Jeremiah 29

I find it interesting that God tells the people there to settle down, to make peace, that he is going to bring them back later, after 70 years from Babylon, back into the promised land. Yet in the midst of this, he also tells them that, though he has brought them there to keep them safe, they, too, have not been obedient. They, too, have disobeyed and are looking for false answers and looking to false prophets. Yet these are the very people whom God gave the vision to Jeremiah that were the good figs, the good people. These are the ones that God is saving.

 

Just a reminder that sometimes what God is going to do may not be right now. God is going to make these people ready to return. But for right now, many of them aren't looking to God the way they should.

 

But God's got a plan. And God is going to take these, many of these, who are still looking for salvation in their time and deliverance from Babylon, he's going to take them and change them and prepare them so that they will be the people, or their children or grandchildren will be the people that God can take back to the promised land. Because God has a plan. A plan to prosper and take care of them, even if they may not be looking for it right now.

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1 Samuel 23

It's been said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And though it is actually not often true, because sometimes the enemy of your enemy is your enemy too. The truth is that God sometimes uses people that we wouldn't expect to help us. In this story, Saul is pursuing David. And what saves David? The Philistines. The Philistines, who are attacking a different place in the kingdom, cause Saul to leave and thus allowing David to escape. 

And I find this is interesting because God often uses methods we wouldn't expect to take care of his people. God used Roman imprisonment to get Paul into Rome. God used people in ways that we wouldn't expect in the Bible and in history. 

God uses things we don't understand for his good. That is why we must always trust that God will take care of it, even when things look bad. Because he promises he'll work it out. And who knows, he may actually use your enemies to protect you from other enemies, like he did for David here. Yes, the enemy of your enemy might be your enemy, but God could use them to protect or deliver you, so just keep trusting. 

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Romans 7

  

As I consider the first part of Romans chapter 7, I'm reminded that Paul is talking also, not just to Gentiles, but also to Jews. And those Jews felt like, "We are Jews, we have to obey the law." We have to look to the law for our salvation. Paul is saying, No. You have been released from that law and don't have to seek that law for salvation because you have died in Christ. And therefore, you have a new law. This doesn't mean the law has no purpose. Paul talks about that, how it helps us, and points us in the right direction. But it is not the law that we look to for salvation. We are dead to that law, but have a new law which brings life in Jesus Christ. 

Now we have a new law that's put within our hearts, we are, as Paul is saying, "we are now married to another." We are connected to him who is raised from the dead, that is, Jesus. And through him, we can have power over that sinful nature that the law could never give us the power to do. Now we don't have to be bound like those who are under the law. We have a new life.

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Psalm 142

David says, "I have no refuge. No one cares for my life." There have been times in my life where I have felt like there are no places to refuge. That no one cares. Or nearly no one. But David answers correctly when he says, "I cry to you, O Lord. I say, you are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." And I point that out because we often think that God will reward us in the life to come, but God doesn't just reward us in the life to come. He can reward us, and he can protect us, even now. He can give us the grace and provision we need now to hold on to him. This is even when times are bad, even when times are horrible. God is our refuge. Not just in the life hereafter. He wants to be our refuge now. In the land of the living. And for those who are believers, he is. He is that refuge. He is the one we can lean on and trust.

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Psalm 52

 

This psalm reminds us that there are people out there who do evil, who are definitely awful people. Just as Dagog the Edomite was, there are people out there who will do evil. But this psalm reminds us what the Bible teaches in other places. That they will eventually meet their due. God will destroy them. And those who are righteous will survive. The righteous will flourish. They will be rewarded.

It looks like when we read the story in 1 Samuel chapter 22 that Ahimelech and his family have been wiped out. They're gone. They are not flourishing. But those who are faithful, God will reward. And there is coming a day in heaven where we'll reach out and we'll be able to shake the hands of Ahimelech and his family. And we will know in that moment that God blesses those who follow him and that those who do evil will be no more.

This isn't a gloat over the evil because they've been destroyed. This is a rejoicing that God does what is right. He will raise and protect those who are true. And he will deal properly with those who are evil. We can praise God because he watches over us. He preserves us despite what it may look like in the world.

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1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22 reminds me that someone who's holding a grudge, holding on to anger, doesn't want to hear the truth. Ahimelech, the priest, told Saul the truth that David had been faithful. Of course, he acquired of God for David, but also that David was always supportive of Saul. 

When Saul heard the truth, Saul was angry. And it was true, David had never conspired against Saul, and David had never worked against Saul. But that wasn't what Saul wanted to hear. And therefore, he ordered the death of Ahimaleck and all his family. It's a reminder that people who are holding on to anger and bitterness don't want the truth. They want something to justify their anger and their bitterness, and will lash out at anyone who contradicts what they want to hear, even if or especially it what they say is the truth. Facts and truth don't matter. What matters is what they want to be true. Saul has fallen into that. May God keep us from ever repeating that mistake.

