Book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 25

 Chapter 25

The Death of Samuel

25 Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.

David and Abigail

Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal and the name of his wife was Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite. 4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 When David's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David's servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 12 So David's young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13 And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”

18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs[a] of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22 God do so to the enemies of David and more also if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belongs to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face, and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. 37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became a stone. 38 And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” 41 And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. 44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

Trust in The Lord 3

 Putting God in charge of your tomorrow.

Hello and welcome! Today, we will conclude our series on “Trust in the Lord.” If you have joined us over the past two weeks, you know we have already discussed trusting in God and putting Him first in our lives. Today, we will focus on putting God in charge of our tomorrows.

Let us pray. "Heavingly Father, Lord God, all the praise and glory be to You. As we come before You today, we pray that You give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive Your Truth and Your Revelation. May Your Word feed our spirit as the food You so abundantly bless us with feeds our bodies. We ask this in Your holy name, Amen!"

We often make plans for tomorrow, considering where we want to live, what we want to drive, and how we envision our retirement. We all keep track of our 401(k) accounts and our savings for the future. But have you ever thought about your 401(E)? You have one! Think about the home you will live in for a much longer time than just the 15 to 20 years after your retirement here on Earth.

Let me ask you this. Are you trusting in yourself, or is God in charge of your tomorrow? Look what Yeshua, or Jesus, says about tomorrow.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

We have no idea what tomorrow will bring.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.” Proverbs 27:1

James warns us about this also.

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

We can have the best-laid plans. But what if—bear with me now—tomorrow never comes? We have talked about this many times, but it is a great illustration. This is real life.

It is just a normal, average, mundane Tuesday. People woke up. Commenced with their routines. Some took showers, some didn’t. Some had breakfast, some didn’t. Some kissed their loved ones one last time. Having no idea, it was the last time. Then they went out the door. Then at 8:13 am, everything changed. Everything in the entire country changed. You see, we do not know what is going to happen in the next hour. You may not even finish reading this. We do not know. But it does not have to be the end of the world. It does not have to be 3000 plus people losing their lives. Remember this story?

As some of you know, my Mother passed on, now a few years ago. She became really bad and unable to care for herself at the end of her life. We turned over her care to Hospice. For those of you who do not know who Hospice is, they are a group of people who have Doctors, Nurses, Caregivers, and even Care Facilities. Unlike hospitals, their facilities are like homes. They make those under their care comfortable until the time comes. They are fantastic. I have nothing but good things to say about Hospice. They truly care.

My Mother went in on a Saturday night. I, her husband, her sister, and our kids, went in to see her on Sunday. It was a good day. We ordered Pizza and hung out there for hours. The Charge Nurse told us that if my oldest son Joshua, and his "Poppop" wanted to, they could spend the night with her, anytime. So they made plans to do so that coming Saturday.

Well, Mom went downhill fast. She passed at 4:05 am that Thursday morning. For Josh and Poppop, Saturday never came. Mom is in a far better place, and Josh and Poppop, and the rest of the family, myself included, had to figure out how to move on. Saturday never came. That Thursday changed our family forever.

For us, for everyone, really, but as children of God, there is no tomorrow except what comes. However, we do not have to worry about it. Turn to Matthew 6. We will be in there for a bit. Matthew 6: Start at verse 19. Remember, this is Yeshua, or Jesus, talking.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

This is your 401 E or your eternal “retirement fund.” Tithes and offerings, serving others. Sacrifices we make daily. Sharing the Gospel. Why?

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This is why it is so important to change your mindset. Verse 24

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

We all, as children of God, have to stop relying on ourselves or the things of this world, for our future. Look what our Lord tells us here, Verse 25

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Stop relying on you. Stop leaning on your own understanding. You do not know what tomorrow will bring, but God does.

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians, Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Not only does God love you so that He laid down His Godhood, came to earth while we were in the middle of our sins, birthed into the flesh as we did, and lived a perfect life only to be mocked, stripped, beaten, and murdered for you. For me. But He loves us so much that He wants a relationship with Him. He wants us to be His children and Him to be our Abba-Father.

God does not want the worst for us. He does not want us to just work and pay bills and die. Look here

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Yeshua said this in Luke 11:11-13

“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

We must put God in charge of our tomorrow. Why would you not want to do this? He is there. He knows what is coming. He is the Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the Last. He is the great “I Am.” He is also our Daddy. Our Father. The only one that can do anything and all things. Oh, and? He knows better than we do. I know, right?

