Obedience Leads To Victory

2 Kings 3:9-17

When life seems to be cool, calm, and collected for you, how often do you acknowledge God in your ways? Do you pray to the Father only in times of great need, or have you discovered that making daily prayer a part of your spiritual journey extremely beneficial?

Many of us forget to make God a healthy part of our day, but the moment times begin to get tough, we quickly come to our senses, and reach out to the One who can bring us the victory. God demands obedience from those who are in Christ Jesus, and expects them to walk in His ways, and keep His commandments regularly. But, the moment we allow ourselves to waver from God’s commands, the sooner we’ll find ourselves in deep water.

Our text gives a prime example of the importance of seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness, before making decisions. In the New Testament, the victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave has already been won through Jesus, but the men in our text had yet to experience life after the resurrected Christ. Instead, they sought prophets of God, for confirmation of victory before they set out for battle. The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom had set their minds to attack the men of Moab, because king Mesha of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel (for more details, reference chapter 3 in its entirety). As the three kings prepared to do battle against the Moabites, one of the men remembered how God used prophets to give word whether or not they would fair well in battle. The prophet Elisha was mentioned to the kings by one of the servants, and the men went quickly to seek him out. Elisha was hesitant at first to assist the kings, but then requested a minstrel to come and play an instrument, while he sought words from the Lord. God gave the prophet Elisha specific commands to tell the three kings, and if they were to obey them, they would cement their victory, but if they did not perform the easy commands from God, their fighting would be in vain.

Sometimes, it only takes simple obedience to receive the best from the Lord. Oftentimes, we make it hard for God to bless us by getting too comfortable in times when our money is good, and things are going well for us. But, whether we are in seasons of good or times of struggle, we should always seek to fulfill the will of the Father, and not become complacent, because only through obedience, can we guarantee victory in all areas of our lives.

Recognition

Psalm 111

Of all the accolades men covet in the earth, none compare to the simple desire to be recognized. From a child climbing on monkey bars, to celebrities and athletes who entertain the masses, everyone longs to be recognized. Recognition is simply acknowledging someone’s presence, or validating the fact that they are known. It’s easy to recognize someone you see often, or have frequent communication with, but those you aren’t familiar with or rarely encounter, aren’t often acknowledged.

In society today, men and women who are wealthy, or make major contributions that impact cities, states, and even countries, are widely recognized around the globe for their charitable efforts. People are usually captivated and treat such persons as “gods” in the earth, because of their great influence, but there is a God who has done much more than a man could ever do, yet His recognition is hardly acknowledged by mankind.

The God of heaven and earth, has done wonderful and incredible works in the earth, the likes of which no man can imitate. God created oceans and seas, mountains, and trees, but men refuse to give Him glory for His works. The Lord even supplies the needs of men, women, and children around the world, yet some choose to give honor to the works of their own hands, rather than the One who sustains them. God is amazing, and deserves all honor, glory, and praise! The author of our text was well aware of the goodness of the Lord, and made mention of the importance of acknowledging Him with continual praise. Although no man has ever seen the Lord, we can all clearly see His handiwork throughout nature. Romans 1:20 verifies the previous statement as it reads, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: “

Men ought to acknowledge God in all their ways, and give reverence to His holy name, because He created everything, and keeps all things in their place. God gives us strength, provision, and protection as we go throughout our days, and we owe it to Him, to render all the recognition He’s worthy of.

Corrupt Kingdoms

Jeremiah 22:11-19

Self-righteousness has led to the demise of renowned men from ancient times, until today. When leaders prefer to abide by their own judgments, rather than place the needs of their people at the top of their agenda, they are inevitably set on a path that ultimately leads to death, destruction, or ruin. Throughout history, kings and those who have ruled, made certain to publish their own names throughout the lands, while striving to attain wealth and increase, on incalculable levels. Kings were originally set in place to judge their people according to right standards, maintain balance in providing provisions, and be the representation of their people, to other nations of the world.

In the past, God set judges to reside over His people, and this method worked very well, but the stiffnecked people preferred to be as others nations, and desired a king. God was totally against this request, but allowed the people to have what they yearned for. Things didn’t turn out well for their first king, because rather than lead by the hand of God, he allowed his pride and arrogance to supercede the standard he was purposed to obey. When leaders ignore God in place of their selfish motives, God schedules a time for their downfall. One of the reasons God takes the decisions leaders make so seriously is, every law or judgment they approve, has lasting effects on all the people under their watch. For this reason, it’s vital that leaders acknowledge God in all their ways, because He alone knows the consequences of every decision we make, even before the thought crosses our mind.

Our text mentions the downfall of the wicked king, Jehoiakim, the son of the great king Josiah. Although king Josiah was faithful to God, and ruled with a righteous hand, his son chose the opposite path, and sought to build his house by unrighteousness and wrong. Not only was the evil king prideful, but he would go so far as to abuse men for labor, without giving them wages.

Corrupt living never leads you closer to God, but draws you further away from Him. Many good leaders have died, and left great legacies for us to follow, but only when we live by God’s standard, will our leading offer any positive spiritual, or natural benefits to anyone.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Reverence God, Love Thy Neighbor, Bless The Poor

Esther 9:18-23, 29-32

Remembering, and celebrating the good things God does for us, is actually promoted by Biblical text. The modern church holds gatherings, showing appreciation for leaders, and …(I can’t think of much more than that lol). Seldom do churches celebrate each other, as it was in Scripture, because men and women who lead, are viewed as gods. But, our God is pleased when we gather to honor Him, for giving us victory in all our circumstances, as well as when we bless other believers (and there poor), from the same platform. Celebrations should never be self-centered, nor focused on one individual, no matter the title he bears.

