KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, April 15, 2018
Chapters: I Samuel 23, Psalms 17, 54, 31
Message: Who God Answers
Hello My Friend,
Think about the soldier who is fighting for their country, they pray to God for guidance and protection and to deliver them from the war, or the terrorists, or the disaster that devastates their country. Now, think about the ones starting disaster, they pray too, they seek God’s guidance and protection to deliver the enemy into their hands. Who gets the answered prayer? That is an interesting question because it all comes down to God’s will. I mean, we all know that if we are faithful to God in receiving Christ as our Saviour that He will help us, and sometimes He does allow wars and disasters to bring judgment upon the people and or a revival. David said it best, “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 31:23-24.
The key to getting God’s attention is faithfulness, that includes following His commands, not what we think His commands are. If we love God we will believe in and obey all of His Word, not some book written about Him from some man or woman who read His Word and makes up their own version of what they believe it to be. It is important that we seek His advice in every decision we have to make, especially those concerning our well being. David knew this, but he also knew his flesh, which is why he reminds God in his prayers that while he kept His Word so far, he needs Him every day to stay on that path. “Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.” – Psalm 17:4-9.
While David had his share of discouragement sometimes, 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 sought God’s guidance in whether or not to pursue. “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.” – I Samuel 23:1-4.
“Then David enquired of the LORD yet again.” It never hurts to keep asking God, in fact, He encourages it. If we are doing what we are supposed to be doing and the answer keeps changing, stop and think about what is really being asked. Many times God answers with the same response, but we do not listen because we want a certain answer and are not content until we get it. The only way the persistent prayer works is if it is in God’s will to begin with. Interestingly, Saul too sought God’s guidance, in fact, he thought that God delivered David into his hands. “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. And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 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.” – I Samuel 23:7-11.
“God hath delivered him into mine hand;” We are to never confuse the devils will with God’s, Saul knew he was wrong in what he was doing, yet he let his pride take over and somehow convinced himself that God was still with him, when it was the devil trying to stop David from becoming king. Think about it, as good as a soldier as David was, he could have killed Saul and took throne himself, but he knew that God would never have him become king that way. Instead of facing Saul, David fled because it was the right thing to do at that time, and through all this he never stopped praying, often giving praise to God. “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. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.” – Psalm 31:1-6.
Every where David went, Saul followed, there was always someone willing to sell him out for their own personal gain, even though they knew it was wrong. Saul comes to Gibeah, where the people did not hesitate tell him where David was, again, thinking that God was on his side, Saul praises them for telling him where David was.
“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. Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 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.” – I Samuel 23:19-24.
“Blessed be ye of the LORD;” The Ziphites thought they would get some kind of recognition for turning David in, and Saul thought that God was with these people that told them where David was. David knew that God was with him and would deliver him from Saul, but he also knew that if he wanted God’s help he had to ask Him for it. I came to the conclusion that I need this reminder in front of me every day as it forces me to ask God whenever I am in a position to question what I need to be doing. God will not do anything to deliver us from our troubles unless we seek His guidance first. By seeking His guidance we are letting Him know that we are trusting in Him to make the right decision for us. We cannot go wrong when we allow Him to make the decisions for us, David knew this, which is why he wrote this Psalm. “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.
“God is mine helper:” As Christians we will face all kinds of trials simply because of our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Amazingly, there are even religions who claim to be Christians, yet have now idea who Christ is. The truth is, people who follow false religion really have no idea who or what they are praying to, but it is not God Almighty, how sad is it to go through life and think that you are doing what is right only to find out they got it all wrong. We can choose to follow the truth or a lie, but if we say we are Christians we need to accept the truth, and the only way to know the truth is to know the Saviour. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” – I John 5:11,12.
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, I know how easy it is to go after those who have done me wrong, I also know how awful I felt when I got even with them, it really did nothing for me or them. 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 being 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 the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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