“Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” --Prov. 13:12. Years of being chased by Saul were taking its toll upon David. Twice he had honored the Lord by not killing Saul when he had the opportunity. One would think that maybe Saul would repent and let go of the Kingdom handing it over to David. After all, he would get it eventually. A peaceful solution was desirable. For years David had been sustained emotionally with the hope that one day the Lord would make him king. But it would appear that that day would continually be deferred.
When the heart is sick, the mind does not function properly. So David returns to Gath. Gath is where Goliath was from. It would not be a good choice of refuge for the one who had dispatched their hero. David retreated there once before when Saul first trying to kill him. But that was years ago, and he was alone then. Now David has gained a reputation for being chased by Saul. What is more, David has built an army of 600. They are seasoned soldiers by now. David would make a valuable ally to the king of Gath. Achish welcomed him and gave David and his men the town of Ziklag in which to dwell. David took the age old and dishonorable profession of a gentleman pirate.
Where is the glory of God in David’s occupation as a pirate? How can a man after God’s own heart occupy himself in such an occupation? It just doesn’t make sense. But then how clean are my hands? How clean are your hands? Are we sure that we are 100% honest in our business dealings? It must be that the lord is overlooking the sin of this season. The Lord understands the heart sickness of David. What mercy upon His part! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 64
My son Daniel is an illustrator. He has done a number of comical illustrations of people with unusually large tongues. The illustrations always amuse me.
“Hide me. . . from the wicked. . . who sharpen their tongues like a sword. . . But God . . . will make them stumble over their own tongue.” While not all of us have had people pursue us with swords as David did, we have all had enemies who have used sharp words to attack us. That is probably something that all of us have in common. When others attack us with their words, it can often be an emotionally paralyzing event in our lives. Particularly at those times, it is necessary to focus upon the glory of the Lord. Why? Because it is at those times that we need the realization that He will eventually bring them to an end upon their own words. Sometimes it takes a while for that to all play out, but God makes it happen. His glory makes people trip over their own tongues. Did you ever think the glory of God could be humorous? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
EZEKIEL 33
Recently the news has been filled with the wickedness of Isis. It evokes a cry of justice from within me. I truly find men who would decapitate their foes and then crucify their headless bodies to be men who are absolutely degenerate. What is even worse is that they have systematically beheaded children simply because their parents were followers of Jesus. There is this sense (right or wrong) within in me that such men do not deserve to live. They are the epitome of wickedness.
“I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live!” God is the author of life. As the author, He also removes life at the appropriate time. If He controls life and death, and if He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, then why does He remove the life of the wicked? Since we are all to some degree wicked, and since He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, why does He remove the life of anyone? Consider this also: Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” The Lord is not pleased when the wicked die, but He finds the death of His saints to be precious.
When the wicked dies without repentance, his wickedness causes his separation from the Holy God to be permanent. The Lord has no desire for anyone to perish, even the wicked. Why then, since He is all powerful, does He not just remove the wickedness of the wicked, so that the separation from Him can be resolved? It has something to do with being created in His image. Part of being created in His image is that I can truly make a choice to love Him. If I choose not to love Him (wickedness), then for God to not grant my choice would be to revoke that which was created in me to reflect what He is like. It is His glory to honor Himself by respecting our choice.
At the same time at which He hates wickedness, He desires the wicked to repent. He also desires that we, who have found repentance and grace, should warn the wicked of their impending doom. Why? He wants us to reflect His glory. He warned us before we repented. He wants us to do the same. He earnestly desires the repentance of even the most wicked. Could God truly desire that men, who decapitate children, repent and live? Should not a Holy God desire their death? Even their death was paid for in the death of the Lord Jesus. It was for them that He died. It is for them that He calls us to lay down our lives to warn them of their impending death. He takes no pleasure in their death, but He would take our laying down our lives for their redemption to be precious in His sight. Hmmm. . . . His glory is to desire all to come to repentance. I have a hard time grasping that, but it is true. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
1 CORINTHIANS 14:1-19
Part of the glory of Christ is His infinite holy love for us. Part of His glory is that we are being transformed into His image. Therefore, it brings Him greater glory when we are transformed into people who love like He loves. That is unnatural; indeed, it is supernatural. Can you imagine what would happen in our churches and fellowships if we loved as is described in chapter 13? It would revolutionize our churches!
In addition to pursuing love Paul tells us to desire spiritual gifts. But wasn’t it the desire of spiritual gifts in chapter 12 that brought so much turmoil in the church in Corinth? Yes it was. There were two fundamental problems in their exercise of their gifts. The first was that is was not motivated by love. The second was that each thought their gift was the best expression of spirituality and truth. Truth is best revealed when everyone has a healthy respect for each other’s gifts, and they exercise them with that in mind and with a motivation of love.
I can be told a lot of negative things about myself if I know the person speaking it loves me and the person has accurately discerned the truth. Love provides an atmosphere for us to receive truth from one another and seeking a balance of gifts helps make sure the truth we share is not one sided. How the glory of Christ would be increased, if we pursued love and desired all the gifts! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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