Eager To Be Free

” Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.”  I Samuel 23:14b

Right in the very center of God’s will may not be the easiest place to reside, but it will always be the safest!  Everything taking place around David seemed to decry such a statement:

1. Confusion.  God had told David he would be king.  Yet present circumstances seemed to contradict that promise.
2. Difficulty.  Hiding in caves, moving from place to place, wondering where the next meal would come from…surely if God cared, it wouldn’t be so hard!
3. Betrayal.  Even after all David had done to deliver Israel, many valued the king’s approval more than loyalty to David and his men.
4. Collateral Damage.  Eighty-five priests and their families were killed for helping David.  That awareness filled him with guilt and remorse.

“Even when…chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch!”  I Samuel 25:29a

Perhaps, if I really knew God like David did, as He has revealed Himself in Scripture, I could trust what He says is true, even when everything around me speaks to the contrary.

PONDER: Do I know God?  Really?  Do I trust Him?

PRAYER: Lord, I confess my understanding of You is so distorted.  I don’t know who You really are and therefore don’t fully trust You.  I want that to change.  Help me pursue You with all my heart!

Tags: betrayal, confusion, difficulty, distorted, Hunted, ponder, Scripture, trusting, understanding
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Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe!  Why are you talking like this to me?”  I Samuel 9:21

Sounds like a humble man, wouldn’t you say?  Yet this same Saul, after being crowned king, took matters into his own hands rather than follow the clear instructions laid out by God.

He disobeyed another direct command of God regarding plunder from an Amalekite battle.  And, when God withdrew His anointing, Saul was filled with such murderous rage that he hounded young David, whom he sensed had received the blessing he’d forfeited.

What corrupted this man?  Was it power?  Wealth?  Is there some inherent evil in these commodities?  Of course not!

It’s the condition of our hearts that determines how we’re impacted by the influence or wealth entrusted to us.  Until we have obtained a measure of power — until we are blessed with wealth in abundance — we may not know what our hearts are capable of.  Power and riches cannot, in themselves, corrupt the heart, but a heart not yielded to Christ’s lordship, is capable of corrupting anything.

PONDER: What about my heart?  Is it faithful?  Loving?  Generous?  Or greedy? Ungrateful?  Power-hungry?  Can I rejoice over the blessings and successes of others?  Is trusting and obeying God more important than my desires,  or the other way around?

PRAYER: Reveal the true condition of my heart.  Make me like You.

Tags: abundance, corrupt. humble, faithful, generous, greedy, influence, instructions, money, power, ungrateful
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“Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you…you would ask…” John 4:10
Why is God the last One we turn to for filling our empty, thirsty souls? Why are we so suspicious of Him and His gifts? What makes us so determined to “go it alone?”
We’re not really sure God is trustworthy! We’d rather rely on our own evaluation of life, of what’s good and evil, and what will make us happy.
We spin elaborate stories in our minds to dismiss Him, convincing ourselves He doesn’t exist or that He doesn’t care, so we can go our merry way, pursuing those things we’re sure will silence the raging storm inside.
It’s pride that keeps us on the run, pride that makes us think we know better than God what we need. But. when we’ve run our course and come up empty, Jesus will still be waiting, still offering God’s gift.
If we’ll humbly receive God’s provision, we’ll find it was what we were looking for all along. Why were we running away? What were we afraid of? Why did we fight Him for so long?
PONDER: Do I trust God? Really? Or am I still trying to handle things on my own, as if, with enough discipline, effort, and determination, I could fix the brokenness of my life?
PRAYER: Jesus, I’m through running. I’ve found I cannot satisfy this deep thirst in my soul! I’ve tried. Please give me what You see I need.

Tags: brokenness, course, elaborate, evaluation, gift, pride, storm, suspicious, thirst, trustworthy
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“The Lord is my shepherd…He lets me rest in green meadows…He leads me beside peaceful streams…I walk through the dark valley of death…You prepare a feast…in the presence of my enemies…” Psalm 23

How easy it is to proclaim the goodness of our Shepherd while resting in green meadows or walking beside peaceful streams, when our souls are being restored, and our hearts are able to understand and rejoice in the paths He has chosen.

How differently we react, however, when this same Shepherd leads us through the dark valley of death, when He guides and corrects us with His rod and staff, or when He allows us to be surrounded and taunted by enemies.

