Saul's early days as king were fraught with bad behavior. At first, he didn't want to be the king. Then he got impatient with Samuel and burned improper sacrifices. Then he would have killed his own son for ignoring a fast. But when Philistines came against him in fury, he prayed. God would not talk to him. If you want God to answer quickly, behave yourself.
1 Samuel 14:37 - "...Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day."
PRINCIPALS - "Saul and the Amalekites"
God commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites. "Slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." With 210,000 men, Saul smote the city, but captured King Agag and kept the best animals to make sacrifices. God called him stubborn, rebellious and disobedient. That day, God rejected him from being king. Always obey God.
1 Samuel 15:22 - "Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams."
PRINCIPLES - "Rebellion and Witchcraft"
Samuel told Saul that God chose him to lead Israel when he was little in his own sight. But stubborn disobedience ruined him and God rejected him. Samuel called for Agag the Amalekite king, and in front of Saul cut Agag into pieces - doing Saul's unfinished job. Samuel walked out, and never saw Saul again. Stubbornness and rebellion rejects God and His word.
1 Samuel 15:23 - "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king."
PROPHECIES - "I Have Provided Me A King"
God took the kingdom from Saul. Samuel said He "hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou." God knew all along that Saul would fail. God was angry at Israel for being impatient for an earthly king. Did God intentionally give them a loser to teach them a lesson? God knew that David would someday rule, but they would not trust Him until that day. Do not be impatient. God has a plan.
1 Samuel 16:1 - "...I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons."
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The Heart of the King |
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. – Proverbs 21:1 |
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Think about that for a moment! God has reserved the right to override the will of a nation's leader, if need be, to see that His people are governed according to His will. What's more, God will hear the prayer of any government leader. Even if he's the worst reprobate in the whole world. He heard the prayer of old King Nebuchadnezzar. Believe me, that means He'll listen to any leader! You see, Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. He was an ungodly ruler of an ungodly nation. However, he'd taken captives from the land of Judah. He had some of God's people under his authority. So, God began to deal with him. Again and again, God warned him, Nebuchadnezzar, you're going to lose your mind if you don't straighten up. And, sure enough, he went just as crazy as could be. He stayed that way for years too. Then one day he cried out to God and God heard him. Despite his status as a heathen king of a heathen nation, God intervened repeatedly in Nebuchadnezzar's life and heard him when he finally cried out for help. Why? Because he had God's people under his control! That same principle still holds true today. If we'll open the way through prayer, God will deal with our leaders! If we will humble ourselves in unity and pray, God can change the injustice and corruption that exist in our country, or any country for that matter. He'll change the hearts of everyone from the White House on down to make sure His children are governed justly. Make it a point to pray for our leaders today! |
Prepare for Persecution |
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. – 2 Timothy 3:12 |
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Did you catch that? He said all who live godly lives are going to suffer persecution. Not just the super-saints, not just the missionaries in hostile lands—but all. If you're going to live for God, you're going to run into persecution somewhere along the line. The devil's going to make sure of it! Now I'm not saying that to frighten you or to depress you. I'm saying it because I want you to be prepared. When you're wise to the strategies of the devil, it's harder for him to use them successfully on you to confuse you and get you off track. Second Corinthians 10:4 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." So stay armed and ready for Satan's attack. Then, whenever and however it comes, it won't bring your life to a halt or even slow you down. That's especially important right now because we're living in the last days. The devil's time is drawing short. He is desperate. He is going to do everything he can to stop the Church. But Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church! Remember the more we grow to be like Jesus and the more God's glory is revealed through our lives, the bigger threat we are to Satan's kingdom. Jesus said, "Rejoice and be glad at such a time, and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven" (Luke 6:23, The Amplified Bible). So, when persecution comes your way, and you know it will, rejoice and be glad. Take the Jesus cure and begin to leap and jump and praise God! There is no way persecution will hurt you if you do that. I've tried it and it works. Yeah ha yeah  |
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