Ian’s lets listen to Jesus

”You are God and I am not”, as I focus on Your faithfulness.

”It is good for you to meditate on the huge difference between you and I. Between all my creatures and Me. It is so easy to slip into this sort of thought that I am merely a super- human – with the same shortcomings as everyone just hidden under a mantel of holiness. That is not Me – I am transcendent, I am the creator and sustainer of, not only the world but the whole universe. I am totally dependable, faithful to all My promises, I never turn back. you can depend on Me totally and you can entrust yourself and your loved ones into My arms because all these characteristics are covered by My grace and My love. Come closer and receive my warmth.

I apologize for the misprint in last week’s blog. Please read my comment on Lily’s entry in the comments section. To access the comments just click the title of that blog and the comments will open up.

Now to chapter 16 of 1 Samuel (yes really 16). Chapter 15 ends with the statement “The Lord was grieved that He had made Saul king“. This statement sort of closes the story of Saul’s kingship. Although he continues to appear in the story from now on, he is no longer the “real king” in God’s eyes.

In his place we are now introduced to the king God wanted to rule in Israel. The king, described as “a man after God’s own heart” in Acts. Saul had been a king like the kings of the nations all around. He was very tall and good-looking, apparently very powerful but with lots of short-comings, similar to the pagan kings of those nations.

David on the other hand is only described as ruddy and without any physical qualities that are mentioned. He is the youngest son, a mere shepherd boy with no training as a warrior. This is typical of many who God has chosen over the years, stepping past the obvious choice and using a younger apparently weaker person instead. One whom He could use to demonstrate His own qualities and who would glorify Him. The words in vs7c affirm this “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Although David falls into sin several times, he is nevertheless characterized by his faith in God and his love and absolute devotion to Yahweh. Samuel anoints David as king as he is chosen by God’s word to Samuel. As Samuel anoints him “the Spirit of the Lord came upon him”, vs 13, consecrating him and making his kingship official in God’s eyes. In the very next verse we read that God’s Spirit had now departed from Saul, who was therefore now no longer officially king in God’s eyes.

We need to understand that in the OT the anointing of God’s Spirit on someone had a different meaning to that which happened in Acts ch 2, which every Christian experiences when they are born again. In the OT the anointing was for the purpose of setting a person aside for God’s work. While He obviously would be active in many ways in that person’s life, it was not necessarily permanent as it is in the case of a Christian. We read of this anointing usually in the case of kings and prophets.

Immediately after the Spirit departs from Saul we are told “an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. v 14″. It is difficult to determine exactly what the writer meant by this statement. It clearly caused a major depression in Saul. In 1 Kings222 :19-23 there is an interesting interplay where an evil spirit talks to Yahweh and offers to do something for him.

Anyway, David is now brought into Saul’s proximity and does something very positive, playing the lute when Saul became depressed. He is not introduced to Saul as the future king, however. Saul would probably have killed him. So David, in what appears to be an innocent way finds himself serving Saul.

The chapter ends there. What are we to make of this for our personal application. I think that the whole scene again confirms God’s moving control in having His plan executed everywhere. Even to the point of allowing an evil influence or spirit. I am reminded of “The Lord’s prayer”, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” We are living in a world where evil and Satan’s agents are active and where temptation lies around every corner. I feel we should constantly be on our guard, because he seeks to devour us. 1 Peter 5:8.

Further we should take a leaf from God’s book and learn not to judge people by their outward appearance but their heart. I am reading “Pilgrim’s progress” at the moment and have come across a chap who is characterized by the fact that he talks a lot. Especially about spiritual and biblical things, but his life and actions do not reflect his words. Mervyn always said let our words be few for God is in heaven and we are on earth. It is a quote from Ecclesiastes or Proverbs I think.

May you all have a blessed week as we approach the Christmas festival.

Darkness – The darkness of the world is all around, sin, hate – expressed in so many ways, even load shedding. Thank you that you came and are the true light – to pierce that darkness and vanquish it.

”Could you but see the intensity of the light of My son Jesus as He drives out the darkness of the world. Yet as you said there is still so much darkness in the world. Let me assure you that that darkness is only temporary – My light has already vanquished it, yet you cannot see it now, it will be fully revealed when I return and establish My full kingdom which will no longer be clandestine. When the full manifestation of My light comes there will be no vestige of the darkness which seems to be so prevalent now .In the meantime I am there even when it appears inky black, leading you, loving you, protecting you especially your heart – so remember My word – ‘in the world you will have tribulation ( darkness) but take heart in me you will have peace (light). So walk in that light this coming week.”