If He really loves us, why would our Shepherd ever lead us through painful, difficult situations?  Because it is in the valleys, when surrounded by enemies, that we experience the intimacy of His comfort, the “feast,” he prepares in the midst of our troubles, the anointing that overflows our “cup.”  Without these times in our lives, we’d never come to know and experience the Shepherd’s most precious attributes.

PONDER: Am I a “fair-weather friend,” celebrating God’s love and care only when things go according to my desires, my understanding?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, forgive me for receiving blessings from Your Hand while rejecting all that eludes my ability to comprehend what You’re doing and why?  Help me choose to trust You, even in those times when trusting will be the most difficult thing of all.

Tags: anointing, attributes, enemies, feast, intimacy, rod and staff, shepherd, streams, taunted, valley of death
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“…your children will pay for your faithlessness…” — “…the entire family is affected — even children in the third and fourth generations.”  Numbers 14:33, 18

“I’m not hurting anyone but myself!” How often have we heard those words, or said them ourselves in a petulant effort to justify some irresponsible or sinful behavior?  After all, “It’s my life!  Right?”

But God makes it very clear that no man is an island.  My life has a ripple effect on all those in my path.  I may hide my behaviors, habits, thoughts and attitudes.  I may think I’m getting away with them.  But God warns that we will reap what we sow!  And, sadly, those we love most may be the ones who end up paying the highest price for the choices and decisions we make.

The damnation of our own souls is not all that is at stake here!  Can I bear the thought of my children and grandchildren living out the consequences of my disobedience to God?

PONDER: What am I hiding from God and others?  What in my life is more important to me than yielding to Christ and obeying Him?  Is it worth the price my children and grandchildren may pay physically, emotionally, or spiritually for my indulgence?

PRAYER: Lord, I give You full access to every part of my life.  Cleanse me.  Change me.  Free me.  May those who follow after me experience the blessings You promised to a thousand generations of those who love You.

Tags: attitudes, behaviors, children, faithlessness, island, petulant, price, reap, ripple effect; disobedience, sow
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“He noticed a fig tree in full leaf…but there were only leaves…”  Mark 22:13

It seems a bit strange that Jesus would curse a fig tree so early in the growing season for not bearing fruit.  But understand that a fig tree in full leaf means one thing: fruit is now only weeks away!  Along with leaves, fig trees also grow little green knobs, which are often eaten by hungry passersby.  Those little knobs,  referred to by the Arabs as “taqsh,” eventually fall off, giving way to figs.  A leafy tree with no taqsh will not bear fruit that season.

How often do we look just like that fig tree?  We put on a good “show.”  We are careful to do and say all the things we believe Christians should do.  As a result, our “leaves” are in full bloom, but, when Jesus comes by, looking for evidence of the fruit of His Spirit in us, it’s sadly lacking.  It must break His heart, because hungry sojourners will not find in us what they had hoped would satisfy their deep soul hunger.

PONDER: How about my life?  Is it mostly “show,” or is the Fruit of the Spirit increasingly evidenced in all I do, say, and think?

PONDER: Lord, the temptation to care more about what things look like than how they really are is so great.  Help me look honestly and see what really is!  And may the genuine fruit of Your Spirit show forth in my life.

Tags: bloom, fig tree, Fruit of the Spirit, hungry, knobs, leaves, sojourners, taqsh, temptation
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“Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”  Jude 1:23

God is perfectly able to hate sin and still show mercy.  Calvary was His ultimate demonstration of that!  His loathing for sin, combined with His fierce love for mankind, drove Him to offer Himself as the atonement for our sin.

We humans struggle with finding that balance.  It’s usually “either/or” for us.  To those for whom compassion rules the day, calling people to forsake their sin seems harsh and uncaring.  Conversely, hating sin is very often accompanied by a legalistic, unbending adherence to a set of rules, which can produce cruel results.

Neither reflects the heart of God.  God hates sin, but He loves people!  Sin is loathsome to Him because of what it does to people.  Until Jesus came, there was no way to separate sin from the person who committed it.  Both had to be condemned!

In taking our sin upon Himself, however, Jesus Christ forever removed our sin from us, as far as the East is from the West!  When we choose to receive His amazing gift of salvation, God hides us “in Christ” so we may stand in His presence without fault or blemish.  Hallelujah!