Do you have this assurance? Are you a child of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Yeshua, be with you all. May God bless you and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 24

 Chapter  24

David Spares Saul's Life

1 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 5 And afterward David's heart struck him because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. 12 May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! 15 May the Lord, therefore, be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Trust in The Lord 2

 Put God in charge of your today.

Last time, we discussed putting God in charge of our past and how He is willing and able to forgive us our sins and wipe them out of existence.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Most people understand this in time. They think they are putting God in charge of their future simply by doing this. This is not true, but we will discuss that next time. What many people have an issue with is what we will discuss today: putting God in charge of your day.

People have a hard time with this for a few common reasons.

Uncertainty and fear.
Unwillingness to let go.
Unwillingness to trust God’s plan.

Uncertainty and fear.

We covered a whole series on being bold for Christ. We talked about losing jobs, loved ones, freedom, and even our very lives. Check it out in the archives at TAG. Today, we will condense this a lot. God’s Word tells us this.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

We read things like this.

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:35-38

And here.

“Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
than great treasure and trouble with it.” Proverbs 15:16

Paul made this statement.

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Philippians 3:8-10

We do not know what this day will bring when we wake up—God does. We do not even really know what will happen in the next hour. Look at me. I went to work at the church. When I got done, I remembered all the kids and my wife were home, so I decided to take them to lunch. I left the church. What happened? A head-on car crash.

Some of you know the story. How I am now disabled. Had to learn to walk again. All that. Did I know that was going to happen? Nope. Would I have maybe gone a different way? Yup. Would I call that a good thing? Nope. However? I am a child of God. I have claimed Romans 8:28 as my own.

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

How can I see the accident as a good thing? More time with the family. More time to work on these messages. Time to do other things for God and the ability to simply slow down and enjoy life, whether I like it or not. Why? Because I AM a child of God.

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:15-17

Unwillingness to let go.

No, I do not know what will happen for the rest of today. I have no clue, but I trust God to be in charge of it.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Unwillingness to trust God’s plan.

If you have faith in God and allow Him to guide your day, you must learn to let go. Here's how.

“In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6

Did you know that God has a plan for you? He does. Look what Yeshua tells us here.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

We read this in God’s Word.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

You just need to let go. Let go of fear. Let go of doubt. Release your need for control and understanding. Embrace God and allow Him to take charge of your day. One of the most important ways to do this is by renewing your mind.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

We have talked about this before. God is your Father. Come what may. Lose my Job? God is my Father. Lose my home? God is my Father. Get sick? God is my Father. People attacking me and lying about me? God is my Father. I am told in the Bible that God is my Abba Father. Translation? God is my Daddy, If you are a child of God, He is your Daddy too.

This is right here. {Holding up the Bible} This is our manual for life.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

READ IT! Read it. Pray about it. Prayerfully read it. Digest it. Keep it in your heart and mind. It will teach you, guide you, discern the spirits and the intentions of others for you. It will show you God’s Heart and His love for you.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8

Put God in charge of your today and let Him be your Father. If you have not already done so, and if you truly want to have Yeshua come into your life and set you free from Hell, death, and the grave. Then say this prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Yeshua, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 23

 Chapter 23

David Saves the City of Keilah

1 Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David's men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.” 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. 14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

Saul Pursues David

15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20 Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand.” 21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 22 Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning. 23 See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. 29  And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.

Trusting In The Lord

 Put Him in charge of your past.

Wait, what? Yes, God is in our past. Let Him take charge of it. “But you cannot go back and change anything.” True, but He can. We just discussed the Ten Commandments and how they remain relevant today. As children of God, we must understand and uphold these commandments. As we begin the new year, let's put God in charge of our lives—our past, present, and future.

We will start today with our past. “But you cannot go back and change anything. There is no redo button. I did what I did. I can’t change that.” This is one hundred percent true. You cannot.

We could discuss how God is outside of time and present in our past, present, and future. We know that He knows who will and will not follow Him. He knows our choices—the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly.

However, although God is in our past, you are correct. We cannot go back and change anything. Did He see you do that? Yup. Did you commit sins that are worthy of sending you to Hell? Yup. Do you regret them and wish you could change them? Of course. You know what? You can’t.

You, me, everyone, is worthy of death, the grave, and even hell.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

Even “Christians?”

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

“All” Say “all.” All have sinned. Christians? “If we say we have no sin?” We sin. We lie. We “deceive ourselves.” Yes, even “Christians” sin daily. There is nothing we can do about it. Nothing. But God can. And He did.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Many individuals, whether children of God or not, have encountered these verses before, but often stop there. While it is a beautiful sentiment, this is not the complete truth. Please read on.

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

It is this simple. “Have the Son, have life. Have not the son, have not life.” {1 John 5:12} What does this mean?

