From Dust To Life

Psalm 103:1-14

Isn’t it fascinating how man chooses to remember those things God forgets, while also forgetting those things God remembers? Sound confusing? Well, it’s truth nonetheless. Man was formed by the Lord God from the dust of the ground, and became a living soul, by the breath God breathed into his nostrils. Of all the precious jewels, stones, and other elements of the earth, why did God choose dust as man’s main ingredient? Could it be, there would come a time in history, when man would become tainted by sin, and need to be reminded how frail and fragile he really is? Or, did God choose the thing that seemed worthless, so that man could avoid the thought of becoming arrogant and haughty? Could you imagine, if man was formed from gold, silver, and other priceless elements? That would be totally awesome, yet would also come with a price.

There are many times in life, when men do forget they are only dirt, yet live as if they are worth everything, rather than forgetting those sins that so easily set them up for failure. When we seek God’s forgiveness from sin and iniquity, and are faithful in our approach to the Throne of Grace, the Father removes our transgressions from us, so far as the east is from the west. While we wallow and squirm in our errors and mistakes, God sits patient, waiting for us to step back on the righteous path, and start moving again.

God knows we are dust, and susceptible to making mistakes, so He set aside unlimited grace and everlasting mercy, so that we could always have a chance to redeem ourselves, if ever we come back to our senses.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

A True Friend

1 Samuel 19:1-7

Why do men hate you, simply for doing what’s right? Why is jealousy always associated with being blessed by God? Why can’t men appreciate you for who God made you to be, and focus their attention on becoming better persons themselves, rather than seek to tarnish your good reputation. I can safely assume, these are a few of many questions David asked within himself while being pursued by king Saul.

Thankfully for David, there was someone on the inside, who would stand in the gap on behalf of his safety. Jonathan and David had become an inseparable union, one that no man could tear apart, so when Saul gave an order to all his servants, including his son Jonathan, to kill David, this direct command didn’t sit well with the heir to the throne. Jonathan delighted much in David, and could not fathom the idea of seeing him killed, so he confronted his wicked father, and convinced him to retract his order to kill God’s chosen king.

Do you have people in your life, who will stand between you and your enemy, in order to seek peaceful resolution, or are all your friends as fickle as a flame, and wouldn’t hesitate to leave you in harm’s way? Give God praise for all those you can truly call friend, and make sure to take a moment to let them know how much you appreciate them.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

Righteous Living

2 Samuel 9:1-10

Israel’s first king, Saul, was chosen because the people refused to be led God’s way with judges, and desired only to be as other nations who served kings. Just because other people are doing a thing, doesn’t mean that same thing will work for you. Sure enough, the people’s choice turned out to be the wrong choice, but God had plans to rectify all the errors king Saul committed, through His chosen king, David. The story of David is an interesting one, to say the least, but from the time he was assigned the duties of tending to his father’s sheep, to the moment he assumed the role as ruler over Israel and beyond, God’s name was glorified through the life of king David.

Unlike many rulers in the past who were arrogant, haughty, or simply messy, David ruled according to righteousness, and was victorious in battle, and merciful to the needy. Kings who ruled well in the past, were known for operating in wisdom, and allowing God to guide their hand. Although David had a few instances he probably regretted, his reign was successful in fulfilling the will of God, for the nation of Israel.

All God’s people have a role to play in His plan, so whether or not someone else is operating how they are expected to, do you part, and do it diligently. God will reward you for the work you do, not for worrying about if someone else is doing their job.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

Purpose Blockers

1 Samuel 23:14-18

The life of a Christian is hardly easy, and trials come by default, to make them stronger. Day by day, the children of God strive to live according to holiness, and take great delight in doing works meet for repentance, but the righteous path oftentime becomes hard to tread, especially when adversity rears its ugly head. In the same way God positions men in life to help His people along their journey, the devil also assigns willing individuals to try and block the people of God from fulfilling their purpose in the earth. Purpose blockers are just as the name implies, and they are relentless in halting God’s people from progressing in life. God has a unique plan for everyone who has been born again, but satan wants those plans to be derailed, and remain unfulfilled. Men go to great extremes to block the path of the righteous, and some go so far as to even threaten their very lives, but just as God protected David from multiple threats from king Saul, trust and believe, He’ll guard you against all evil that tries to block your path also.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

No Weapon…

1 Samuel 18:12-18

When God is with you, expect the world to hate you. Harboring hate is such a miserable way to live, especially when that hate is aimed toward those doing the Lord’s business. Jesus was sure to remind us, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you”, so think it not strange, when those who aren’t engrafted into the body of Christ, tend to treat you unfairly.