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Jeremiah 28

 

We see a prophecy come to pass in this chapter: Hananiah dies. Yet, there is no evidence that anyone noticed. They all seemed to believe Hananiah, causing the yoke that was to come upon them to be worse, but they missed a real prophecy. The death of Hananiah should have been a sign, but as is often the case, those who don't want to see a sign rarely do. 

Be willing to see what God is saying, even if you don't like it. Jeremiah himself said he liked the prophecy of Hananiah, but recognized that it wasn't true. If it's wrong, it's wrong, like it or not. 

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1 Samuel 21

 

The Levitical law said that no one could eat of the showbread except the priest. Yet in this chapter, the high priest gives it to David since he and his men are ceremonially clean. Some scholars see this as an example of a lack of obedience on the part of the priest; others see it as them trying to fulfill the greater law of loving your neighbor.  When Jesus references it in the gospels, it seems that it is the second interpretation that Jesus believes. Both might be true, but ultimately, I have to believe the greater truth is the second because if Jesus says this is an act of compassion, it is. 

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Romans 6

Romans 6 offers freedom now, but a greater freedom in the world to come. The promise of freedom from sin means that we not only have hope here but hope of life eternal. Paul never says we have one or the other, but both. We have the promise of a better life after this, and we have a promise to have a better life now since we are free from the bondage to sin. Let's celebrate and live into the reality of both. 

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Psalm 56

 

What can man do to me? Actually quite a lot.  This is one of those times when we look around, and it may seem that God sometimes isn’t able or willing to help us. We see in the Scriptures that those who follow God do suffer, so what is going on here? Is the Psalmist wrong? I don’t believe he is when it is put into perspective. People can harm you physically, emotionally, but the one area where they don’t have power is in our spirit. Jesus tells us in Luke 12:4 not to fear those who kill the body, but God, who can destroy the soul. In perspective, it may seem that this is horrible, but in the greater picture, it isn’t anything. If I recall correctly, Michael Jordan, the Basketball player, was cut from the basketball team in school, but as bad as that it may have seemed at the time, ultimately it didn’t matter. I’m sure it hurt, but 15 years and 6 championships in the NBA show it turned out okay. How much more will it for us?

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1 Samuel 20

 

Jonathan has a good heart and wants to believe the best about his father, but also knows that David would not lie to him. At the end of the chapter, Jonathan has lost not just a friend, but in a real sense, his father. Saul claims he wants to kill David to protect Jonathan's throne, but then tries to kill Jonathan, showing that those words are a lie. Saul might want the kingdom to go to Jonathan, but not as much as he wants to kill David. This is a sad time for David, but how much more for the son who has lost a father's love. 

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1 Samuel 19

 

This chapter ends with people asking if Saul was among the prophets. This is another time that breaks my heart when it comes to looking at the life of Saul. Saul again has the presence of God on him. This is an opportunity to submit to God and embrace the truth. Yet, just because God's spirit has given Saul the ability to prophecy (speak the truth of God), Saul hasn't let that truth settle into his heart and change him. A reminder that someone may speak the truth and not be redeemed. 

Saul has once again been touched by God. Light has entered Saul's mind, and it has changed nothing. What a sad, sad story. Let it never be said of us.   

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Jeremiah 27

God again gives a warning that the force of Babylon can't be beaten. God has given Babylon the victory, so fighting against Babylon at this time would be fighting against God. Yet it is the end of the chapter I want to focus on. God is telling them that not only are the articles of the temple that were lost not coming back, but what they had left was going to be lost. This reminds me of Jesus' word in Matthew 25:29, "For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them." If we aren't faithful in following God, we will not only not get back what we may have lost, but we will also end up losing everything.  

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1 Samuel 18

 

David and Jonathan's relationship has been misrepresented often. They had a very strong bond. Something that I have read and heard about by those, especially, who have served together in the military. What I want to point out is that in the action of Jonathan, he is recognizing that David is going to be the next leader of Israel, not himself. I have said that a truly great leader can allow those around him to receive praise and honor and not feel threatened, but what makes a truly great person is when they can realize that even though they could take the position, they give it to a person more qualified. Jonathan was just such a man. It would have been amazing to see them work together when David became king, but Saul kept that from happening. 

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Romans 5

 As bad as sin is and how long it has gone on, Jesus’ gift on the cross is greater. It is like the sin of Adam in that the actions of one affect all others, but it is greater because it does so much more. Paul points that out here when he says the gift isn’t like the trespass. As Paul will explain later, this gift of Jesus doesn’t just negate sin; it gives us power to live above it. When we walk in the spirit, we don’t have to sin. It seems impossible, but that is what is taught. John mirrors this when he says, “If you sin, you have an advocate with the Father.” He didn’t say when. Jesus’ gift is greater. 