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” John 3:16-21

He saw. He came. You are saved. Not because you are worthy. Rather you are unworthy. Look here.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

Nothing you did while sinning, serving others, or searching for faith led you to salvation except for God. He is the one who created us. We handed all authority over to the devil when we sinned, and we deserve hell for our actions. That is the truth. However, God loved us despite everything we have done.

I know some people who feel they have a past that would preclude them from a future with God. However, that is not the case. Remember Saul. He hunted down, enslaved, tortured, and killed God’s chosen people. Those who accepted Christ and he killed them. Murdered them, and burned their houses. He was not a good guy.

What did God do? Did He strike him with lighting? Did He condemn him to hell? No. He turned him into Paul who wrote a lot of the New Testament we read today. What have you done that is worthy to be compared to that? I would suggest nothing. However, if you did commit murder, Paul is a perfect example of the “Agape love.” Agape love as modeled by Christ is not based on a feeling; rather, it is a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above our own. Agape love does not come naturally to us. Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of producing such love. However, God does, and did. Christ does and did. The Holy Spirit does.

If you are hearing this for the first time, there is a reason. There are no accidents nor are there any coincidences. God is calling you out. It does not matter what you have done. It does not matter what you have in the bank. It does not matter what your earthly job is. We all share the first three steps in life.

“For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

God knew you in the womb—I truly believe He knew you before you were in the womb. In step two, He set up a plan and a purpose for your life. Then, we get to step three, which is where you come in.

“And those whom he predestined he also called,”

This is what is happening as we speak. God is calling you out. Now, of course, we all have free will. You can say “Yes” or you can say “No.” If you say “no,” and 0you go on with your life, will a bolt of lightning come out of the sky and strike you down? No. Well, I don’t think so anyway. {Smiling} The Truth is you will most likely go on with your life and you will live whatever life you create for yourself.

I understand this may sound good to some. “Oh, so I can do whatever I want and I do not have to answer to your mystical man in the sky? Cool.” Yeah. It may be cool here and now. Here is the question. What then? Your life is a second in the span of eternity. The Word says it is like a vapor.

“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14

Out of the billions of people that have lived, and walked on this earth, there is you. You were born, grew, and got to where you are now without God. When you are gone, there may be billions more. So when you kneel before God, and you will if you believe or not, your belief does not matter, it will be too late.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2: 9-11

Yes, His name is Yeshua, which can also be translated as Jesus; either name is acceptable. The Bible contains approximately 102 names for God, and Yeshua is known as Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ, the Good Shepherd, the Door, the Gate, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, among others. If you prefer to use the name that was used during His time on earth, then His name is Yeshua.

If you say “Yes?”

“and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30

These are the five steps of an anointed life. God knows everyone in the womb. He has a plan and a purpose for everyone. We are all God’s creation. Then He calls. You hear the truth. Do you reject it? You move on and so does God. You accept it, then and only then are you adopted into the family of God and become a true child of God. Then there is a time of preparation, a time of growing and learning in the Faith, and in the end, we will be glorified with Yeshua.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

And read here in 1 Peter 1:3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

We have an inheritance, a reward, and a future with God in a place where the Word says God Himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

”In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

You are not them. You are no longer lost. You are no longer a child of the world, or rather, a child of the devil. But NOW and only AFTER you accept Yeshua’s sacrifice, can you say you are a child of God.

You are correct; you cannot go back and change anything. No matter how much regret you may feel, some things cannot be undone. However, you can ask God to come into your life and forgive you for your sins.

Here’s the important part: stop sinning intentionally. To repent means to turn away from your sins. Don’t continue to sin knowingly. Being "saved" is not a license to sin. If you genuinely repent and strive to overcome your sins, God will be with you and forgive you, as if it never happened.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

One last one for today.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12

Like it never even happened. If you have not already done so, and if you truly want to have Yeshua come into your life and set you free from Hell, death, and the grave, and forgive and remember your sins no more, then say this prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Yeshua, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 22

 Chapter 22, 

David at the Cave of Adullam

1 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” 4 And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. 5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

Saul Kills the Priests at Nob

6 Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, 8 that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.” 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, 10 and he inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? 15 Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.” 16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.” 17 And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hands to strike the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey, and sheep, he put to the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me, you shall be in safekeeping.”

