Interesting Interviews

1 Samuel 18:1-26:25, Mark 14

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exciting episode of, “Interesting Interviews” starring, HolyEll and various characters throughout Bible history! I’m your host, “HolyEll”, and I’ll be bringing you all the details of tonight’s most fascinating scenes!

(“5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” [1 Samuel 18:5-9])

King Saul: AHHHHHGGGG!!! (“And Saul cast a javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it.”)

(As David escapes, HolyEll appears in king Saul’s presence.)

HolyEll: Woah! Woah! Woah big fella! Calm your nerves a little bit. You could have killed that boy.

King Saul: Who in God’s name are you? And, how did you get in here? And, what are you wearing?

HolyEll: Listen, your majesty. Do you realize, you nearly took the life of an innocent boy; the same one who saved your life from Goliath, and a potential Philistine invasion?

King Saul: It matters not anymore who that lad is. What matters is, he has taken the glory that’s due to my name. He has embarrassed me in the midst of my people. I can no longer allow him to live.

HolyEll: Do you actually think before you speak sir?

King Saul: What?! I shall have you beheaded at once. GUARDS!!!

HolyEll: Oh Lord, I gotta go. Hey king, before I take my leave, just remember, God allowed you to be Israel’s first king. He entrusted you with the safety and well-being of His people. Unfortunately, your pride and arrogance has caused for God to seek a replacement leader. David will soon propel God’s people to the place you could have taken them to. By the way, David will soon have two opportunities to take your life, but he’ll spare you, because he’s a man after God’s own heart. Sleep with one eye open, meanie pants!

(HolyEll vanishes into thin air, as king Saul wonders in amazement.)

King Saul: Did you men see that? Who was that strange fellow? Find him, then bring him to me. Tighten up patrol, and let me know when you have apprehended the boy, David also.

(“21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.” “42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.” [Mark 14:21, 42])

(HolyEll appears before Judas and the group of men seeking to arrest Jesus.)

HolyEll: Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Where are you guys headed? My, what pointy weapons you have? Are you all headed to kill someone? Wait, I know. You’re headed to falsely accuse and arrest the man called Jesus.

Judas: Who are you boy? Why are you here? You know nothing of our business.

HolyEll: Actually, I know more than you can imagine. In fact, I even know how your life will end.

Judas: Get away from us. You’re beginning to pester me.

HolyEll: How did it feel, being in the presence of the Son of God, witnessing miracles, and hearing powerful and impactul sermons? Oh I’m sorry, while your brethren were doing as Jesus instructed, your hands were busy stealing money from the treasury.

Judas: That’s enough! Leave us now, or you’ll be dealt with.

HolyEll: Alright, I’ll leave. But, before I go, you still have time to change your mind before you deliver your kiss of betrayal.

(HolyEll vanishes into thin air, as Judas and the men with Him wonder in amazement.)

Judas: Men, pay no attention to that annoying person. Let’s continue our plan.

*There will be seasons in life when we veer off track, but God gives us time to correct the errors of our ways, and align ourselves with His way. Unfortunately, some people allow themselves to drift too far from safety, until they eventually set themselves up for a hopeless end. Stay true to God, even during your weak moments, because only by His strength can you recover, and be properly set up to walk the path of righteousness consistently.

This concludes the exciting episode of, “Interesting Interviews”. Thanks for tuning in, and have a fantabulous journey!

Dead Or Alive

Acts 4:32-5:11

When the Spirit of God can freely work through a believer, he or she will only seek to do things for the betterment of the church as a whole. For example, when a person truly loves God, their motivations are not only to care for their own needs, but to place the needs of others above their own. If God was willing to give His best to a sinful world, then believers should never hesitate to show sincere love to their fellow man.

Our text gives a wonderful example of how the early church prospered through unity, and togetherness. The texts reads, “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul: neither said any of them that any of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common.” (vs. 32). Can you imagine the state of the church today, if all members shared the same heart, soul, and had all things in common? I believe the church would have a more powerful impact not only amongst the religious community, but around the whole world.

