King James Bible Study – “And 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: Monday, April 15, 2019
Chapters: I Samuel 23, Psalms 17, 54, 31
Message: Everything In Prayer
Hello My Friend,
The other night I was praying and tears ran down my eyes as I said to God that He never has answered a few of my prayers that I have been praying years for. He proceeded to remind me of all the times He kept me from danger, protected me, and watched over me. I could not argue with that, and it actually made me feel ashamed to complain over unanswered prayers when He takes care of me even beyond my requests. So, how does God answer prayer, and why is it that He never seems to give us some things sooner than others and sometimes never? It all has to do with one, His will, two, our faith, and three, His timing. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” – Philippians 4:6.
“but in every thing by prayer and supplication” Supplication; humble and earnest prayer in worship. Earnest; Serious; important; that is, really intent or engaged. In other words, God wants us to be humble, and serious when we pray to Him. I can attest that whenever I do ask God a serious question about something important that He never fails to answer me. While David had his share of discouragement at times, he never lost hope in God delivering him from those who were after him, and he was always willing to assist where God needed him. As David was fleeing from Saul the Philistines attacked the people in Keilah, David prayed, and God answered.
“Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.” – I Samuel 23:1-5,7.
“And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand;” What convinces a person who does not follow God that God is the one who helps them? You see, obviously Saul was praying to God also. Everyone who believes in God truly knows His power, and certainly wants His favor upon their lives. The problem is that they want to worship Him their own way, and want to believe that God sill continues to have mercy on them and answer their prayers even though they are not living in obedience to His Word. God will never answer a prayer other than no that is not in His will to do so, and He will not even listen to the prayer of one that in unrepentant. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” – I Peter 3:12.
“and his ears are open unto their prayers:” God always has His ears open to His saints who are walking with Him. David knew that Saul would not stop until he captured and killed him, and would destroy any city or person that sided with him as well. He went to God in prayer. “And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.” – I Samuel 23:9-13.
“And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.” You see, the men of Keilah were afraid of Saul, it did not matter that David helped save them, they would have turned him in to keep Saul from killing them as he did the priests. Fear is a major factor in why many people will renounce Christ in a heartbeat. Did you ever see the movie, God’s Not Dead? All, except one student, signed a piece of paper saying, God is Dead to keep from getting a failing grade. Now, imagine if it was your own life at stake, would you deny God to save your life? Before you answer that question with a yes like I did, remember, after Jesus got captured every one of the disciples denied Jesus fearing their own lives at the time. Yes, there are going to be times that we do deny God, but He knows our heart, what we are facing, and He will always be there for us when we come to Him. And by the way, we are able to ask God to take care of the problem for is. David often prayed for God to take out his enemies.
“A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” – Psalm 17:1-3,13-15.
“Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down:” I had a preacher tell us that we are to never pray for God to harm our enemy, but this is a false narrative. Jesus said that we are to forgive our debtors, not forget what they have done, not give them Godspeed, but to forgive. Forgiving those who hurt us is not about letting go of what they did, it is turning our heart and grief toward Christ, and finding forgiveness as He would. We will never forgive anyone in our own human reasoning, but we can in Christ’s. While there are many who will give us up in a heartbeat, there are a few that will not. as David was moving from one town to another to keep Saul from capturing him, Jonathan met up with him, and they renewed their covenant.
“And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.” – I Samuel 23:16-21.
“and strengthened his hand in God.” As Christians, it is important that we have someone we can go to to encourage us in the hand of God. My preacher even said yesterday that sometimes you feel like you are all alone, and all you want is someone near to hug you and pray with you. We all feel that way at times, which is why we need others to strengthen us so that we can go to God in prayer, refreshed and renewed that He is still with us. After David found out that the Ziphites told Saul he was there, he prayed out to God. “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.” – Psalm 54:1-4.
“and oppressors seek after my soul:” While the men of Keilah were afraid of Saul, the Ziphites thought this as an opportunity to get something out of Saul. However, every time Saul showed up, David was one step ahead, as God would send him in another direction. “And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.” – I Samuel 23:24-26.
“and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul;” We must understand that David was never afraid of Saul, he was a man of war, and could have killed him in an instant. One, he knew that Saul would destroy everyone in his path to pursue him, and two, he knew that God would not want him to take the throne that way. Instead, he kept praying, trusting that God would deliver him, and He did. When we are faithful to God He is faithful to us, and will always hear our prayers. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.” – Psalm 31:1-3,21-23.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” – Psalm 31:3.
Today’s Prayer: God, You love Your children and do not want anything bad to happen to them, but as we get closer to Your Son returning we are going to be persecuted and attacked more than ever. Give us Your power to control our anger, tempers, and egos, let us not seek vengeance upon ourselves, but look to You to take care of things for us. Give us Your strength to love as You love, and let us not get caught up in those who are eager to sell us out for their own wicked advances. Above all, let us never cease to ask You for wisdom and guidance in the decision we make, keep us as the apple of your eye, that our footsteps slip not. In You name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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