As we come to chapter 15 of 1 Samuel, we may be filled with revulsion and horror at the instructions that the Lord gave to Saul. Surely a God of mercy and love would not give such awful instructions to not only kill the men and the soldiers but also the entire families of the people of the nation of the Amalekites. Not only was Saul to kill the people but he was to kill all live stock as well. Standing back and considering this passage should remind us of the total holiness of God who rejects all sin. It should remind us of the full awfulness of sin in the sight of God.

It almost reminds us of what Israel is trying to do to Hamas at the moment. There is however a huge difference. What Israel is doing now is being done out of retribution, anger and hate, which might be understandable with the provocation they had but there is no indication that this act has been ordained by God.

The real message of this chapter is focused on the disobedience of Saul to Gods word. As one reads through the chapter there are a number of indications of Saul’s rebellion against God and His instructions. Saul attempts to justify his actions in several ways. He tries to put a religious shade on his disobedience suggesting that there was a purpose in what he did to honour God. He also tries to pass the blame onto other people and so avoid responsibility for his actions.

There is an interesting interplay around the idea and word obedience from vs 12 but especially vs 17 ff. Notice Saul’s disobedience seems to be linked to His growing arrogance and self-importance. The reply that Samuel gives to Saul in verse 22 is a classical word. It is a reminder to Saul and all who follow him down the ages that meaningless religious rites don’t honour God in any way. God seeks our loving obedience which reflects our attitude towards Him and our love for Him. The best sign that we love God and seek to follow Him is demonstrated by our obedience to His word.

Ominous words are spoken by God in vs 27 through Samuel. Saul would remain king for the time being but there would be no deep long-term purpose in his rule. Twice in the chapter God is said to regret that He made Saul king vs 11 and 35. (the Hebrew word means repent or change one’s mind). Yet when Saul begs Samuel to forgive him Samuel is adamant that it is too late and that God never repents or changes His mind. Earlier in vs 11 we see Samuel crying out the whole night to God. This is all an interesting interplay as we see this relationship between Samuel, Saul and God playing out. It speaks of a real relationship on the one hand between Samuel and God and a separation between God and Saul.

On the whole this chapter really reminds us of the seriousness of sin. Of the symptoms of a deep rebellion in the heart of the sinner which gives rise to disobedience. A lifting of the person’s own view of himself against the view he has of God demonstrating his lack of submission to God It is a frightening process which should awaken us all to guard against it.

Of course, the really good news is that the greater son of David came many years later to deal with sin. Considering the picture in this chapter, we should have a greater degree of gratitude for what He did on the cross on our behalf, saving us from the awful result of rebellion against our Creator.

May the Lord bless you all during the next week.

The word I have from God is, “Be still and know that I am God”.

”In a world in tumult, when the general tempo is rush and restlessness, where everyone seeks instant answers, it is time to take stock, to be still and ask yourself ‘who are you trusting in? Are you looking to the world to give you the answers to your questions? Are you in disarray when everything does not work out exactly as you planned it?’ When you find yourself waiting and unable to change things, waiting on answers, waiting for things to happen, then it is time to be still and with My help, clean the slate of your mind and focus on me and my total Providence over the world, Over all around you and especially on you and your loved ones. Allow My word to suffuse into your mind and heart and become the great resting place for your mind and soul. You have trusted me to here and I have never failed you, so once again place your full trust in Me.“

As we ended Ch 13 in 1 Samuel, Israel was in disarray. No-one, except Saul and Jonathan had weapons. The Philistines were on their doorstep and aggressive. ‘What was going to happen to them?’ Is the question hanging in the air. At the beginning of ch 14 a little story unfolds, a story as astounding as David’s confrontation of Goliath, but not known as well as his.

Between the Israelites and the Philistines was a pass and in this pass were two precipitous cliffs called Bozez and Seneh. (14:4) Geography will tell that they were very steep and difficult to climb. Above the cliffs on the mountain was a Philistine outpost. The story does not exactly reveal Jonathan’s plan to us, except that, as he stood beneath the cliff he indicated that he was trusting the Lord to save.

“Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or few,” (14:6c) is his thinking and revealed to us in what he says to his armour-bearer and companion. Feeling guided by the Lord they scale the cliff. Arriving at the top they must have found the Philistine outpost relaxed in the false security of their position, without their arms at hand. In no time Jonathan and his armour-bearer kill 20 men.

This action sends a panic wave over the Philistine army and they are routed. Note 14:15c “It was a panic from God”. Let us stop there and consider. This act was any time as impossible as David’s facing Goliath, which we will read about later. So although the way it is written does not tell us this exactly, it is an example of someone trusting completely on God’s ability to act and save. And acting upon that God honours that. It is also an act not focused on Jonathan himself, but on doing something in an impossible situation to save a whole nation.

What follows is a comparison between the trust of Jonathan and his bravery and the bungling of King Saul as he tries to capitalize on the panic of the Philistines. He calls for the ark then tells the priest to back off (withdraw his hand), as he probably changes his mind. The ark here was simply a superstitious desire to get God to act further.

However 14:23 makes it clear that it is “the Lord that rescued Israel that day“.

It then appears that Saul, in a further superstitious religious act decides to call the whole army to fast as the battle continues. The consequences of this foolish superstitious act are dire and Jonathan the actual hero is almost put to death. The rest of the chapter is a summary of Saul’s family and rule and could have been given elsewhere.

The main message of the chapter is that God put the Israelites into an impossible position in a battle situation, to cause them to turn and call on Him for help. Jonathan shows his trust in the Lord and the Lord rescues Israel. Saul is clearly outside the line making one mistake after the other. Surely not trusting God in a personal way.

This chapter was a stark reminder to me of the two realities of our Christian walk. In His process of building our faith God regularly allows us to be in a situation where we are actually powerless to bring a result. This causes us to turn to Him in trust and dependence. Often keeping us waiting for the answer which deepens our awareness of our helplessness and dependence on Him. Ultimately when He does respond it is often not even in the way we expect, but is a great encouragement to our trust in Him and is one of the usual ways God builds our trust in Him. In reading a passage like this we are reminded of His dependability over all the years as well as in our own lives.

May the Lord bless you and give you peace when you are facing trials, especially now as we approach Christmas.

All the angels cry holy, all creation cries holy!

”Do you really understand and embrace my Holiness? There are many twisted views of My Holiness out there – giving it almost a negative slant in many people’s eyes. Yet it is an integral part of who I am – My very being, My everything is holy – from the beginning of time, forever more. It describes My total otherness in size and power, in the total influence and control I hold over the universe apart from my total purity. Yet within that a deep heart of mercy for those of My creation, mercy and love so deep that I endured the cross to open the way for every person to participate in my Holiness. If you have chosen to follow Me you will be enveloped by My Holiness – it will protect you and change you to become more and more holy like Me – and remember the word, “without holiness it is impossible to see the Lord”. So Go out and worship Me in My holiness and enjoy it as it envelops you.”

Now to 1 Samuel 13. The story of King Saul and his reign as he becomes the central figure in the story. When I say central figure the real central figure is, of course Yahweh Himself. Saul will reign for 42 years. War is in the air. There seems to be a constant conflict between Israel and its neighbours (sounds familiar), especially the Philistines at that time.

The focus of the chapter however is 7b to 11. Can you see what this is and why Saul failed totally as a true king? The key lies in the words in vs 14 “the Lord has sought a man after His own heart”. The situation is dire, surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy Saul waits anxiously for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to God, which Saul felt would give them the victory.

However God tests him as Samuel does not arrive at the exact time he promised so Saul takes things into his own hands and offers a fellowship sacrifice to the Lord.

To us it may sound as a minor slip or sin, but the words of Samuel, as he opens with “What have you done?” warn us that something serious has happened here. can you see why this act is so serious and carried the serious consequences it did?

Well the words of Samuel where he says “the Lord sought a man after His own heart“, in vs 14, reveal the problem. The problem lay in Saul’s heart, His actions, usurping the role of a prophet and priest revealed that his heart was not devoted to God. He saw this act as a sort of almost superstitious significance, to get God to act. He was not seeking God’s fellowship or God’s heart, he was carrying out a ritual which he saw as carrying significance in itself.