God takes delight in His people, when they do things according to His will, and He blesses them accordingly, but His anger is kindled toward those who appear to do works of righteousness, but have hidden motives that are fueled by pride and selfishness. While the majority of the early church cooperated in bringing all the proceeds from selling their possessions to the apostles, so that everyone could receive distribution according to their need, there were two who decided they would go against the church’s unified efforts, and keep some of the funds for themselves. Ananias and his wife Sapphira found out the hard way, what happens when a person deliberately lies to God. No matter how good things may seem amongst a prosperous church community, there will always be some who will refuse to maintain obedience. This odd couple refused to tell the truth about the total amount they received from selling their possessions. Knowing that their needs would be accounted for, they still stuck to their unwise plan. After being given a chance to reveal the truth, Ananias chose to lie, and dropped dead at the feet of the apostle Peter. Nearly three hours later, Sapphira walked into the church, and was also given a chance to confess the truth. Unfortunately, she chose to lie as well, and fell dead also at the apostle’s feet. The two were carried out of the church, and buried next to each other, which caused great fear to come upon the entire church.

What good is it, to lie to a God who knows all things? I mean, it’s just senseless, and unnecessary. Ananias and Sapphira could have avoided untimely deaths, by simply telling the truth. Besides, all their needs were already met in the first place. Be careful how you approach God, or those He entrusted to lead you. Always be honest in your communication, because while you may be able to convince man, you can never fool God. He’ll always reveal what’s in the heart, especially if it’s intended to hurt the church. God protects His own, and will do what’s necessary to keep them safe, even if He has to cause some to die.

Profile: Stephen

Acts 6:8-15

Pros:
– Man of honest report (good reputation)
– Full of the Holy Ghost
– Full of wisdom
– Appointed as Deacon (to serve daily ministration)
– Full of faith
– Full of power
– Did great wonders and miracles among the people
– The glory of God shined even through his face

Cons:
– His godly favor stirred evil in the hearts of certain of the synagogue
– Men were paid to do underhand work against him
– Men set up false witnesses against him
– Men made false accusations against him

Just because a man or woman willingly chooses to submit themselves to the work of God’s kingdom, doesn’t guarantee they’ll be free from trouble. In fact, the closer a person gets to God, the harder the enemy will fight to pull them away from His hand. Oftentimes, those who will bring you the most trouble in the earth will come from the church. God’s way is right, and when men diligently seek His way, evil forces make it their business to hinder their progression. No matter how hard the devil tries to keep you from growing in God, stand firm in faith, knowing that through Christ, you can do all things, overcome all evil, and endure to a more perfect end.

“Fight the good fight, just because it’s right.” – Ell

Precious Oil

John 12:1-7

During one of many plots to kill Jesus, the Son of God was wise enough to avoid his pursuers, until the appropriate time of fulfillment. In our text, Jesus kept Himself concealed from His accusers, then went to visit His friends in Bethany. As His time on the earth neared its end, Jesus thought it necessary to commune with those close to Him. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, were near to Jesus’ heart, and offered Him food and rest, during his stay in their town.

One evening, after supper was prepared, Martha began to serve Jesus and Lazarus who sat at the table, but Mary had a different gift for the Savior. Rather than bring food or items essential to supper, Mary brought to Jesus an expensive ointment, or perfume, and poured all of it over the feet of Jesus, then wiped them with her hair. While Jesus acknowledged that Mary saved this ointment for this very moment, the Bible doesn’t mention how her siblings reacted to her act. But, it vividly expressed the heart of one, Judas, who followed Jesus closely. Rather than see the significance of Mary’s blessed action, Judas revealed, through his words, the true intentions of his wicked heart. In his own words, Judas said, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (vs. 5). While his words seemed to offer genuine concern for the poor, his true heart’s intent was the total opposite. John writes that Judas cared nothing for the poor, because he was a thief, who would even steal from the money bag which belonged to the disciples. The whole time he followed Jesus, Judas was dishonest in his secret, evil doings. So, thinking he actually cared about Mary’s oil being wasted, and being used in a different way is almost laughable.

We will never understand everyone’s relationship with God. Where some can give seemingly inexpensive sacrifices, others can freely give up those things that are extremely valuable to them. Never judge how man chooses to bless God, rather focus on keeping your own heart pure, so that your sacrifices can be acceptable to God as well.

