Sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking that we’re doing right when we’re not. Perhaps it’s a case of the ends justifying the means. Or perhaps in a proud declaration, we truly think “we know better” in this particular case. In the end, we’re simply justifying our sin, whether consciously or subconsciously.
Take Saul for example. All he wanted to do was bring back a little of the booty after routing the Amalekites (Read about it in 1 Samuel 15:1-9). Specifically he wanted to bring back animals that he could sacrifice to God. I mean, all the guy wants to do is worship. What’s so bad about that? The problem, simply stated, was that God told him to do something else. God’s command was not to spare anything (v. 3). Nothing! Yet Saul decided he knew better than God. Not only that, but he allowed Agag, the Amalekite king, to live. Samuel got to the heart of the matter when he rebuked Saul, saying in v.22, “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 listen than the fat of rams.” God wants us to listen and obey, not do our own thing. As our loving creator, he has our best in mind. Are there any “Agag’s” in your life? Straggling sins that you’ve rationalized for one reason or another? Take a page out of Samuel’s playbook (Check out v. 32-33!) and remove them from your midst.
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Encouragers come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s a long-time friend and other days it’s a stranger in Walmart. Today it’s a spouse, tomorrow it’s a child and the next day it’s a co-worker. We all need encouragement from time to time and God graciously sets his servants in our path at just the right time. But it is not enough simply to receive it – we are to be expert givers in the field of encouragement as well.
Let me give you brief Old and New Testament examples of encouragers: Old Testament: Samuel. When he was getting ready to crown Saul the first king of Israel, Saul was nowhere to be found. God told Samuel that Saul was hiding out with the luggage (1 Samuel 10:20-24). That’s right. The future king and leader of God’s people was trying to disappear among the suitcases and satchels. God revealed his hiding place to Samuel and Saul was retrieved and brought before the people. But do you know what Samuel said? Did he mock, berate or humiliate the trembling Saul? No, he simply said, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people” (v. 24). I’m trying to imagine what that must have meant to Saul. To have someone put there arm around you and let you know that they still believe in you even when you’re not at your best is truly a wonderful gift. New Testament: Tychicus This man must have been the apostle of encouragement. The apostle Paul sends Tychicus two different times to two different churches with one mission: to encourage. In Colossians 4:7-9 and Ephesians 6:21-22 (check them out), Tychicus is sent to these churches with one mission in mind: “I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.” For some of us, praise and affirmation do not roll off our lips all that easily. That’s ok. The Bible teaches that nothing good comes naturally to us (see Romans 3:10-13) but God is ready to give us grace to be what he wants us to be. May there be a few more Samuel’s and Tychicus’ among us! (Note: I’m not advocating a comeback in the name “Tychicus.” Some names should stay in the Bible!) While reading my Bible this morning, I was once again astounded by the types of people God chooses to use. In particular, I was reading the book of Judges and several people stood out. God used Gideon, who came from a family of idol worshipers and was hiding from his enemies in fear when God came to him (Judges 6-7). How about Deborah (Judges 4-5)? As a woman, should would not have been given the time of day in her culture, yet God chose her to step up (when no men had the courage) and deliver her people from oppression. Or consider Shamgar, an outsider who had few resources at his disposal, but that was no big deal for God. He enabled Shamgar to defeat 600 of his enemies by using only a sharp stick (Judges 3:31)! What about Jephthah (Judges 11)? He was the son of a prostitute and was run out of town by his own family. Samson (Judges 13-16) was an impetuous man who made more bad (read: sinful) decisions that I can count and got caught sleeping with the enemy (literally) more than once.
The list could go on and on. God makes it his business to use imperfect people. Consider the following verses from the pen of the apostle Paul: 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (ESV) 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. Why does God choose to use the types of people that we wouldn’t? Verse 29 tells us: so that he might get the glory and, if there’s any bragging to be done, it should be about him and not ourselves. Do you ever feel inadequate or useless to God because of your past or lack of eloquence, skill, ability or some other shortcoming? Then you are right where God wants you to be! Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to pray without ceasing. But if you’re like most of us there are times when we sit down to pray and struggle for the words to say. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that I have an audience with the almighty creator of the entire universe, whom I’ve known for many years – I should have no problem opening my heart to the one who searches it inside and out (Jeremiah 17:10). Fortunately God is gracious and understands our frailty have all the patience in the world for us to mature in the spiritual discipline of prayer.
For those of us who could use a little direction in our prayer life from time to time, I found this great article online. You may read it and say, “My day is packed! Who has an entire hour to devote entirely to prayer!” Well then, start with a manageable chunk of time and work up to it. I think you’ll find it to be time very well spent. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to pray without ceasing. But if you’re like most of us there are times when we sit down to pray and struggle for the words to say. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that I have an audience with the almighty creator of the entire universe, whom I’ve known for many years – I should have no problem opening my heart to the one who searches it inside and out (Jeremiah 17:10). Fortunately God is gracious and understands our frailty have all the patience in the world for us to mature in the spiritual discipline of prayer.
For those of us who could use a little direction in our prayer life from time to time, I found this great article online. You may read it and say, “My day is packed! Who has an entire hour to devote entirely to prayer!” Well then, start with a manageable chunk of time and work up to it. I think you’ll find it to be time very well spent. |
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