Burn Your Ships!

Let's begin with a time frame. King David was an awesome king; a man after God's own heart. God made a covenant with David. This covenant was a promise that God would preserve the house of David for the coming Messiah.

David's son, Solomon, became king after David. God gave Solomon wisdom and discernment beyond any other king, yet Solomon slid away from God due to the beliefs of his many wives. For many years after, king after king, they did not walk in the ways of the LORD. God, being true to his Word, did not destroy His people. Yet, they walked away from Him and His council. Until.....

Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem and he walked right in the sight of the LORD. This king asked Shaphan, Meshullam, and Hilkiah to go to the house of the Lord to deliver money to the workmen who fixed up the house. The high priest, Hilkiah, FOUND the book of the law in the house of the LORD. (Imagine that, finding God's Word in His house, lol). He gave it to Shaphan who read it Hilkiah, and then read it to King Josiah. When King Josiah heard it, he tore his clothes and wept.

Later the king sent Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asiah to the prophetess, Huldah, to inquire of the LORD for the King and all the people of Judah. She told the boys to let the King know that regarding the words he heard...because he humbled himself before the LORD when he heard the WORD,he would go to his grave in peace because his eyes would not see all the evil God would bring about.

You know what is beautiful about this event? King Josiah could have told the boys to quickly put the book away and forget about what it said. It might have been easier to go about things the way they had before hearing the WORD. Much like when God reveals Himself, His Word, His ways to us. We have a choice to move on in the truths or to ignore Him. As for me, I can't turn back. He has brought me thus far...I am prepared to move forward with Him.

Friend

Ya know, it's so much easier to please God than people, huh? I feel like friendship should be a two way street, but then again I wonder if it really is.

In Matt 26 Judas brings the chief scribes and priests to arrest Jesus. When Judas comes up to Jesus, with the purpose of idenitfying him to those who came to arrest him...the very act of betrayal...Jesus greeted him with the words, "Friend, do what you have come for." Jesus still called him "Friend".

Have you ever had someone that you called "friend" betray you? Maybe things were simply not what they appeared to be. It still hurts, but we have to pick up the pieces and remember that to please God is easier than to please people. What would Jesus do? He would call them "friend".

Pondering Part 2

In 1st Kings 20, a prophet came to the King of Israel and said, "Go strengthen yourself". The king was getting ready for battle against the King of Aram; vs 29 tells us the war was victorious for Israel. Yet, this king of Aram pleaded for his life and the king of Israel let him go and made a covenant with him! In vs 42, the Lord says He was a man devoted to destruction and the King of Israel let him go!

There is a big difference here in the way these two men, David and the latter King of Israel, "strengthened" themself. David drew his strength from God, yet I wonder if the latter King of Israel drew his strength from God of if it was of himself. It was as if he didn't hear or obey God.

When drawing strength from God, I believe one draws wisdom and fellowship with God at the same time. The latter King of Israel seemed oblivious to what the mission at hand was to be, he didn't hear the voice of God, nor did he seem to understand God's plan.

Daily, I need to draw strength from my God, not of myself. If I miss this important precipt, I am not walking the path He has made for me.

Two Hands....What are they saying?

Just pondering...

Strength in the Lord....David gathered strength from the Lord....His strength was in the Lord. Thus it was not in himself. David set out to strengthen his relationship with the Almighty God. When reading about David, I have read how he spent time in the strongholds, time in prayer, and time in praise. There's no one way; yet according to the situation and the day at hand, David knew how to strengthen the relationship and the spirit of God the anointing that was given to David.

Today on The Message xm-radio, the announcer read that 90% of communication is non-verbal. Wow! That means my actions, my clothing, my priorities, my hobbies, my attitude, gosh...everything outside of what I say. I wonder...what am I saying? What does non-verbal communication reveal about my relationship with God?

A Growing Relationship

I've just finished reading the first book of Samuel in the Old Testament. This book left me with a lot to ponder about...more that I want to know. God told the Israelites they did not need a king; He was their king. God told them to walk in His statutes, to trust in Him...that was all they needed to do. Yet, His chosen people couldn't simply follow their God. They wanted a human king to rule over them.

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God sent Samuel to anoint Saul as their King. Yet, Saul was not obedient. He chose to walk in his own ways rather than wait upon the Lord. Thus, the Spirit of God left Saul and Samuel anointed a young Shepard boy, David, as King. David was a man after God's own heart. As a Shepard, he began training for his future as king. He fought the wild animals from attacking his sheep. Later, David asked permission to fight the giant, Goliath. King Saul offered David the protection of his armour and David refused the uncomfortable protection. Armed with a sling shot, three stones, and the anointing of God, David slew the giant with one shot.

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David honored King Saul beyond what I can grasp. David knew God appointed Saul as King; he honored God's choice even when Saul sought to kill him. Several times David had the opportunity to bad mouth and kill Saul, yet David was always mindful of God's choice in Saul and treated him with respect.

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While running from King Saul to protect his life, David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, were taken captive. 1 Samuel 30: 5-8 "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." Then David asked the priest to bring him the ephod and he "inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them? And He said to him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and you shall surely rescue all." 1 Samuel 30:18 tells us that "David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives."

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David often spoke to God and simply enough, God answered him. David would go into the strongholds to pray before going into battle. God specifically spoke to David and gave battle plans. The depths of this truth are huge! God spoke in a specific manner to David...David knew his God intimately...he knew what God's voice sounded like...he understood the very character of God. Yet, even after all this...David "strengthened himself in the Lord his God" before going into battle this time. I wonder what that really meant; can I strengthen myself in God? How do I begin? I don't want to speculate what this means, I want to know....maybe I simply need to ask my God, "How?" I want to strengthen myself in the Lord my God.