“The enemy uses our dirt to shame and manipulate us. God uses it to harden our foundation and strengthen our faith in Him.” – Ell

Favor For The Dreamer

Genesis 37:29-36

One of the most challenging, yet rewarding jobs many people will experience in life is, parenting. While raising children (especially in this time) should be taken seriously, and with the proper precautions, one of the most unwise things to do is, show favor to one child, over all the others. Favoritism is good when it involves things like selecting foods you prefer, or the color you want to paint your house, but when dad and mom show more love for Cinnamon, while treating Nutmeg and Cashew like the neighbor’s kids, then those seeds will eventually come back to haunt them.

A great example of this can be found early in Scripture, in the lives of Jacob, and his sons. The average Bible reader should have already been exposed to this inspiring story, but if you haven’t, then you can read it in less than an hour (Genesis chapters 37-45). The text reveals, “Jacob (Israel) loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age” (vs. 3a). Some history records that Jacob was over 90 years old when Joseph was born, and after the death of Rachel, little Joseph became his father’s special helper in being the agent between him and his brothers.

Unfortunately, the other brothers strongly disliked the relationship between their father, and little Joseph. Usually, when a mob of angry people have ill feelings toward someone, they tend to devise a plan to destroy their credibility. This was precisely the case with Jacobs sons. When Jacob had sent Joseph to check on his brothers one day (who were supposed to be feeding the flock in Shechem, but took a stroll to Dothan), they saw him from afar, and instantly plotted to slay him. Aside from labeling him, the dreamer, the brothers decided they’d kill him, then throw him in a pit. If it had not been for Reuben, who convinced the others to spare Joseph’s life, and only throw him in a pit, the little dreamer would have left the earth without fulfilling his promised assignment.

It’s amazing how people can hate you for things you had nothing to do with. Some people were blessed with gifts, talents, and abilities, that others dream to have, but rather than appreciate their gifts, they plot to hinder them from exercising them. Never allow jealousy, hatred, envy, nor strife to invade your mind, simply because God shows someone favor. Whether it be a brother, sister, friend, or even someone you aren’t too fond of, value, appreciate, and respect those who God uses in great ways.

Jacob suffered heartache for years, thinking that his son had been killed, but in the end, the love he had for Joseph was restored. Parents, be careful how you treat your children, because one day they’ll grow up, and act upon all you said and done to, and for them. Also, be certain to raise all of them in the fear of God, and teach them the value of love and respect for others.

Why does the living man complain?

Ell

Why Good Men Fall

Proverbs 2:12-19

How do good people turn bad, and how can men who once pledged their allegiance to God, commit themselves to the way of evil men. Throughout history, many had started out as sensible, wholesome, and genuine individuals. These persons were reliable, and would offer assistance to those who were in need, without hesitation. But over time, such persons begin to show signs of notable change; revealing behaviors contrary to their once praised virtues.

At the root of all things evil, is sin, and the author and orchestrator of wickedness, is the fallen cherub, satan. The believer’s adversary, the devil, is extremely crafty, and more cunning than the average human. He seeks nothing more than to kill, steal, and destroy all that the body of Christ stands for. Not only is satan the master of deception, but he’s fully equipped to infiltrate, and subdue the hearts and minds of those who lack God’s spiritual armor. The devil is indeed a formidable foe, but a man who’s rooted in God’s Word, and properly girded in the right armor, will be able to withstand the wiles of the enemy.

In addition to being clothed for spiritual warfare, warring against satan and his minions requires one to be full of God’s wisdom, and mature in the knowledge and understanding of the words in Scripture. It’s easy for any man to put on the equipment of an NFL football team, but wearing the uniform while not knowing the coach’s plans and schemes, would cause them to easily be defeated by their opponents.

Good men fall, because they fail to invest enough time in meditating, and walking according to the Word of God. The more time we spend entertaining carnal things, the more we neglect to solidify our godly foundation. No man ever “arrives” in godliness, so it’s imperative for believers to grow in the knowledge of God daily. Times will come when a child of God will fall or error, but if handled properly, that person can be restored and become stronger, while avoiding being ensnared by the enemy’s traps.

Our gracious Father in Heaven, freely gives wisdom to all who ask for it, but without His wisdom, you’ll become easy pickin’s for the enemy to distract, and deceive.

