When To Interpret and When Not To

1 Samuel 15:1-3(NKJV)

1Samuel also said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. 

2Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 

3Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

Wow, I'd say those are pretty detailed and explicit instructions.  First God tells Samuel why He wants it done this way.  God is using the Israelites to inflict punishment on Amalek.  So in the instance, the Israelites are literally the hand of God.

But look at the instructions that God gives.  He basically says kill every living things to teach them a lesson.  That seems kind of harsh doesn't it?  I mean we go to extreme lengths today to minimize collateral damage and injury or death to civilians, etc.  But here God said Kill them all. 

Which brings up a question.  When do you interpret the Word of God and when do you just follow those directions as given?  As I wrote yesterday, this can sometimes be hard because even God seems to deviate from His own standards occasionally.  But I think I have come up with a general rule that will work in many cases.

The more specific God's instructions are, the more you need to follow those instructions in detail.  Why do I say that?  Well because in most of the cases God deals pretty severely with those who don't follow the instructions in detail.  Let's look at what happens in this case.
 

1 Samuel 15:22-23(NKJV)

22So Samuel said:      “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,     As in obeying the voice of the Lord?     Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,     And to heed than the fat of rams.

23    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,     And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.     Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,      He also has rejected you from being king.”

Because Saul didn't follow God's detailed instructions he lost his kingdom!

So as you live your faith walk just keep in mind this thought, "If God when to the trouble of providing me detailed instructions it must be important to Him.  And if it is important to God, that makes it important that I listen!" and do it God's way, in detail!

God Can Seem Awfully Persnickety Sometimes

This is one of the things about God, at least in the Old Testament, that I just don't get.  He seems to get a bit persnickety sometimes.  That makes it hard to know how to proceed in certain situations because of the lack of consistency in God's reactions.  Here is what I am talking about.

1 Samuel 13:7-14(NKJV)

7And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 

8Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 

9So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. 

10Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

11And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 

12then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

13And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 

14But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

Here is why I find this odd.  Saul's Chief Priest and Judge Samuel didn't arrive when he said he would.  The Israelites are about to be attacked by the Philistines.  Saul wants to make the proper offerings and inquire of God.  It's not like he is going off on his own, he is seeking God.  He knows the Priest is the one who should do this but the Priest isn't there so Saul, with no evil or malicious intent does the Priest's job.

And God hammers him for it.  It reminds me of the time with Moses and Aaron were getting water out of a rock.  Moses actually touched the stick to the rock when he was only supposed to point at it.  After all Moses did following God's directions  he doesn't get to go into the Promised Land because of that one little infraction. 

Now contrast that with David.  He is being pursued.  He and his men are hungry.  They go into the temple and eat the consecrated bread.  For some reason God let's that slide while hammering Moses and Saul.  It just doesn’t make sense to me.

It's one of those things I look forward to asking God about when I get to Heaven some day!

Let the Spirit Lead Baby!!!

What a great day!  Let the Spirit lead!!! 

The last couple of days I have been fighting a bug.  Now I don't have time for getting sick so I seldom do but I can tell when my body is fighting something off.  Today started off good but I soon developed a headache that got worse as the day progressed. 

Being a type A personality, that really gets in the way.  I had certain things that I expected to accomplish today and I was struggling to do so.  This is where that sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit comes in.  Through a series of circumstances I found myself watching a Newsboys video of their concert tour We Are Go. 

I don't know about you but music can really reach me and touch me.  As I was watching the video it brought back such great memories because I had taken by daughter to that particular tour.  In addition I have always loved the lyrics of many of the Newsboys songs.  I found myself singing along and feeling a bit better.

Next thing I know I am out of my chair and putting my running stuff on and hitting the treadmill.  I've got the Newsboys jamming in my headphones and I spend the next 20-25 minutes running, singing, and praising God.  Wow, that felt great!!!

Who would have thought that was what I needed.  Certainly not me.  Running was the last thing I had on my mind.  I had work to do, things to accomplish.  But you know what?  I let the Holy Spirit lead and I feel so much better for it!

When is the last time you let the Holy Spirit interrupt your day and lead you in a direction you didn't expect?  Next time it happens, go with the flow and I believe you will be truly blessed.

And if you'd like to be blessed by some great music check this out!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc53REzniCs

The Lord Had Told Samuel In His Ear

1 Samuel 9:15-16(NKJV)

15Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, 

16“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

Has God ever spoken in your ear?  I'm not talking about getting a feeling from God or getting an intuition.  I'm talking about actually hearing God speaking to you?

"Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear" for me indicates a couple of things.  First it tells me that God will often times communicate with us directly and that.  Secondly the phrase "in his ear" indicates to me at least that sometimes we will actually hear the voice of God talking to us.

Ray Lewis, retiring middle linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens tells about how early in his career he was in a situation in Atlanta where he found himself in trouble and in jail.  He tells of feeling the presence of God in that cell and of God leaning down and whispering in his ear, "Can you hear me now Ray?".  (Sounds like a Verizon commercial doesn't it?)
 

Now I know that many may be skeptical but I have actually experienced this twice in my life.  The first time it ever happened it was the weirdest thing.  But at the same time it left no doubt in my mind that it was God speaking directly to me and it left no doubt as to the message He was giving me.

Would you like to have that type of relationship with God?  It all starts with accepting Jesus.  Just start the conversation.  He will take it from there.  "Dear Jesus…."

If We Go, What Shall We Bring the Man?

1 Samuel 9:7(NKJV)

7Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

Way back in the day you didn't go to inquire of God without bringing a present, an offering.  It was common courtesy.  You were coming to ask a favor of God so shouldn't you offer something of value as well? 

Many people today are afraid to approach and inquire of God because they feel that they have nothing of value to offer.  They've led a sinful life.  God couldn't possibly want to have anything to do with them, etc.  Many of us know what that is like.  We've been there.

Well here is the cool thing.  Do you want to know what the single best gift or offering you can give God is?  YOU!  That's right.  The single best gift you can offer God is your life.  God is the supreme judge of value and He values you!

So if you've been reading this blog for a while you know that I talk a lot about accepting Jesus.  Have you done that yet? 

For those that haven't, is it a sense of guilt or lack of worth that stops you?  Is it that "what would God want with me thing" that is stopping you?  Let me ask you this.  When you see that question, is there an internal battle that you can feel?  Is there a little voice deep inside telling you to do it?  And is there another voice in there telling you all the reasons why you shouldn't?  

Please understand that that is God fighting for your soul.  He values you that much that He will keep fighting for you until you make a decision.  Why not make that decision today.  If God thinks that highly of you, why not present yourself as that gift to Him? 

It's easy to do.  You start by asking Jesus, God's son, to come into your life and lead you.  Just start a simple conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

That's Just Good Parenting!

I wrote not that long ago about how sometimes in guiding my kids, if they ignored my advice I would just let them struggle doing it their way.  As an example, if they were doing a car repair I might see that they forgot to put a part back in.  If they didn't want to listen I would let them put the whole thing back together  and then have to tear it all back apart again to put in the missing part.

I never realized that was Biblical.

Take a look at this.

1 Samuel 8:4-9(NKJV)

4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 

5and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 

7And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 

8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 

9Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

1 Samuel 8:19-22(NKJV)

19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 

20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. 

22So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

What lesson can we learn from this?  That God is a good parent.  He wants nothing more than to help us and guide us.  To lead us in a very satisfying life.  We all have to learn life lessons and God is willing to teach them to us if we will listen.

But God also gives us free will.  God is perfectly willing to let us go out and learn things the hard way if that is what we choose.  The key to understand here is that it is a choice and it is always our choice.  And if we chose to do it our way then God will let us do it our way but He will also let us pay the consequences of our choices.  Sounds fair to me!

Are You Kidding Me?

 

1 Samuel 7:7(NKJV)

7Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 

Are you kidding me?  How quickly they forget.  Here's what I am talking about.  As you can see in the above verse, the Philistines are going up against the Israelites. 

Here is why I find that so incredible.  It had only been 20 years since God had put a whoopin on the Philistines.  The Israelites had gone against the Philistines 20 years earlier without inquiring of God first, and the Philistines not only whipped the Israelites but they also to the Ark of the Covenant back to their country with them. 

That's when things started going downhill for the Philistines.  So much bad stuff happened to the Philistines that they voluntarily gave back the Ark to the Israelites.  Now how bad do things have to be for you as a warrior nation to voluntarily give back the spoils of battle?

But yet just 20 years later they are back attacking the Israelites.  Just one generation was all it took to forget the lessons that they had learned.

I find that amazing, until I look at my own life and realize how many lessons I have to learn over and over and over again.  That's part of human nature I guess.

But here is the biggest difference.  What happened to the Philistines when they had to relearn a lesson?  Thousands died.

What happens when we need to relearn a lesson?  We can simply go to Jesus, confess our sins and have the slate wiped clean.  We get a fresh start.

Would you like to experience that fresh start?  Then just simply ask Jesus to come into your life and take over.  Just have an honest conversation with Jesus.  All you have to do is start the conversation, He'll take it from there.  "Dear Jesus…."