Blessed Through Reproach

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King James Bible StudyAnd when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Sunday, April 14, 2019
Chapters: I Samuel 21-22, Psalms 56, 34, 142, 52
Message: Blessed Through Reproach

Hello My Friend,

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” – John 12:12-13. Reproach; To charge with a fault in severe language. To upbraid; to suggest blame for any thing. Have you ever gotten blamed for something you did not do? Of course, we all have. Imagine how Jesus must have felt to be constantly reproached? As we observe the triumphant day that Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, and the week of His capture, false conviction, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection let us be reminded that it is a blessing to be reproached. “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” – Luke 6:22-23.

and shall reproach you,” Talk about a reproach, when Samuel anointed David and old him that he would be the next king I am sure he did not think of the impact that it would have on him. I am sure he felt a sense of honor when king Saul not only hired him to be his armorbearer, but Captain over an army, and gave his own daughter to him for his wife. However, things took a turn for the worst when Saul became so jealous of David taking the throne from him that he wanted him dead, anyone that sided with David was a conspirator and needed to die, he even attempted to kill his own son for defending David. Now, on the run, hungry and tired, he finds himself at the tabernacle of God, where he went to the priest for food, and while there he notices one of Saul’s servants.

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present. Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste. And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here.” – I Samuel 21:1-3,7-9.

The king hath commanded me a business,Many times we do not want to get other people involved in our reproach, so, we refrain from telling them what is going on, but it really does us a disservice to hide the truth as it does bring complications. I thought it would be an interesting contrast to put the prayers of David along side of the time he wrote them. Of course, Abimelech sees that something was not right with David’s story, he sends him away, and that was when David says this prayer. A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” – Psalm 34:1-4,18-22.

and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.Contrite; Brokenhearted for sin; deeply affected with grief and sorrow for having offended God. It takes a broken heart for us to realize what Jesus did for us on the cross, and that we need Him, we really do not understand the lengths that Jesus went to in order to save our soul, and while we may suffer reproach in our faith, He never leaves us desolate. Having a contrite spirit does not make us a coward, it is actually the bravest thing we will ever do because when we do it releases the power of Jesus through us. Let me tell you, it brings us to face that reproach also. David takes the sword and flees to Gath, where he went before the king to find refuge. And David said, There is none like that; give it me. And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.” – I Samuel 21:10-13.

And David laid up these words in his heart,You see, whenever we are being reproached, the devil is right there just waiting to put those words people say about us in not only our heads, but our heart. Once again, instead of telling them what was going on he changes his disposition out of fear, and finds himself against the Philistines, and says this prayer. To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.” – Psalm 56:1-4,9.

for God is for me.We have such great faith in God, and yet, we still act out in our fears. David, discouraged and depressed finds a cave and decides to stay there. He discovers something, he was not alone, and did not have to face this by himself. David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.” – I Samuel 22:1-5.

they went down thither to him.We are not alone, we do not have to suffer reproach alone. Sadly, so many people live with severe depression, anxiety, mental disorders, and even have ended their lives because they felt all alone in their reproach. When Jesus took the blame for something He did not do, and was sentenced to die, it may have seem liked all the disciples scattered and He was all alone, but He was not, many followed, and stood by Him until the very end, even one of the other men being crucified with Him believed and was saved. We cannot live in fear or defeat, we must face our battles, and that means taking up our cross, denying ourselves, and following Jesus. It was time for David to come out of hiding because Saul had done the unthinkable. Doeg was quick to tell Saul that he saw David, and that the priest helped him escape.

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house. And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’S priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house. Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.” – I Samuel 22:9,16-18,20-23.

and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.Eighty-five of God’s servants died over one mans jealousy because God was with him. This is what it is all about, they are against God, and they attack anyone who is blessed by Him. You know, just like David protected Abiathar Jesus protects His believers. We do not have to fear what man can do to us because even if we died in our faith we would be alive in Christ. We do not always understand God’s plan, and it often leads to a lot of heartbreak and reproach, but He will help us endure every bit of it as long as we trust Him. David prays to God after he finds out what Doeg did. To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.” – Psalm 52:1-3,5,7-9.

because thou hast done it:” Anytime we pray to God we must pray to Him believing that it will happen. We are saved by grace through our faith and trust in what Christ did for us, stop living a defeated life, Christ lives in you. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” – John 11:25-26.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.” – I Samuel 22:23.

Today’s Prayer: God, I know I have done some crazy things out of fear and even tried to hide myself in my own little cave in an attempt to deal with my reproach on my own, but also know the only way I could overcome them was to face them. Lord, You are our only option to handle the reproach, give us Your power to control our anger, tempers, and egos, let us not seek vengeance upon ourselves, let us walk in Your strength to love as You love, Your grace to break through our fears, your wisdom to face our reproach, let us not get caught up in those who are eager to sell us out for their own wicked advances, and let us not be afraid or too proud to receive help from others. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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