Inquire of the Lord
Bayless Conley
1 Samuel 30:8 tells us what David did next as He sought to deal with the troubles that besieged him. After grieving and strengthening himself in the Lord, here is what he did,
So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all."
David inquired of the Lord.
There is a story in the book of Joshua that shows the importance of inquiring of God, of seeking His guidance, no matter how things may seem.
The nation of Israel had entered the Promised Land and they were gaining great victories. One day a group of Gibeonites showed up. They had bags full of old moldy bread, their sandals were worn out, their water skins were cracked and old, and their clothing was old and worn.
They told Joshua and the leaders that they had come from a country far, far away. They went on to tell them they had heard about the great things God was doing through Israel, and they wanted to make sure they would not be attacked. So they had traveled from afar to make a covenant so that when Israel eventually reached them in the future, they wouldn't attack the Gibeonites.
The Bible says specifically that Joshua and the men did not inquire of the Lord. Rather, they looked at the people's provisions…the moldy bread, the old sandals, the old water skins…and they made a covenant with them.
It turns out they were the next door neighbors and Israel had been deceived. And it caused huge problems in Israel's future.
I am telling you, things are not always as they appear. It pays to inquire of the Lord when you are going through difficult times. He will lead you.
Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God.
God Is Always In Control
Dr. Charles Stanley
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.
When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even our most painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28).
Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm the truth of this biblical promise because the Father’s good handiwork appears all through my pain, hardship, and loss. I have experienced Him turn mourning into gladness and have seen Him reap bountiful blessings and benefits from my darkest hours.
As believers, we must accept that God won’t always make sense to us. Isaiah teaches that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isa. 55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to spin.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit http://www.intouch.org/.
Today's Headlines Are God's Warnings
Evangelists Billy Graham
Isaiah 32:1----35:10
SITUATION Isaiah spoke of God's coming judgment on both individual and nations surrounding Judah. People's motives were clear to God, and he rewarded those who lived by his commandments and were honest. He punished sinners.
OBSERVATION Although slow to anger God punishes sin. Only the faithful will know God's bounty and security.
INSPIRATION Almost every headline, every television news report and every radio bulletin these days proclaims one essential truth. The modern world is in chaos and no one has a realistic solution . . .
The whole world is crying out for some word of hope, but all we hear is the babble of wishful thinkers and charlatans. Psychologists, educators, social scientists, physicians, and media wizards of every stripe offer pronouncements and preachments, but even the best ideas generally collapse under closer scrutiny. So far, our modern secular society has produced no positive answers; yet we continue to reach out in hope.
Actually, there is still time. For with society's failures comes the chance to repent and seek renewal. If we recognize the failures of living without God and turn our foolishness and disobedience, we may yet be able to receive God's mercy and forgiveness.
Today's headlines are God's warnings to a sinful world. The television news flashes are a shadow of His loving hand at work, pushing for the world's redemption. The radio bulletins are a reminder that in spite of our compulsive determination to ruin the earth and destroy God's program of salvation, He has not given up on us completely. Until that day when God's final judgment affixes each of us into place for eternity, there is a chance to begin again. Jesus said, "You must be born again" (John 3:7). That is the last best home for this world. Ultimately it is our only hope. (From Storm Warning by Billy Graham)
APPLICATION Have you ever surrendered your life to God? Have you ever asked him to forgive your sins? Pray and ask him to be your Lord and Savior. Tell him your sorry for your sins. Tell your pastor that you accept Christ as your Savior.
EXPLORATION Judgment-- Deuteronomy 7:2; Matthew 3:10; 13:30.
The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, Max Lucado General Editor, Thomas Nelson Publishers, pages 858-859.
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) - Chris Tomlin
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