It is almost like someone taking communion while his life is in disarray and there is no heart connection with our Lord. It becomes a meaningless act which is actually so abhorrent to God that He says some have even died because of this.

The words in vs 14 ring out through the ages and the one who is described like that is none other than the future king, king David. Paul describes king David in Acts 13:22b “God made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David, son of Jesses a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do’. You see David was devoted to God. His heart connected with Him. So when he committed sins, some grievous, his lament was ‘Against you and you only have I sinned’.

Ultimately the Real One who would delight the Lord was Jesus Himself of whom God said: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”, as the Spirit descended on Him at His baptism. He is the ultimate King from David’s line

The question I have to ask myself, “Where does my heart lie? Would God call me a man after His own heart because I would anything He asks?”

The contrast between the two kings will become more and more apparent as 1 Samuel continues.

The rest of the chapter shows Israel being completely disarmed in the face of the Philistine forces. With the chapter ending: “So, on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a spear in his hand, only Saul and and his son Jonathan had them”. Like any good tale we are left hanging for the next episode. What is going to happen to the Israelites now?

Are you a man or a woman after God’s own heart? If you are ‘In Christ” you are because when God looks at you He sees His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased.

May God bless you till next week.

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and drink in the flood of love he is pouring out towards me.

”My Love is the most powerful force in the universe – manifested in My grace towards My creation. My common grace which keeps the universe running and My special grace which fills each one of my precious children giving them a sense of My presence and My power, enabling them to live remarkable lives despite the difficulties which face them and are common to all men. As you look out over My creation and see different people in different positions, some flourishing some struggling, know that they are under My common grace, but only those I have chosen and sanctified through the death of Jesus have the privilege of experiencing My love through My special grace. May that motivate every part of your life as I empower you to live the gospel life.“

Now to 1 Samuel 12. The chapter opens with Samuel’s farewell speech, in which he presents his life, a life of righteousness, as he sees it. He challenges the people to speak out if they have found any fault in him. He ends with vs 5 calling the Lord to witness that they had not found fault in him or his behaviour.

He then turns to remind the people of everything God has done for them vs 7 “I am going to confront you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts performed by the Lord for you and your fathers.“

Against this background he turns on them and puts his finger on their great shortcoming vs 9 “But you forgot…” In their forgetting all that God had done for them they forgot God Himself and turned to their own wicked and selfish ways. I am afraid this is a constant human problem, this forgetting. In the warmth of receiving God’s blessings in whatever form, it is easy to remember, but when the reality of life returns it is just as easy to forget. That is why Jesus instituted the whole communion service, as a reminder to us of the centrality of His death to our faith, who forget so easily.

A symptom of their forgetting that God is their real king they are demanding a king like the tribes around them to rule over them. So Samuel gives them God’s promise of a king. with this great proviso, vs 14,15. To receive the blessing of God’s king both the people and the king have to be totally obedient to God, otherwise God’s hand will be against them. What a terrible prospect, which they don’t seem to take too seriously.

To emphasize his words God sends rain in the harvest time, a sign of His judgement and power. The people, who may not have taken Samuel’s words too seriously respond in terror at the Lord’s power when He shows it practically.

To end the chapter Samuel again reiterates the promise that God will not abandon them, but this is dependent on their continuing to fear the Lord and demonstrate this by remembering all He has done for them vs 24. The chapter ends with a final warning of what will happen if they persist in doing evil. vs 25.

Just one or two more points. The fact that God will never completely abandon them is not because of their value as such but because God will defend His own name at all costs vs 22. The focus of our lives is not on us it is on our Lord who has created us and redeemed us. He keeps us going primarily for His Name’s sake.

The second vs which really convicted me was vs 3 “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you…” Not remembering to pray is here pictured as a sin in itself. quite a challenge!

This chapter is a summary of the repeated story of the whole Old Testament which is shown repeatedly playing itself out in the same circle. God acts, the people respond, yet they soon forget and turn away making it necessary for God to act in judgment to bring them back to Himself. This powerlessness lays the whole platform for the coming of Jesus and the New Covenant where His selfless act on the cross deals with our sin and empowers us to live gospel lives. But our sinful nature is nevertheless still lying there and we still tend to forget so easily, hence God’s desire to keep us remebering.

God bless for this coming week and keep remembering all God has done for you and us and the whole world.