Josh1Eight

"But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world." Paul had to address multiple issues in the Corinthian church (not that churches today ever have any issues that need addressing). One such problem was about how they were observing the Lord's Supper or communion. They were completely missing the whole point and were only worried about themselves. Some were eating too much leaving nothing for the late-comers (poor slaves who were required to work longer hours) so by the time they arrived everyone else had already eaten and were enjoying themselves while everyone else couldn't even participate. This was causing some serious divisions among the members, not to mention that God was not pleased with it. Paul out right tells them that the reason they are experiencing an unusual amount of negative consequences (sickness, death, etc.) wa...

Scripture: 2 Kings 12:17-18 "Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people that they would be the Lord's people. He also made a covenant  between the king and the people. 18 And all the people of the land went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down." Observations: Here we have one of the unsung heroes of the Old Testament named Jehoiada. He was a priest during the reign of the evil Queen Athaliah. One day Jehoiada devises this plan to lead Israel in a conspiracy to assassinate the Queen and rid the land of Baal worship so that God's people could serve the Lord. Not only does he pull off his plan and appoint a 7 year old kid as the next King of Israel (which seems a little questionable to me) but he appears to have done it all out of a genuine desire to please God. There were no prophets or miracles that inspired him to action. He simply looked at the world around him and applied the words God had already spoken in the past to his pres...

Scripture: 2 Kings 10:28-31 "28 In this way, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. 29 He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, with which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin.30 Nonetheless the Lord said to Jehu, "You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Therefore, your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation." 31 But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit." Observations: Another one of those crazy stories in the OT of conspiracy, treason, murder, violence, and justice, all in the name of God! This guy Jehu was appointed by God to become the next king of Israel and was prophesied by the prophet Elisha to be God's instrument of judgment on wicked king Ahab and his descendants. On one occasion he ordered that 70 of the kings sons all be decap...

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:14-20 "So two chariots with horses were prepared, and the king sent scouts to see what had happened to the Aramean army. 15 They went all the way to the Jordan River, following a trail of clothing and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their mad rush to escape. The scouts returned and told the king about it. 16 Then the people of Samaria rushed out and plundered the Aramean camp. So it was true that five quarts of choice flour were sold that day for one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain were sold for one piece of silver, just as the Lord had promised. 17 The king appointed his officer to control the traffic at the gate, but he was knocked down and trampled to death as the people rushed out. So everything happened exactly as the man of God had predicted when the king came to his house. 18 The man of God had said to the king, "By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost one piece of silve...

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:29-32  "29 But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. 30 Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. 31 Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. 32 I want you to be free from the concerns of this life."  Observations: Paul turns his attention to the subject of how Christians are to handle marriage in a godly manner. But when you read his instructions you kind of get the impression that maybe Paul is anti-marriage or somehow thinks that those who do get married will somehow be less effective as Christians or are somehow inferior to those who are single and can serve the Lord more successfully. But really, Paul is not slighting marriage here. But he is addressing a serious matte...

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 'Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you at a high price. So you must honor God with your body." Observations: Paul wraps up his very serious discussion with the Corinthian church regarding their warped attitudes towards sexual immorality and various other vices by pointing out that such behaviors and attitudes are incompatible with a lifestyle that claims to be devoted to Christ. His closing argument is pretty convincing- your body and the rights to your life (lifestyle) were purchased by Christ, therefore He now has sole ownership (exclusive rights) to your life (lifestyle). Consequently, "you don't belong to yourself" (vs. 19). That statement is a powerful truth many people miss. The question of ownership answers once and for all the question, "who's in charge of my life?" If I am the owne...

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 9 When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn't talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don't even eat with such people. 12 It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you." Observations: At first glance it sure sounds like Paul is either just having a really bad day and is being overly zealous and judgmental, or there was a very serious sin problem in the ...

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 "But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames." Observations: Paul's instructions to the Christians in Corinth addressed some of their misconceptions about their relationship with Christ. They were playing favorites and taking sides, which was causing unnecessary division in the church. He reminded them that it was their individual and collective responsibility as followe...

