” or more literally a separation. Elijah was going to separate himself from Israel and hide under God’s protection. According to 1 Kings 18:10 Obadiah, Ahab’s servant, spoke to Elijah, "As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee". Elijah, however, went to Cherith, and while he was there he was able to drink from the brook and every day God commanded the ravens to bring him food to eat.
While I was studying for this message I discovered that ravens are not noted for being good parents for they will often leave their young without. Yet, when God commands, even the ravens obey. God was taking care of His prophet. Most Biblical scholars believe that Elijah stayed by the brook for around 2 years. Everyday the ravens brought him food and everyday he drank from the brook. In a sense, Elijah had it made. His needs were being taken care of; he was hidden, he was fed, and he had water to drink while the rest of Israel were under the judgment of severe drought. However, in verse 7, it says that the brook dried up.
If God can command ravens, He certainly could have commanded that brook to continue to flow, even during dry times. God provided a million Israelites and their flocks in the desert with enough water; surely He could have watered one man for a period of time. However, it was not the will of God that Elijah stay at Cherith, for there were still greater miracles to perform. Elijah did not raise the dead at Cherith, but he would where God was calling for him to go. There were greater miracles in store for Elijah and that was why God was moving him from Cherith to someplace else.
When our brook dries up, it may well be because God has some greater miracles in store for us and that may be the only way God has of getting us to move.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngw3jUt5v60
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