Psalm 59

 

This Psalm is in two parts, the first points out the actions of David's enemies, and the second is calling for God to allow their sins to trap them and for their desires to be unsatisfied. Yet at the end of both, David sets his trust in God, calling God his tower. The image of a tower gives the idea of strength and peace(security). When in a tower, the enemy may devise plans, but you are safe. God is our tower. Remember, in him we are ultimately saved from all evil, and because of Jesus, the consequences of our sins. 

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1 Samuel 17

 Something I have rarely heard talked about is the words and actions of David's brothers. Yes, it would be easy to say they are just looking down on their younger brother, except is it just that? Remember, these same brothers saw David anointed the next king of Israel by the prophet. They should have known his destiny, yet they seem to despise him. It is a reminder that sometimes the very people we think should support us, family, don't. Jesus was rejected by his family (originally) and his hometown. Jesus warned us that "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household" Matthew 10:36. It hurts that this can be true, but it is; however, our job is to be faithful no matter what anyone, including family, says.

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1 Samuel 16

 

There was peace in Israel, but distress in the life of Saul. God sent this spirit, but it wasn't meant to serve as an act of torture, but rather as a reminder that Saul needed to repent. Too often, if things are going well, we think that everything is okay, when the truth is that there is a problem. I feel healthy, but cancer is growing. My children seem fine, but they are in trouble. I feel like I'm okay with God, so I must be. Yet, God, at times, sends problems to remind us that something is wrong. I believe this is what God is doing here. God is telling Saul he isn't fit to be king, and Saul rejects the idea and tries to find a cure. Yet, the cure is to bring someone into the life of the kingdom who is the answer to the problem in a way Saul doesn't expect. Saul calls unknowingly for the new king to come to, as it were, the capital. 

We see this again illustrated in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul says he has turned someone over to Satan so they may repent. Yes, their life may be wrecked, but if they repent, it will be worth it.

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Jeremiah 26

 

Jeremiah was commanded to tell the people of God everything and not to omit anything. They weren't going to like it, and there is an example of another person who was killed for saying the same things. Yet Jeremiah was faithful. 

Why? Why would God put Jeremiah in danger? The answer is in verse three, where God says perhaps they will listen. We do know that some did, though most did not. God was willing to put his man in a place of danger to save those few. Why, because God isn't willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Time after time, God is willing to send his prophets to save the few. Paul himself said he did what he did so that he might save some (1 Corinthians 9:18-24). Jesus came not to save the many, because according to his own words, only a few would find the way of salvation (Matthew 7:14). 

If God himself and the prophets in this place, why should we expect something else?

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1 Samuel 15

Let's consider the danger of partial obedience.

 In 1 Samuel chapter 15, starting at verse number 19, it says, this is Samuel talking. "Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?" But I did obey the Lord, said Saul. "I went on the mission as the Lord assigned. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took the sheep and the cattle from the plunder, the best of what was to be devoted to God in order to sacrifice to them the Lord your God at Gilgal." But Samuel replied, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice as much as he is in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like evil of adultery. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."
When I look at this, I remember sometimes that people say, "I did it. I did the right thing." But what they really did was what they thought was important. They obeyed partly. Their obedience was not complete but partially complete. And a half-truth, as most everyone will know, is still a lie. And Samuel here makes it very clear that the choice of Saul to reject God's command was so bad that God was rejecting him as king. Period. No way out?
This was it. This was the final straw for Saul. Do I believe that Saul could have found repentance and made his life right with God? Yes! The problem was, Saul's trajectory wasn't going that way. Saul had made decisions again and again to serve what he thought was right, his version of obedience to God rather than God's version.
But why is obedience so much better? Why is rebellion so bad?
Obedience is better because it demonstrates your love for God. Jesus said, "if you love me, you will keep my commandments." John chapter 14:15. So clearly, if you want to be in a relationship with Jesus, you have to obey him. Obedience is the best thing you can give God.
Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft. How could it be like witchcraft?
Rebellion is fighting against authority. Witchcraft is looking for a way to manipulate supernatural powers to do your will. It's looking to make yourself the authority, which is rebellion.
Arrogance is like adultery. Why? Arrogance says that I am more important, thus making myself higher than God. In other words, it's self-worship or self-love.
It's saying "I know better than God" or “I’m god,” and this is why God rejects these people from being part of his family.
This scripture is more than just about Saul making a mistake or doing what's wrong. This scripture shows us what we need to look out for in our own lives.
Partial obedience is, in reality, doing what we want to do anyway, and this attitude will get us cast away.
What do we need to do?
We need to obey God completely, and when we mess up, like David, we truly repent and try to do right.

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Romans 4

 

Paul starts off speaking of Abraham as the physical father of the Jews and of Paul himself. Jews considered that having Abraham as their father was the key to their spiritual hope. However, Paul is going to show that those who are living in faith also have Abraham as their father. Indirectly, Paul is saying that claiming Abraham as your father doesn't mean anything unless it is through faith. Our pedigree doesn't guarantee salvation then and now.

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