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

Ell

God Protects His Own

Esther 8:3-8, 16-17

Throughout history, all who made attempts to thwart the progress of God’s people, were eventually convinced to stand down, by way of force, or even death. When Pharoah refused to release the children of Israel from Egypt, he and his people suffered plagues, the likes of which caused many to lose faith in their false gods, and respect the power of the true, and living God. When the mighty Goliath breathed threatenings against God’s people, the Lord used young David, to prove to him, and the Philistines, where the source of true power came from. Time after time, God’s people were confronted by men, whose sole purpose was to stop the spread of His kingdom in the earth, but despite their unyielding efforts, God worked mightily through His people, to keep His plan in motion.

Our text this week, was centered on the story of Esther, and Mordecai, and How God protected, and provided for them, in the midst of an evil plot to destroy all the Jews within the king’s provinces. The same evil spirit that controlled the minds and thoughts of men like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Pol Pot, once ruled in the heart of Haman. Such a spirit promotes pride, arrogance, haughtiness, jealousy, strife, wrath, lack of reasoning, lack of understanding, and lack of love. Men who portray these attributes may cause certain levels of shame and destruction to the lives of innocents, but God will always have the last word in such cases.

Through prayer and fasting, God turned Haman’s plot against him. The same gallows he built to hang Mordecai, was ironically used to hang himself. In addition, the Jews were permitted to destroy all those who hated the them (including Haman’s ten sons), so that God’s people could be free from any more threats of destruction. Without hesitation, the king reversed Haman’s wicked decree, and allowed Mordecai to write whatever law he desired, that was in favor of his people. That’s amazing! This was equivalent to being granted a blank check from a billionair!

God has a way of doing things, and while we may not always understand His plans at first, it’s comforting to know, He will expose our enemies, provide protection through the process, and give us more blessings and resources than we had, in the end.

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

Ell

Haters Gonna Hate

Daniel 6:6-13

Life can be interesting in so many ways. Some people work hard, earn a good living, and treat others with kindness. They live according to the “Golden Rule”, and give respect to those deserving of it. These persons typically mind their own business, and seek only to make the lives of others better. On the other hand, there are those who seem to have their lives in order, and lack no good thing, yet they make it their business to find fault in those who consistently do good, and not evil. One thing I have learned in this life is, it matters not how good you are, nor how many good deeds you perform for others, there will ALWAYS be someone waiting, and hating on you. They’ll even go to great lengths, just to find the most minute flaw in your life, in an effort to expose it, in hopes that it’ll damage your image, and reputation. Whether through lies, deceit, or manipulation, these lame and wicked individuals will do all they can to mess up your life, when they need to focus on enjoying their own.

In our text, the prophet Daniel had a first-hand experience with haters. Daniel was blessed by God, and promoted from his captivity, to be preferred above all the presidents and princes of the land, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king set him over the whole nation. Daniel’s exaltation pricked the hearts of the presidents and princes, who developed extreme jealousy toward him, and eventually plotted to find any occasion, or fault against him. Following extensive research, the jealous men found nothing negative against Daniel. One would assume the men would drop their act, and let Daniel live in peace, but their jealousy had converted to envy and hatred, thus causing them to go way out of bounds, and attack Daniel on a spiritual level.

Nearly everyone knew, Daniel prayed with his windows open, to His God, three times a day, so the evil leaders enticed the king to sign a decree stating, “that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions”. Seriously?! These men were so jealous of Daniel, until they made a decree for an entire nation, simply to target one man? People do the same today, as they go to the extremes, just to make the lives of others, hell on earth. I often wonder, what is it about a good man, that others intentionally hate on them, for no good reason? Well, the king signed the decree, and the evil plan was set in motion. Later on in the story, Daniel was found praying according to his usual time, and with his windows open, by the peeping little minions, who hurried back to the king to give their report.

Many know how this story eventually played out, but if not, feel free to read the entirety of chapter six. I admonish all Christians to continue doing good, despite being hated on by others, because as believers, our main goal is to first please God, and not man. So, all our works should be done with good intentions, and motivated by God’s love. Hopefully, through our continued kindness and generosity, we can eventually win the hearts of our haters to the Lord.

Walk in love,

Ell

Don’t Tempt Me!