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:25-28 25 (No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord's sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. 26 His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorites had done...27 But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning. 28 Then another message from the Lord came to Elijah: 29 "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime. It will happen to his sons; I will destroy his dynasty." Observations: King Ahab was one of Israel's most wicked leaders of all time. He worshiped idols and broke God's Laws left and right. He even tried to kill God's prophet for trying to turn him from his evil ways. But despite all his sins, when the Arameans invaded, God delivered Israel and fought against their enemies even though they didn't d...

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-4 "1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: "May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them." 3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life...he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died." Observations: Following one of the greatest spiritual victories ever recorded, the prophet Elijah caught wind that queen Jezebel planned to have him killed and high tailed it out of town afraid for his life. Really? Just yesterday he stood toe to toe with the prophets of Baal and boldly stood his ground despite overwhelming odds. Only a few hours ago he demonstrated incre...

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:36-39 "36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,[e] prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself. 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!” Observations: This is probably one of the coolest Bible stories of all time. God's people were led away from Him by evil King Ahab who worshiped the false gods Baal and Asherah (the god and goddess of storms and fertility). Ironically, Israel's God ...

Scripture: 1 Kings 15:1-3,8 "1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam...Abijah became king of Judah,...2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years...3 He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God,...8 And Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David." The book of Kings accounts for the reign of the rulers of Israel written from God's perspective. Often their entire life's accomplishments are recorded in a chapter or less. One such individual was named Abijah. He is given all of 8 verses about his life an his reign as King. You'd think someone that important would at least get some credit for his wealth, leadeship abilities, his popularity, his family, etc. But in short, God was able to sum up his life in 8 verses by stating what this guy did not do that truly mattered- his heart was not commited to the Lord and he was unfaithful. I'm sure he won many battles and ...

Scripture: 1 Kings 14:21-24 "21 Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah...His mother's name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. 22 Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than their fathers had done. 23 They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree...;the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites." Observations: Soon after Solomon's reign, all Israel began a rapid spiritual decline due to repeated failed spiritual leadership. Since Israel settled in the Promised Land, things had slowly gotten worse with each succeeding generation. The first generation failed to drive out the pagan inhabitants of the Land. Because of their tolerance of these corrupt cultures, the next generation embraced their sinful practices more than the previous one. After that, King Solom...

Scripture: 1 Kings 13:16-19, 23-24 “No, I cannot,” he replied. “I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place. 17 For the LORD gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’” 18 But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the LORD: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’” But the old man was lying to him. 19 So they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet’s home....When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him..." Observations: This is seriously one of the craziest and confusing stories in the Bible. In short God sends a prophet to prophesy against the evil practices of King Jeroboam and confirms his words with cool signs ...

Scripture: Romans 10:8-10 "And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."   Observations: Paul here outlines the essence of the Christian message and what it means to be "in Christ" or "saved". He says that right standing with God is conditional and requires two things: confession of Christ's Lordship, and belief in His resurrection (vs. 9). In vs. 10 he seems to imply that belief always precedes confession and that confession is the best evidence of true belief. Obviously if you don't believe in Christ you can't be saved. But how do you know if my belief is really genuine? How do you really know that you're "saved"? Confession is the key. If you conf...

Scripture: 1 Kings 13:8  "But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. 9 "What is your advice?" he asked them. "How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?"   Observations: Although King Solomon was the wisest and most successful Kings in history, he was not immune to bad decisions. Perhaps his worst decision was his failure to listen to God. Unfortunately, his failed legacy was picked up by his son Rehoboam who made one huge mistake that cost him his Kingdom. Early on when he was asked by the people whether or not he would continue his father's policy of forced labor, he sought the advice of two groups of people before making his decision. However, instead of listening to the wisdom of the elders (whose advice was correct), he followed the advice of his unexperienced friends whose wisdom was severely lacking...