PONDER: Am I an “either/or” person?  On which side of this issue does my heart usually reside?

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for showing mercy to me!  Help me eagerly pass it on without ever minimizing sin’s destructive power in people’s lives.

Tags: balance, blemish, Calvary, compassion, demonstration, destructive power, fierce, legalistic, mercy, ultimate
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“He (the king) called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God!  Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”  Daniel 6:20b

King Darius spent a miserable, sleepless night, wondering if the God of the Hebrews is real and able to deliver.  He’s in this predicament as a result of a stupid, unalterable law he was duped into signing, never dreaming it was a plot against his most trusted adviser, Daniel.

Daniel hadn’t wavered in His worship and service to God, even though it meant being fed to the lions.

And now, at first light, Darius rushes to the lion’s den, breathless to know whether Daniel’s God has indeed rescued him, hoping against hope for a miracle.

God is so ready to prove Himself to anyone who seeks Him.  This miracle, though it blessed Daniel greatly, was really for the benefit of the pagan king.  Darius embraced Daniel’s God, then issued a proclamation of God’s praises throughout his kingdom.

PONDER: How many Dariuses are there in my life who are hoping that what they see in me is proof that God really does exist?  Can I welcome the difficult circumstances of my life as opportunities for God to show Himself?

PRAYER: Lord, give me Your perspective.  Help me trust that everything You allow in my life gives You the chance to prove Yourself, not only to me, but also to  those who are looking for You, hoping You are really real.

Tags: anguish, King Darius, miracle, perspective, plot, predicament, proclamation, servant
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“Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death.”  Proverbs 19:16

How many of us have viewed God’s commands as His way of making sure we don’t have too much fun as we travel through life?  Where did we ever get the idea that God is some kind of cosmic kill-joy?

These are lies straight out of the pit of hell, orchestrated by the enemy of our souls,  whose goal, Jesus said, is to “rob, kill, and destroy” those whom God loves.

The Lord knows what keeps us from experiencing life’s best.  His commandments reflect His desire that we live life to the fullest, enjoying all His precious gifts.

Christ is like the “mine-sweep” who, having safely navigated the mine-field of life,  points out the dangers ahead.  Yet, we are leery.  We don’t trust His heart.

Satan entices us with the identical lie he used in the Garden.  Once he created suspicion as to God’s intentions, he was able to lure Adam and Eve into his trap.  We’ve all fallen prey to that same scheme!

PONDER:  How do I see God?  Do I believe His desires and plans are for my best, or do I suspect Him of withholding something from me?

PRAYER:  Forgive me, Lord, for believing the enemy’s lies.  I want to know the Truth, which will free me to experience the abundant life You promised.  Your Word is Truth.  Intensify my “hunger” for it.  Strengthen my desire to know and trust You more!

Tags: commandments, cosmic, destroy, enemy, identical, intentions, lure, reflect, suspicion
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“The Lord is good…he knows everyone who trusts in him.”  Nahum 1:7

He knows!  Those of you counting on Him to be your salvation, your righteousness, your strength, and your provision, should be greatly encouraged.  The Lord knows who you are, and He can’t help responding to your believing heart.

God is keenly aware when even the tiniest glimmer of trust begins to flicker in the heart of one of His creatures.   Scripture declares that His eyes roam to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of anyone who is committed to trusting Him. (II Chronicles 16:9)

Only in trusting God can we ever fully please Him.  (Hebrews  11:6) The good news is:  it is not about our performance!  That will always fall short, because we are human.

But those who trust in Christ are automatically considered righteous through what Christ did on the cross.  He was made sin for us so we might be made righteous through Him.  (II Corinthians 5:23) It doesn’t depend on me!

PONDER: Have I rested my full “weight” on Jesus, trusting Him as God’s only provision for my salvation and sanctification?  Or do I feel there is still some part of this whole process that depends on me?

PRAYER: Lord, open my eyes to the many times You’ve declared in your Word that I am made right with You by trusting in what Jesus has done for me.  It’s a gift!  It cannot be earned — only received.

Tags: glimmer, II Chronicles, II Corinthians, performance, provision, righteous, salvation, sanctification, weight
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