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: Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Chapters: II Samuel 22, Psalm 57
Message: God Delivers The Godly
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters this morning I started thinking of the many times that God’s hand protected me from the dangers I faced out in the world. From a car accident in which He miraculously kept me from serious injury and even death, to ending a relationship in which He miraculously kept me from serious injury also. We do not realize the impact of our relationship with God the second we receive Christ as our Saviour, He certainly saves us from more than hell and the second death, He saves us from a multitude of dangerous situations. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” – II Peter 2:9.
“deliver the godly out of temptations,” We do not realize it, but God truly does deliver His faithful out of many temptations. When our heart is solely on God we have no desire to feed the lusts of our flesh, in fact, we have no lusts at all since we are walking in God’s Spirit. However, lust does come whenever the heart starts to wander, and finds itself desiring the things of the flesh. You know, we are going to mess up from time to time, and some hearts will wander so far that God is not in their sight, in which the lust of the flesh overtakes them, and fall into sin. No one is infallible, it does not matter how strong our faith in God, we are all capable of falling head on into sin. However, God is faithful, and merciful to us even when we fail. David was no exception, while his heart was solely upon God he prospered, but the one time it wandered it caused a heap of trouble. Now, while all of the issues regarding Absalom and the revolt of much of Israel were getting resolved, David began reflecting on the time that God delivered him from the hand of Saul.
“To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” – Psalm 57:1-7.
“My heart is fixed,” As Christians, whenever we fall into sin it is God who we feel we sinned against, and it takes a much harder toll upon our heart as the guilt and shame of sinning against God haunts us. However, that is what repentance is for, it teaches us to let go of that guilt by confessing our sins to God, and forgiving ourselves in the process. Remember, we are to ask God to forgive us of our sin, and those who sinned against us, and that includes if we sinned against ourselves. As David continues reflecting on that time, he recites the song he wrote.
“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.” – II Samuel 22:7-19.
“In my distress I called upon the LORD,” This is an amazing illustration of God saving the one who trusts in Him for their salvation, the shaking of the earth, the foundation of the heavens moving and shaking, are all an expression of the mercies in which Christ comes and delivers those who calls on Him. They are tokens of God’s protection, mercies, grace, and kindness toward his children whenever they call out to Him in distress as if He had spoken it by thunder from heaven, shooting arrows when He speaks and saving us from ourselves and our enemies as His voice is so powerful it pierces right through the heart. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12.
“piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,” There is so much power in the words of God that they pierce through the spirit, and right into the body and soul. This is why so many do not get saved, it reveals their true heart. Now, we must understand that our heart is one big roller coaster, it has ups and downs, and often is reflected upon how well we deal with the trials of life. So, we really are not turned away completely from God should we sin from time to time, then there are those whose heart are devilish, their only intent is to destroy anything that is God, even if they have to pretend to be born again Christians, which is why Jesus tells us that people are known by their fruit. God is actually a reflection of who we choose Him to be, if we believe Him to be merciful than He will be merciful, but if we believe him to be mean and cruel, than He will be mean and cruel. Of course, God is a just God, but merciful too, it is our reflection of Him that actually saves us.
“With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.” – II Samuel 22:26-33.
“and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.” Froward; Perverse, turning from, with reluctance; not willing to yield or comply with what is required. To the world, God will never be nothing more than a figment that is out to take away their freedoms to do the abominable things they do. Let me tell you though, the strangest thing often happens to God’s faithful, He will put them right in the midst of these people, and even in leadership roles. Why? That they might see Christ.
“Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close places. The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.” – II Samuel 22:44-50.
“Strangers shall submit themselves unto me:” I have never been a person who feels the need to butter someone up in order to get something done, nor feed their egos by making them feel more superior to me. I was instructed to do that with one person so that they would be more pleasant to me. Well, I did not, in fact, while I have always been respectful, I will never submit to anyone who encourages me to compromise my faith or conscience. You know what? They actually had more respect for me, and submitted to me. Now, I am no prude nor do I think myself irreplaceable, but I do know that God has used me many times to lead the heathen, and strangers do fade away. While Christians are by no means perfect, you do not have to have a Bible in your hands to know that some things are just wrong. People are always going to do what is right in their own eyes, which is why God did give us His Word in the first place. Are we always going to do what is right in God’s eyes, even as Christians? No. But that is what God’s grace is for. “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;” – Ephesians 3:7-8.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.” – II Samuel 22:14.
Today’s Prayer: God, Every day I am amazed that no matter how many mistakes I make, You love for me is unconditional, You have not forsaken me, and I still have a place with You for eternity. Lord, let me never lose hope of the day that Your Son comes and gets me, not for the good that I have done, but because I am bought by His precious blood. Thank You God, for everything You do for me, whether times are good or bad, happy or sad, You are always there guiding me in the right direction, and while I will never be perfect I can be perfected as I walk with Your Son. Lord, I want my life to be a reflection of Your Son, lead me and guide me His way, teach me to love like He loves, to worship You like He worships You, to obey like He obeys, for You are my LORD, my Rock, my salvation, I live because You live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2019 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.