Scripture: 1 Kings 9:57-58 "May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, decrees, and regulations that he gave our ancestors." Observations: As he was dedicating the Temple of the Lord, King Solomon asked for God to be gracious to His people as they again pledged themselves to be faithful. Solomon understood very clearly the implications of what Israel's disobedience could bring- separation, slavery, and loss of God's presence. But without having unrealistic expectations and just being real and honest with God, Solomon also realized that being faithful was not always easy. For that reason he included in his prayer these words, "May he give us the desire to do his will in everything". The wisest man who ever lived felt it necessary to recognize the limitations of his good intentions and to request divine assistance in help...

"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things." Romans 2:1 Paul wanted everyone in the churh to see their sin from God's point if view. There were those in the church who somehow thought that they were less sinful or more righteous than others because they had never committed some of the big things or at least not nearly as much as others. They thought that because they were "innocent" they had room to look down on other people's sins while excusing their own because of their "good" behavior. But Paul quickly corrected their misunderstanding by explaining that God makes no distinction when it comes to judging our sins. God, unlike us, judges sin not in quantity but in quality. According to Paul, the quality of everyone's sin is equally gross. When it comes to how...

Scripture: Romans 1:21-23 "Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols.." Observations: Paul's opening statement here wastes no time pointing out humanity's sinfulness before God. In a few paragraphs he puts mankind on trial and ends with a clear conviction that condemns everyone for their sins. People who may not have done as many "bad" things as some are lumped together with and found just as guilty as those who have committed the worst crimes imaginable which causes some to wonder, "is God fair?" But the point Paul goes on to make is that everyone's sin is equally condemning and that no one has any room to argue for better treatment. If God was fair, He sh...

Scripture: 2 Samuel 21:16-22 "Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?” 18 After this, there was another battle against the Philistines at Gob. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of the giants. 19 During another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam! 20 In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man...who was also a descendant of the giants. 21 But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea. 22 These four Philistines were des...

Scripture: Acts 20:24 "But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God." Observations: As Paul said farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus, he informed them about his plans to continue preaching about Christ on his way to Jerusalem. God had revealed to him that he would in fact experience continued suffering in each city for the sake of Christ. But that didn't deter Paul from continuing on. Instead, he had already determined to keep preaching And sharing Christ everywhere no matter what it cost him personally. Where did he get such determination and motivation? He explained further that at some point in the past he had aready determined that his mission was more valuable than his own life. His motivation then had nothing to do with his circumstances or personal comfort- dead people rarely care about such things. He wasn't living fo...

Scripture: 1 Kings 2:31-34 31 "the king replied. "Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab's senseless murders from me and from my father's family. 32 The Lord will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the Lord grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne." 34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness." Observations: Joab was one of the most powerful warriors in Israel's history, a trait that elevated him to a spot as commander of the army under King David. But his skill and ability as a warrior were also his weaknesses because of his temper, ve...

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:7-9 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife." Observations: After David sinned, it was several months before anyone confronted him about his actions. Obviously because he was the King, even David's friends who knew full well about his transgressions turned a blind eye and didn't try to correct them because they were afraid for their lives. However, when God revealed David's actions to Nathan the prophet, he didn't hesitate to speak up and confront David with his sin even though he knew it could potentially co...

"Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there." Acts 16:6-10 So Paul and his crew set out to strengthen the churches they had already established on a mission for Christ. Determined to build God's Kingdom at any cost, they charted their course and headed out towards Galatia. But along the way they ran into a few roadblocks sent by God Himself. On three separate occasions they ...

Scripture: Acts 13:44-45 "The following week almost the entire city turned out to hear them preach the word of the Lord.45 But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said." Observations: As Paul and Barnabas set out on a journey to spread the message of Christ in new places many accepted it and many rejected it. It became a defining line in the religious world. While many abandoned their religious system and embraced Christ, still other clung to their religious beliefs and opposed God's message. In fact, opposition soon turned ugly when Paul faced personal attacks from the religious leaders who refused to accept his teaching. There was a clear cut response to the message of Christ that left no room for middle ground.    Application: The message of Christ is a polarizing one. It has the power to both draw us to God's grace and drive us further from depending on how we choose to respond to it. It fo...