God knows that His people are prime targets for the enemy to attack, because they are fulfilling something he can never attain. Satan’s pride and arrogance caused him to lose all heavenly privileges, and he now roams the earth, seeking whom he can influence with his wicked devices. Unfortunately, men give in quite easily to satan’s schemes, especially when they aren’t rooted in the Word of God. The prideful and arrogant traits of satan are passed on to those who entertain his evil ways, and such persons become willful puppets, who act according to the plan of the enemy. One man, who’s ungodly attitude and behavior caused the Lord to literally leave him was, king Saul. Saul was once revered by Israel, but when David came on the scene (and defeated Goliath), the people began to gravitate more towards the giant slayer. Like most men in power, Saul became very jealous of the glory and praise David was receiving from the people, and his once subtle appreciation of David, quickly turned into hatred in mere moments.

The instant we allow jealousy and hatred toward another to invade our hearts, we literally give satan permission to do as he wills with our lives. Hatred, jealousy, envy, strife, and other types of emotions as these, are extremely dangerous, because once they are set in motion, they can quickly become uncontrollable.

Guard your heart at all times against harboring hate toward anyone. As a believer, it’s your duty to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). David could have easily taken the life of king Saul, for trying to take his own life 21 times, but his love for God kept him humble, and on the righteous path, despite the plan of the enemy set against him.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

Godly Connections

1 Samuel 18:1-5

Throughout your onward Christian journey, be very careful who you allow in your life, after God either uses you in a great way, or bestows bountiful blessing upon your life. When the days of your life are calm and steady, not many will seek to join themselves to you, especially if you’re considered lame or boring, but the moment God allows you to be used to serve a great purpose, you’ll quickly become surrounded by those who may want to connect to you, but for all the wrong reasons.

Our previous lesson touched a little on the story of David and Goliath, and how God worked mightily through the humble, young David, and brought victory to Israel. While David played his part in standing for righteousness, and confronting one who deliberately blasphemed the God of Israel, the omnipotent power of the almighty, all-powerful, and all-knowing Creator was what caused David’s bold and brave actions to overcome the great opposition against Israel.

After prevailing over such a feared foe, David’s act caught the attention of king Saul, who inquired deeply concerning who David’s father was. I’m uncertain whether or not king Saul’s initial motivations toward David were pure, but as you read further along in this story, you’ll discover how the reverence he once had for David, would change in an instant.

Fortunately, king Saul’s selfish and unpleasant personality didn’t pass on to his son, because after hearing David’s words to his father, “the soul of Jonathan was knit with David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (vs. 1b). I’d like to take a moment and insert a brief excerpt concerning the relationship between Jonathan and David, written by Finis Jennings Dake that reads, “The love of Jonathan and David was like that of Father and son (as it was noted, Jonathan was probably 40 years old when he met young David), and as true brothers in the same nation – not the low, depraved, unnatural homosexual and demonized love which some have sought to attach to this story. There was a genuine affection which was pure and normal, as it should be with all men”.

Bless God daily, for all the people in your life, who are true to the Word, sincere in their friendship with you, and seek only to promote kingdom business, above all else. Saul connected to David to fulfill his selfish ambitions, but Jonathan saw the spirit of God in the young man, that caused him to willingly offer all the support he would need, so that he could do his best for God. How many friends do you have, who work hard to make you look God in the eyes of God?

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

No Contest

1 Samuel 17:41-51

Throughout the Bible, there are instances when God would use divine intervention, to reveal Himself to the world. The purpose of the Lord doing this was to convince men that His power was indeed real, and false idol worship was senseless, useless, and extremely dangerous. When Israel failed to convince heathen nations of the power the true and living God holds, God would oftentimes manifest His amazing power and glory in ways that could never be imitated.

Our text mentions the fight between David and Goliath. Ironically, this fight was over, before it had even begun. The men of Israel’s army were afraid of the towering 13 ft beast of a man who opposed them, breathing threatening and blasphemous words toward their God. Goliath assumed the God of Israel was weak and frail, probably like the ones he and his men served, but David’s God was well-equipped to work through the young, faithful lad, and bring him the victory.

