Time with Jesus - Saturday, 09 February 2013
Hi all,
God has many advantages over His creation. One of the
greatest must surely be his omniscience and understanding of the human heart.
You and I cannot see into the heart of men and women. We do not know what will
happen to any infant when he/she is born. Some will go on to be wicked
criminals. Others will be among those who seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
God knows and has always known the future of each individual before birth!
In the case of Saul, the Benjamite and son of Kish, we
have an example of a man who looked good on the surface. Good enough for the
people to demand from God, he be made king. Sadly, the inner man was nothing
like what the people needed from a king. Nevertheless, God acquiesced and Saul
became king. I can’t help thinking God was giving the people what they wanted,
in much the same way, as He had provided them with quail in the wilderness. So
they got King Saul. He was a disaster.
We must always be careful when we ask the Lord for
something. If we keep on insisting on getting what we want, He may decide to
grant the request and allow us to live with the consequences.
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Saturday, 09 February 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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Saul’s Fall
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There’s something tragic
about the death of King Saul. He had been an impressive young man, standing
head and shoulders above most of his countrymen. Handsome, strong and modest,
he was exactly what the people demanded; a king similar to the surrounding nations.
Samuel went to God and apologetically “told” God, the people didn’t
want Him as their king. They wanted someone they could see and follow. Samuel
had warned them what would happen if they insisted on making Saul their king.
God consented. But even as I read God’s consent, I am reminded of what
happens when God’s people demand their own way. 15 And he gave them their
request; but sent leanness into their
soul. Psalms 106:15 KJV. I can’t
help thinking God was saying something like, “They
want a king? Try this one for size.”
Something like what happened in the wilderness when the people didn’t want
manna. The wanted meat. They got quail! For a whole month they ate quail,
until it was “coming out of their ears”. They were nauseated with it. It’s a
very real danger when we “bellyache” for something from God. He just might
agree with terrible consequences.
Moses had pointed out; one
day God would give them a king from the tribe of Judah. Probably God had
already started making preparations for David. God’s only begotten Son would
someday be called the Son of David. But the people couldn‘t wait for God’s
timing. They were impatient. They sowed impatience and reaped an impatient
man.
For forty years, Saul was
on the throne. For most of these years, Saul treated the people much as
Samuel warned them their king would behave. But it was too late. They were
stuck with him. An ancient Proverb
states, “Whom the gods would destroy, they
first make mad”. The comment is not Scriptural but it’s what happened
to Saul. His mind crumbled. He experienced fits of madness, senseless
jealousy and melancholy. He became a periodic lunatic. Finally, desperate to
hear something – anything from God, he consulted the witch of Endor. It’s
interesting to note, she was the only known witch, who survived his earlier
attempt, to rid his kingdom of idolatry and witchcraft!
Finally, he died by
falling on his own sword. The Philistines beheaded his corpse and hung his
body on the walls of their city. His kingdom was taken over by a red headed
youngster, who conquered a giant with a pebble and a slingshot. A Man descended
from the tribe of Judah. In spite of all his faults, David was God’s chosen
King. God saw Saul’s and David’s hearts. Saul went insane and failed. David
went on to be the most loved king the Jewish people have ever known. Only
those who have met King Jesus know a better King.
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by
the One who sent us. The night is coming, and
then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I
am the light of the world."
John 9:4-5 NLT
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven. "Write
this," it said. "Blessed are the dead
who die as believers in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the
Holy Spirit. "They will rest from their labour. What they have done will
not be forgotten."
Rev 14:13 NIrV
17 In the grave, sinful
people don't cause trouble anymore. And there those who are tired find rest.
Job 3:17 NIrV
15 Samuel asked Saul, "Why
did you disturb me by conjuring me up?" Saul answered, "I'm
in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned
against me and doesn't answer me anymore-either by the prophets or in dreams.
So I've called on you to tell me what to do."
1 Sam 28:15 GW
10 Whatever turns up, grab
it and do it. And heartily! This is your last and only chance at it, For
there's neither work to do nor thoughts to think In the company of the dead,
where you're most certainly headed.
Eccl 9:10 MSG
17 It is not the dead who
praise the LORD, those who go down to the place of silence; 18
it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD.
Psalm 115:17-18 TNIV
6 My life is coming to an
end, and it is now time for me to be poured out as a sacrifice to God.
7 I have fought the good fight. I have
completed the race. I have kept the faith. 8 The prize that shows I have God's approval is now
waiting for me. The Lord, who is a fair judge, will give me that prize on
that day. He will give it not only to me but also to everyone who is
eagerly waiting for him to come again.
2 Tim 4:6-8 GW
9 Therefore, a time of
rest and worship exists for God's people. 10 Those who entered his place of rest also rested from
their work as God did from his
Heb. 4:9-11 GW
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King Saul was a Benjamite. A son of
Kish was he.
The people had selected him. His
genealogy,
Disqualified from kingship, this tall
and handsome man.
But when the people wanted him, God
told them, “Yes you can!”
But it was a disaster. He set off
rather well.
But when he did a task that God
reserved for Samuel,
The kingdom was torn from him. He’d
broken God’s command;
And he was on the downward slope to
losing all his land.
Of course he didn’t abdicate. He tried
to carry on.
But in the fullness of the time, his
kingly power was gone.
His final act was played out, when He
went to Endor.
He went to see the local witch, to
hear from her, his score.
She conjured up a person who looked
like Samuel.
Who said his days were over. Today was
his death knell.
He’d die next day in battle, along
with all his sons.
The Philistines would win the day; his
army’s day was done.
And this is just what happened. Saul’s
reign was at an end.
This king was going to the grave. Too
late to make amends.
The Bible makes it very clear, one day
we all shall be,
Taken to a lifeless grave; the dead
can’t hear or see.
The grave takes all men captive; and
they will be at rest,
Waiting for the day they will arise at
Christ’s behest.
Until our certain ending, the best
thing we can do,
Is anything that comes to hand, to
challenge me or you!
There in the silence of the grave,
each one of us must wait,
Until the Master comes again. That’s
when we’ll hear our fate.
Christian “believers” will arise to
their reward.
Those who have resisted Him shall
perish by His sword.
But what about the “others”. Those who
are unprepared?
The Word of God tells plainly, they
too will not be spared.
They’ll join the unbelievers and share
their frightful lot.
It is the judgement’s sentence. Like
it or like it not!
I wish that I could change it. I wish
I could repent,
For those who thought God’s judgement,
for them just wasn’t meant.
But I have no authority. The Lord God
has it all.
I’d love to tell all nations the
outcome of the fall.
I’d love to take them with me. I wish
that I could share,
The love of the Lord Jesus for sinners
everywhere.
Jim
Strickland
Written
9th February 2012
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