Hebrew – checed (kheh’-sed) love, lovingkindness, covenantal love. David prays for God’s salvation, not according to his own merit, but according to God’s checed love. God answers the prayer of one who prays this. Jesus, Son of David, Son of God, is the answer to David’s prayer.
What Samuel said to Saul after he failed to wait on the old prophet. I must admit, I relate to Saul’s impatience. After all, Samuel was running late and Saul’s army was getting restless. Saul was worried about winning the upcoming battle when he should have been focused on being obedient to God. Be careful not to put God’s work before His worship.
We want to give back as we get. It’s hard to be the one who gives the “gentle answer.” Yet this is the best way to defuse an escalating situation. This isn’t being a “doormat,” letting someone run over you. It’s actually a position of greater control, speaking the truth in love (Eph.4:15), not seeking to win, but to understand one another.
Saul was busy searching for his father’s donkeys, but God had other plans for him. He asked Saul to “stay here” for a while. Hard to do when you have urgent duties. Yet, Saul stayed and listened and God made him king of Israel. Are you chasing the urgent when God is asking you to just “stay here” for a while?
for he said, ‘Up to this point the Lord has helped us!’” (1 Samuel 7:12).
Has the Lord helped you? How have you marked it? Put out your Ebenezer and let others know what God has done for you.
Jesus is the criterion by which the Bible is interpreted. He is the Living Word, the Logos, who was, and is, and is to come. Apart from faith in Jesus, the Scripture cannot be rightly understood. Hearing His voice, he opens the Scripture to us and our hearts burn with understanding (Luke 24:32).
Rather than asking God to join us today, Let’s ask Him to show us what He’s doing and join Him there.
Fear, respect, be in awe of God. Not because He is cruel or capricious, but because He is Creator and King. Fearing Him, we don’t have to fear anything else, including death itself.
Born again hearts and transformed minds required. Man-made worship will not do. Only the blood of the Lamb applied can prepare us for acceptable worship. Not where or when you worship. Not what style of music or clothes you wear. No, to please God, we must worship in the way He prescribes– in spirit and in truth.
I praise God not because I wish to bargain with Him. I praise Him because He is God and worthy of my worship. Even when suffering and death cross my path, my heart is determined to praise Him. For He is God and there is no other. Today, I praise Him for letting me see my grandson Conner, if only for a moment. He was always Yours. Now we return him to You. Blessed be Your Name our LORD.