Although David had impressive combat experience, killing a bear and lion, while protecting his father’s flock, this fight with the “giant” required a different set of weapons… spiritual ones. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The arrogant and haughty Goliath, thought too highly of himself, not just because he was physically great in stature, but because he lacked the common knowledge of the God who backed the children of Israel. Had the giant known who David’s God really was, he probably would have kept his head attached to his neck. This is a prime example of how arrogance and pride can literally cause you to lose your head.

I doubt we will have a David experience in our lives, because there aren’t 13 foot giants walking around threatening the children of God, but there are evil spirits that existed even during the days of king David, that lurk in our time, seeking whom they can influence to do their bidding. For every obstacle that comes to threaten your love for God, slay them with God’s Word. It matters not who, or what comes against us, we have the same power that worked through David, also working in us, through the Spirit of God, who enables us to overcome all evil. The enemy stands no chance against the children of God, because the battle isn’t ours, it’s the Lord’s.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

Tears Of Reconciliation

Genesis 45:1-15

“Hurt people, hurt people, but healed people, help people” – Ell. When a brother or sister sins against us, it’ll leave inevitable hurt in our hearts, that if not dealt with in a timely manner, could cause more damage in the long run. While it’s rare that a fellow member of the body of Christ would intentionally seek to harm another, there are occasions when some will entertain the spirit of jealousy, that could eventually influence them to make unwise choices. In times when we are treated unjustly by our brother or sister, the Bible teaches, “if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal 6:1 KJV). Rather than hold a grudge, or harbor ill feelings toward someone who allows the enemy to deceive them, we who have fully submitted ourselves to God, should seek only to bring them back into right standing with the Father. This was exactly how Joseph handled the situation between himself, and his brothers. He could have easily turned his hurt into anger, which would have no doubt morphed into intense rage, but Joseph trusted God, even in his hurt, and allowed love to lead and guide all his actions. Joseph’s loud weeping was proof that he had already forgiven his brothers, even before they had visited him. What a guy! Do you hold grudges and ill feelings toward those who may have caused you intense grief, or have you allowed the love of God to penetrate deep into your heart, to reveal to you a more deeper understanding of your process?

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

Serve And Protect

Genesis 44:27-34

One of the believer’s duties in service to God is, to protect those who also stand in agreement with their faith confession. The Bible teaches in the book of Romans, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me” (Romans 15:1-3).

Some who follow after righteousness diligently, will at times, become weak in spirit, and will be unable to bear their burdens alone. It’s during these moments when the power of prayer and intercession become of great importance to those who are weak, and those who can help bear the burdens of others. A sure way to identify a real child of God, from those who only use God’s name for selfish purposes is, to monitor how far they go, to ensure that others are properly cared for. There are many who claim the name of Christ, and appear to perform good deeds, but their actions are only done to promote themselves, and gain relevance in the spotlight. True Christians do their alms in secret, intercede in their prayer closets, and desire only to help those in need, without seeking glory for themselves.

After you pledged your allegiance in service to God, and to protect His people, did you do so with the intentions of making your name great, or did you purposely intend to fulfill the Words Jesus spoke when He commanded, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”? (Matt. 22:37-40)

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell

Defending Your Life

Genesis 44:18-26

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV). During these perilous end times, the Saints of God are to maintain themselves differently from the world. All who proclaim to be followers of Christ Jesus, are to remain unspotted from the things that do not pertain to holiness. This includes, but is not limited to, behaving themselves appropriately in all situations, keeping their tongues from speaking evil, and their lips from uttering words of deceit, showing love to all men, including their enemies, giving to those in need, refraining from sexual immorality, seeking peace with all men, and obeying the “Golden Rule”. True followers of God are not easily beguiled by satan, nor his wicked forces, but they stand against all evil, while exemplifying the character of Jesus through their daily living.

The church ought not direct their focus on defending their faith through words alone, but the world should see an obvious difference between themselves, and those who claim the name of Christ. Defend your faith with the Word of God. Prove your allegiance to Christ through the way you live. Honor, reverence, and serve the almighty God with gladness, and don’t be ashamed if the world considers you odd or strange. When you make a conscious and definite decision to defend God’s Word, He will in turn, defend you, and when God is for you, no one has a chance to bring you down.

“We live this life for purpose and reason, but not too long, for only a season.” – Ell