The people of God in ancient times, always acknowledged God, as their focus of gathering, on all occasions. The fact that man can do nothing on his own strength to combat evil, is reason enough to reverence God, who has all power and authority over the enemy. The body of Christ should focus more on appreciating each other, in edification and encouragement. Not one member is more important than the other, and once we come to this understanding, we’ll be better prepared to care for the lost and needy. Think back over your life, and give God praise for all the victories He won, on your behalf.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Keep God’s commandments

Proverbs 3:1-10

This lesson will be a short reminder to all those who claim to be born-again sons and daughters of God, that keeping His commandments always yield amazing benefits. Although heaven and earth are soon to pass away, disciples of Christ are yet mandated to live by a godly, and holy standard. Serving God, at times, seems tedious, and can cause the minds of even the most faithful to question whether or not He sees all the troubling experiences they encounter, but the Lord never slumbers, nor sleeps, and pays close attention to every detail of everything we face. God commanded His people to do things a certain way for a reason. For example, to obtain peace and long life, one must only remember God’s laws, and keep His commandments. While that may be a simple command to obey in order to reap such great blessings, attempting to follow God’s words are usually met by inevitable confrontation. Satan has a hard time ignoring those who seek to please God, because he was deemed, “the author of confusion”, and directs all his focus on knocking them off track. For this very reason, the text reminds us in verses five and six to, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledged Him, and He shall direct thy paths”. When we consult God’s advice on all the situations we face in life, it will greatly reduce the possibility for satan to influence us to sin. God’s power never fails, and if we commit all our trust to Him, then He’ll make sure our choices and decisions are stamped with His approval.

From morning, to afternoon, and in the evening, God should be at the forefront of our minds and hearts. His way is right, and those walking along the path He directs exhibit consistent righteous behavior. Make sure you have a full understanding of what God expects of you, after claiming to be His own, because many wear the title “Christian”, but live contrary to what it stands for.

Walk in love,

Ell

Deliverance from the law

Romans 7:24-8:4

During my journey through life, I often heard some say before they accepted Christ Jesus as their savior, they lived a miserable life of sin. Most of them were only repeating what they heard someone else say, because if the truth be told, they actually enjoyed their former lives of lavish living and sinful activities. The reason it’s hard for some people to turn away from sin is, the devil presents things that are attractive, appealing, and enticing to the eyes. In the same way Adam and Eve were presented something seemingly worthwhile in the Garden of Eden, is how we are approached today. Very rarely will a man be tempted with something that isn’t favorable to his eyes and offers wealth and prosperity, but at the end of every temptation is a snare awaiting to capture all who carelessly walk into it. Even the apostle Paul realized how lost and wretched men are when they’re not connected to God. After his conversion, he came to the realization that only through Christ, was he freed from the law of sin and death, and was no longer condemned by the law and its judgments, and sin could no longer keep him bound.

In Christ, we walk after the Spirit. In other words, our thoughts, motives, ideas, and actions are all motivated by what God’s Spirit prompts on the inside of us. We never jump ahead of God, and make attempts to do things without first acknowledging Him concerning the matter. Our deliverance from sin also gives us access to spiritual strength that helps us overcome the lusts of the flesh, and all things that tempt us to do evil. Although we live in flesh bodies, we are free to use our bodies to live righteously, because Jesus condemned sin in all flesh, and made a way whereby no flesh had to continue in sin.

The full benefits of being a Christian are only experienced when the believer truly commits themselves to following Christ, and walking after the Spirit, and not the flesh. The following are 33 blessings that are guaranteed to those who are in Christ: Redemption, freedom from condemnation, Spirit of life, love of God, truth, unity, faith, sanctification, wisdom, righteousness, hope, security in death, resurrection, joy, establishment in God, triumph, uncorrupt Word, law abolished, new creation, simplicity, liberty, all spiritual blessings, power, heavenly places, nearness to God, eternal purpose, self-humbling, high calling, perfection, eternal life, grace, salvation, and preservation.

Walk in love,

Ell

Trust and honor God

Proverbs 3:1-12

Who’s side are you leaning on, as you live your days on this beautiful, yet perishing earth. On the one side, there’s the true and living God; The creator of the world, and the One who sustains all human life, and every living thing upon the earth. The very God who brought all things into existence, also set rules, guidelines, and commands for His people to abide by, in order to ensure that their days will be purposeful and filling. Obeying the commands given by God render a 3-fold blessing of peace, long life, and length of days. What an awesome combination of blessings rewarded to all who willingly trust in the Lord with all their heart, and refuse to depend on their own wisdom and understanding! Leaning on the Lord’s side not only grants an individual more life, but good health and prosperity also come from walking in the ways of holiness. When we choose to acknowledge God in all our ways, we will never be left to walk a path without His wisdom and protection accompanying us.

Standing in stark contrast to the God of love is, satan. Choosing to side with this spirit-being who shuns all things holy, can only lead a person to a disastrous end. Rather than trust and honor God in all things, an individual not grounded in godliness will be an easy target for the enemy to influence, and cause to do things that may seem beneficial at first, but will only lead to their utter destruction. The devil manipulates men to trust in themselves, and embrace evil, because he knows his time is limited, and intends to turn all he can away from believing in God. Our adversary, the devil, is anti-God. Where God says love, satan influences men to hate. For God so loved the world, He gave, but satan hates God and His people, so he makes unyielding attempts to take away our love, joy, peace, and happiness every day. Trusting and honoring God means choosing life, but joining the side of satan will reward you with death in this life, and the next. Choose wisely.

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).

Walk in love,

Ell