Ten Commandments 2025, 9 & 10

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

Welcome back. Today we will wrap up our in-depth study of the Ten Commandments. These are the all-but-forgotten Laws of God. They are not something little Johnny and Suzy should learn how to say in order in Sunday School. They are not a nice Biblical story. When someone asks you, what are the Ten Commandments, you should not say something like, "Have no other God but God, Uh, don't kill, uh, don't cheat on your Wife. Yeah, that's a bad one. Uh, oh yeah, don't steal." You need to KNOW what these are. As a child of God, these are given to you, not to make your life more difficult, but easier, and to keep you from the snares of the Devil.

Today we will be talking about Commandments 9, and 10

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

Then we will wrap it up like Jesus did at the end. Let's get to it.

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Now first, as we talked about before, with Commandment 6, if you bear false witness against someone, not only can you hurt them, but you can also cause them to be put to death. Look at what they did to Jesus.

Let's look at Deuteronomy 19

"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you." Deuteronomy 19:15-20

We can see all throughout the Word, of those falsely accusing innocent people. Adam accused Eve. Satan accused Job. The Jews accused Yeshua, or Jesus as translated. ETC. However, false accusations are not the only way you can bear false witness.

Let's say you overhear someone talking about someone. They say this or that. Now, without knowing if it's true, repeat what you heard about that person. It's not true. Yet, now that person is hurt or has to deal with the consequences of the lie you took part in.

"Did you hear Sally is sleeping with the Boss?" What you don't know is, Sally isn't. You see, the Boss has a medical issue, and Sally has a relative with the same issue, and is very educated in ways to help. They became friends and Sally helps the "Boss" from time to time with his condition. There is nothing wrong or seedy about their relationship.

Now, the rumor reaches the "corporate office," and both are fired. Or the rumor reaches Sally's husband or the "Boss's" wife, and it wrecks their families and their lives.

Never gossip. Even if Sally is sleeping with the "Boss," it's none of your concern. Deal with each other with love. Would you want others walking around talking about you? Treat others as you would like to be treated.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." Exodus 20:17

So why is this important? Isn't "keeping up with the Jones" normal? Maybe. But why does God want you to avoid this? Because of what it can lead to. Turn to 1 Kings 21:1-13

“Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And after this Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money."

Now notice, yes, the King did nothing wrong. Not yet. He saw Naboth’s vineyard and desired it. He asked Naboth to enter into a business-like agreement to give him the vineyard.

“But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbade that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."

Naboth said no. Now we see how much Ahab covets or greedily desires the vineyard.

“And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed and turned away and would eat no food.

But Jezebel, his wife came to him and said to him, "Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?"

He goes on to tell her and we pick up in verse 7

“And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

She told him the truth. You are king. All of this is yours. But if this is not enough. I will take care of Naboth for you.

“So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. And she wrote in the letters, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, 'You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death."

And the men of his city, the elders, and the leaders who lived in his city did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones.”

Ahab coveted the vineyard, which led to bearing false witness, theft, and ultimately murder.

In 2 Samuel 11 starting in verse 1

"In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, and he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.”

Things happen. Say “Things happen.” It was not his intent to see this. Like if you are out at the mall with your family and a beautiful woman barely dressed walks by you. It was not your intent to look at her. Say “Things happen.” Did King David look away? No. He kept looking. He started to covet and lust. Read on.

“And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"

He was told she was married. This should have been it. Was it?

“So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant."

David coveted Bathsheba which led to adultery.

“So David sent word to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing how the people were doing, and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." And Uriah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house.”

Of course, David was hoping for Uriah to sleep with his wife in which case, his wife Bathsheba would lie and say it was his, covering up her and David’s sin of adultery. But he didn’t.

“When they told David, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?" Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing." Then David said to Uriah, "Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.”

Plan two failed. Get Uriah drunk and hope he goes to his house. However, Uriah was an honorable and faithful servant of David so he would never do such a thing.

“In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die." As Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died." 2 Samuel 11:1-17

So David coveted Bathsheba, which led to adultery and murder. It also cost David the life of his son. You see when you start coveting something, it then leads to other sins. This is why God told us

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18

Yeshua put it to us this way.

"And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:35-40

In Romans.

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:8-10

"Have no other Gods but God."

"Love Thy Neighbor as yourself."

Then Yeshua gave us a new Commandment. A clarification if you will.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." John 13:34

How did Yeshua Love us? While we were yet sinners, He laid down his very life for us.

Now you understand why. If you have no other God before God, you will not worship before Idols. You will not take His name in vain. You will obey His commandments. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will treat them how you would want to be treated. You would not steal from yourself, and you would not lie about yourself. You would not kill yourself. You would be content with what you have.

You see, the forgotten Laws, The Ten Commandments, were truly not given to make our lives more difficult, but they were given to us to make our lives easier, and to keep us from the snares of the devil.

Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Yeshua, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!