James 1:12-15

Of all the ingredients that go into satan’s recipes of sinful ploys, only two are required, that allow for temptation to be effective; enticement, and the lust of men. There’s not one thing the devil can do to tempt God’s children, except they first reveal their hidden desire for what he offers. God tests His people, to prove what’s in their hearts, and to help make them better for His purposes, but satan tempts Christians, in order to pull them away from their allegiance with the Father, and keep them bound in sin.

There are times when men assume that God is tempting them, but our Father would never do anything to cause intentional harm to those He loves. On the other hand, the enemy would do everything within his power, to see that the followers of Christ are all destroyed.

Temptation is very powerful, and can sever even the most solid godly relationships. Don’t believe me, just ask Adam and Eve how powerful temptation can be. The first humans placed in the earth, who inhabited God’s very presence, gave in to satan’s wicked scheme. After conversing with that unusual couple, call and chat with Lot’s wife, and ask, what was so valuable in Sodom, that caused her to look back, and lose her very life. The key to understanding temptation is, recognizing that satan knows what we desire, even those secret things, because oftentimes, we speak our thoughts into the atmosphere. So, when he tempts us, it’s usually with something we’ve always yearned for, but probably don’t need.

Anything that will lead you to sin, is not a blessing from God, but a trick of the enemy. I often wonder, how Judas was so close to Jesus, yet couldn’t overcome his lust for money. The hidden greed in his heart, was coupled with satan’s allurement, which led him to his eventual demise.

Be wise in these last and evil days, because our adversary, the devil, is trying harder than ever, to keep us out of God’s will. All who endure the temptations of the enemy, along with his wicked schemes, will one day receive the crown of life, God promised to those who love Him. Always remember, sin brings eternal death, but obedience brings eternal life.

Walk in love,

Ell

David and Jonathan separate in peace

1 Samuel 20:35-42

After doing all he could to protect his friend from being discovered by the raging king, Jonathan could no longer allow David to remain in the vicinity of the king’s palace. Saul’s mind was undeniably fixed on removing the son of Jesse from off the face of the earth, and he wouldn’t allow anyone, or anything to stop him from accomplishing this.

Following his last near-death experience by the hand of Saul and his javelin, David ran off and hid himself in a field, near the stone of Ezel, which means departure. How fitting the name of this rock, as David would soon be departing from the presence of his dear friend, and crazy father-in-law. All this was taking place during the days prior to the new moon. Hebrews offered sacrifices and held feasts on days of new moons. At such feasts, certain seats were reserved for special people, and David held a seat in the king’s court. Saul no doubt expected David to be at the feast, and his presence there would offer more opportunity for the king to try and take his life. But David was no fool, and remained in his hiding spot, until Jonathan came to him to deliver the news of his father’s intentions, and whether it would be safe for him to remain there, or if he was to leave the premises (this was according to the plan they had previously established in verses 18-23).

While the feast convened, Saul noticed that David hadn’t shown up for two days, then inquired of Jonathan what was going on. After explaining to his father how he had given David permission to spend time with his family during the new moon (not only did the king hold a feast, but families also offered sacrifices and feasted together during this time, even though David didn’t return to his family), Saul’s anger grow completely out of control, as he turned against his own son, and attempted to take his life by throwing the same javelin toward him, that he used against David. The wicked king’s heart was set on keeping the royal mantle in his family line, and believed that as long as David lived, he would be a threat to Jonathan’s future reign. Just because a father’s rule is tied to wickedness and corruption, doesn’t mean his son has to follow in his footsteps. Jonathan had a mind of his own, and was fully aware, and respectful of the purpose God had for His servant David, so he stood firmly against the ill will of his earthly father, in place of the divine will of his heavenly Father.

As David slowly emerged from his hiding spot, knowing that it was purposed for him to flee, he and Jonathan embraced each other, and wept sincere tears, as this would be the time of their separation. Evil people always make life harder on those with intentions only to do good. Because of Saul’s godless heart, the friendship between two of God’s most faithful, loyal, and bold soldiers had no choice but to separate themselves from each other, to avoid the bloodshed of an innocent man. Although this was only the beginning of David’s season of running, ducking, and hiding, the help Jonathan willingly offered David was of great importance, and help set David on his path to greatness!

Walk in love,

Ell