When God Changes Your Plans

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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: Friday, April 19, 2019
Chapters: I Samuel 28-31, Psalm 18
Message: When God Changes Your Plans

Hello My Friend,

Bear with me as this message will be a little longer today, God has laid something intense on my heart, so much so that I have had several things call me away from it, which is why I am late posting it. Now, As Christians, there is nothing more exiting when things start to come together in your life, you know for sure that God is with you, and has finally gotten you through that hurdle. Then all of a sudden something happens that turns everything upside down, and you find yourself at a loss. Well, with some faith, trust, and patience, you might just discover that when God changes your plans everything falls right into His plan. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” – I Peter 5:8-10.

I have to tell you, that some days I wish I could just copy and paste messages from years past into the current one, but God does not work that way, even if I attempt to do that He will tell me I just wasted my time, and to do it over again. So, here is David, he decided that if he was ever going to be king of Israel that God will do it in His time, a year and a half later, everything was finally coming together for him, he aligned himself with the Philistines, lived among them, and was no longer chased by Saul. However, things were not going so well for Saul, a severe battle was emerging between Israel and the Philistines, Saul knowing that David was on now on their side, panics, he does everything possible, except repent, to get God to answer him to no avail.

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men. And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever. Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.” – I Samuel 28:1-7,11.

Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit,” I do not care who you are, when your life is in danger, you will do anything to save it, and this is where many people seek God. Unfortunately, they will not turn to Jesus, so, God will not hear their cries. Now, we must understand that mediums have no way of bringing up anyone’s spirit from the dead. First of all, a saved spirit is not dead, it is alive, and in heaven, a dead spirit is in hell, and will remain there until Judgment Day. And second, physics and fortune tellers cannot predict the future no more than prophets can, prophets are mere messengers of God foretelling God’s plan. Physics and fortune tellers are of the devil, can only speak what they know from what information they get, and can never be trusted as truth.

And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” – I Samuel 28:12-19.

I saw gods ascending out of the earth.” There are a few things to understand here, the gods that the woman saw were not actual gods, they were descending out of the earth. And there are no other living gods, in the instances where the Bible mentions gods and lords in heaven and on earth, these are prominent figures, such as princes or judges, often called gods or lords. Think about what Samuel is saying here, “Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?” Remember, saved souls go up, not down. This is not Samuel, it is the devil, and he knows just enough about what is going on to convince Saul that he was Samuel, making it seem as though there is truth to what he is saying, but he is, and always will be a liar that leads people to hell. How can you tell it was a lie?

and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me:” Keep in mind that he is telling Saul this grim story, that there was no hope for him or his sons. Samuel would never tell Saul or anyone about God’s judgment without the option to repent. Also, his sons included Jonathan, who was very faithful to God. We must understand that believing in Christ is one thing, accepting Him is another, Saul’s heart turned away from the LORD, and if he truly wanted Him to answer him he would have repented, but there was no remorse in him whatsoever. No one, except they be a reprobate, is ever denied the opportunity to come to know Christ as their Saviour. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.” – II Corinthians 13:5-7.

though we be as reprobates.” Without our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour we are literally beyond the hope of salvation. We are not nor ever will be good enough to get to heaven on our own, but thanks to Jesus we do not have to be, our faith and acceptance of what He has done for us is what saves us, and regardless of what we have done or will do in the future. Now, the battle between Israel and the Philistines was underwat, for the first time David is fighting in a war against his own family, but as David and his men prepare to head out they get stopped.

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish. Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day? And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men? And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master’s servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.” – I Samuel 29:1-4,9-10.

He shall not go up with us to the battle.” At the time David could not understand why he was rejected, but would soon find out that God changed his plan in order to save his own family. When they returned home their town had been destroyed and wives and children taken.

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.” – I Samuel 30:1-2,6,11,15-18.

for the people spake of stoning him,” Even though David was distressed and grieving himself he sough comfort and answers from God, who encouraged him, and led him and his army to rescue all the captives. You see, had David and his men been in the battle with the Philistines they would not have known any of this happened until much later, and who knows what would have happened to their wives and children had they not rescued them when they did. You know, everything we go through, whether it is something we bring upon ourselves or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, has the potential to bring good out of it. We will find if we trust God, stay close to Him, and have some patience that everything will fall right into place according to His will. Now, just as David has said that God would remove Saul from being king in His time so that he would be king, the time had come. Saul’s fears came to life when he and three of his sons, including Jonathan were killed.

Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.” – I Samuel 31:1-4,8-9.

Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.” I did not want to add these passages to the message because it was such a horrid way for anyone to be treated, but God told me otherwise. It is important for us to understand that the information Saul received from that evil spirit was not accurate and there is only one way to know whether or not the spiritual information we are given is the truth, and that is first, by accepting Jesus as our Saviour, then by learning what God has to say and applying that to our lives. What a disgraceful end to what began a glorious, blessed life for Saul, and so many innocent lives were lost as well. All this could have been avoided had Saul just repented, and asked God to forgive Him. Anytime we try to do things in our own will we fail, and God will keep changing our plans until we get in His plan, but as soon as we do, victory. “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” – Psalm 18:1-3.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” – I Samuel 30:23-24.

Today’s Prayer: God, I do not always understand where You are taking me, but I do understand that You are right there with me, preparing me for something great. Lord, give me Your power, wisdom, mercy, and grace to follow Your path as I wait patiently for You to prepare me for victory. Give me Your strength to keep going, faith to never give up, and hope of not only receiving what You have waiting for me in heaven, but here on earth as well. Help me to understand that Your timing is everything, and that You always have me where You want me to be. In You name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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