Honest God Truth

1Samuel 20. David and Jonathan made a love covenant.  If you love me feed my sheep. Love always causes actions.  It may be a tear or a smile or running and jumping onto a hand grenade. Love is what motivates God.  God so loved the world that he gave his only son...  Love also can hurt and be broken causing some to harden their hearts and not allow for love to be expressed because of previous loses.  Part of love is forgiveness because we understand that as sinful people we abuse other people’s love toward us.  Our greatest goal is to love God and others in such a way as to be vulnerable to be hurt, sad and lonely. And in so doing experience all of God’s love for us.  Loving God and trusting him completely.  Jesus that is my prayer, for your glory and my joy.  Amen

The series of events in this chapter show us that God is directly involved in the actions of people. Saul is desiring David’s death and the people who know Saul well are protecting David.  It seems so sad and unproductive but God is moving and causing the outcomes just the way he wants. The strength, wisdom and feelings of the participants are secondary to the Spirit of God moving. It shows that not only does God care about results he cares about emotions and feelings.  How we feel, and speak is as important as how we act.  God is a relational God who loves us and desires us to love him with all our heart.  Pray today to have a heart that loves God completely.  In Jesus name, Amen

God shows mercy on who he chooses and righteousness to everyone else!  Saul acted like a normal man and that was not high enough or good enough for God.  When we think we are good enough or kind enough and not humble before God we are fools!  Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God.  Without humbleness no one can please God. Saul was action with human sense and the Lord God says not good enough.  Only those who trust me with all there heart will please me.  David was better but not good enough! Jesus was and it the perfect man and God because he perfectly trusted the father.  When we receive the Holy Spirit we can trust him with pure hearts.  Without him it is impossible.  Thank you Jesus for sending us the Holy Spirit.  All praise to you Jesus!  Amen

God commands what he doesn’t want to happen? Yes and no.  God interacts with his people in ways where we can understand his likes and dislikes.  It allows us to have a relationship with him.  But there is more to God than our understanding.  When he shows disappointment it doesn’t mean he is not in control.  His will always occurs but sometimes we can’t see it or understand it.  The great news is that Jesus came and revealed more of who God is and calls us friends who believe that he is the messiah. Can we disappoint God? Yes and yet his plan is for us to repent and move forward knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God.  Pray our love, knowledge and obedience grow more each day.  For Jesus glory and our joy.  Amen

The God of the universe is working out his plans since the beginning of time.  We finite creatures have been given the ability to think and reason.  We see and respond to our environment in ways that are purposeful.  When we act and the results agree with our understanding we fill accomplishment. If the action and result are not in agreement confusion and disappointment occur.  We do not have the ability to see the future so our limited understanding brings frustration and sadness in negative outcomes.  God made us purposeful yet limited to past and present situation.  God is infinity directing his plan which includes us and knows the future.  We can learn to trust him and love and obey him if we understand his ability to work all things out for his glory and our joy.  Understanding who God is and knowing him gives meaning to the misunderstandings of life and peace to dissatisfaction of results.  Living with God’s presence and love allows fo...

Jesus said we can do nothing without him!  Any victory, any joy, and hope is all in and through and by the Lord Jesus. Left on our own our sin will condemn us.  The wages of sin is death!  God’s love reaches out to us with the good news of the gospel.  His righteousness judgment punishes sin.  We need to choose Jesus everyday day to save us from our sin and to lead us into righteousness.  Without him we will fall into the wrath of God.  Thank you Lord when we choose you.  Amen

It seems we all live on the edge of a cliff.  And our tendency is to fall off into sin.  The view is so beautiful that we slip, are pushed or don’t have the strength to stay safe.  So, left to ourselves we all will fall and deep down inside we know it.  The righteous ones realize by a gift from God that they will fall unless they receive help.  They know they are sinners.  Then someone will come to them to tell them about the help they can receive and they gladly receive it.  This gift of help is so wonderful that they want to help others and that is the good news of the gospel.  God is opening the eyes and hearts of his chosen people to keep them from falling off the cliff, they may stumble and fall but God is leading and protecting them on their journey up the cliff to heaven.  Now that is good news we need to share and help others to receive.  God is always working let’s pray that he uses us.  For Jesus glory and our joy!  ...

This is a great story of God hearing the pleading of a woman who has been harassed for many years.  When we see that she received what she asked for it makes her trials seem less difficult.  It is not true though since going through difficultly is always hard and it challenges our faith in God.  She needed to come to the point of giving her most precious desire over to God’s care before she received her prayer request.  God had great plans for her son and she needed to lent him to the Lord.  When we pray we need to pray about what we will give up to the Lord for his glory and our joy!   Amen 

Romans 15.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  So with that said, believers in him have lived, believed and questioned there role and usefulness.  Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit still has plans and understanding that was limited and not always correct.  He was planning on going to Spain through Rome and ended up in Rome under arrest.  He asked for success in Judea and they put him in jail.  He knew he needed pray but did not know his future.  We as believers 2000 years later have the same needs.  Pray to believe, trust, and obey Jesus. He will guide us to where we will be used for his glory and our eternal joy in him.  Thank you Jesus for loving us.  Amen

Paul is explaining in Romans 14 how loving others more than yourself works.  Giving up your interest and desires when it offends a friendship.  It would be described in our society as being allowed to be taken advantage.  It might look weak and demeaning but if done in faith in the Lord it often shows love and can heal broken relationships. We are called to trust and obey the Lord.  When we do we find joy and peace and righteousness.  I pray that God gives me that grace.  Amen