Scripture: matthew 23:27-28 27 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness." Observations: Days before Jesus went to the cross, He delivered one of the most blatant indictments ever to the spiritual leaders of His day. His biggest complaint was not that they didn't study the bible, tithing, lack of prayer, worship attendance, or evangelistic campaigns. They were doing all the right things to look spiritual, but missing the entire point. After spending over three years dealing reglarly with prostitues, theives, and the worst "sinners", Jesus never even came close to rebuking any one of them the way He did the pharisees. What made the difference? Pride. The Pharisees had develope...

Scripture: Acts 11:1-3 "Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. 2 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him." Observations: As the message of Christ was spreading rapidly, multitudes were coming to faith and lives were being changed on a daily basis. People from all walks of life were discovering the power of God's forgiveness and experiencing new life for the first time. However, every move of God has opposition. This particular time it came from Jewish Christians who were appauled that Peter had associated himself with disgusting non-Jews in Cesarea. Now first off, those who were complaining were Christians who had themselves recently experienced God's grace when they believe in Christ. Yet, soon after they find Christ they were upset that people they didn't like were now believers! Peter didn't hesitate to share with them that the fact that God is rea...

Scripture: Acts 9:1-3,8 "1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him...8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind..." Observations: The Bible records the conversion of one of the most hard headed individuals in history- Saul of Tarsus. Full of pride and self righteousness, he sought to inflict punishment on those with whom he disagreed. He was a prominent and rising star in Judaism but was as far away from God as they come. On the outside he had it all amd didn't need anything- especially another religion. He had his mind mad...

Scripture: 1 Samuel 28:1-6 1 Three days later, when David and his men arrived home...they found that the Amalekites had made a raid...they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. 2 They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone. 3 When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, 4 they wept until they could weep no more...6 David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God." Observations: Still afraid for his life, David left the land of Israel and moved into a Philistine neighborhood far enough out of Saul's reach. But he ran away from one problem only to run into another. While he and his soliders were away their town was raided by the Amalekites who stole everything amd burned the rest. David's men were on the verge of killing him. In that moment...

"But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers." Acts 6:1-2 We certainly like to believe that the early church, who experienced such supernatural unity, fellowship, love, sharing, and God's power (Acts 2:42-47) would be immune to the types of problems that most churches today experience (division, complaining, taking-sides, and selfishness. However, Scripture never attempts to hide the fact that even the early church, led by the Apostles (a handpicked staff selected by Jesus Christ Himself), had their fair share of problems. One such problem was a culture class in the church between two distinct groups of people in the church over which side was getting more of the "shared" resources than the other. Thus, the ...

Scripture: Acts 5:3-5, 13-14 3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4  How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God!" 5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified...13 no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord..."   Observations: One of the craziest stories in the New Teatament is about a couple in the church who once lied to their pastor about a specific financial contribution they had recently made. But when Peter called them in and gave them an opportunity to tell the truth, they clung to their story and were instany struck dead- in Church! Their story shows us a few things: first, that God in fact does hold His people to high standards of integrity. Secondly, it...

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:40,45-48 "Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine....45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 48 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him." Observations: This has got to be one of the most exciting passages in the Old Testament. This seemingly cocky young kid volunteers to go into battle and take on the Phillistine giant Goliath w...

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22-23 "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?cListen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.cSo because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." Samuel gave Saul explicit instructions from the Lord (vs. 15:3) to completely wipe out the Amalekites and kill every living thing in sight. But during the battle, Saul and his men failed to kill the king and saved the best of the flocks and herds for themselves. Somewhere that day Saul decided that surely God wouldn't mind if he only completed 95% of the job. As far as all the people were concerned, Saul had been very successful as king based on the results they could see. On the outside Saul looked successful, had great military success, and even had God's anointing and f...

Scripture: Acts 1:2-5 "2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Observations: Before Jesus ascended into heaven once and for all, he delivered his final instructions to His disciples who would were about to undertake the most important task in history. The job was so great that there was no way this small group of men would ever be able to accomplish this enormous task of telling the entire world about Jesus. But God already knew this and for that ve...