Jesus And Our Support System

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King James Bible Study[Mark 8:34  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.]

Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Chapters: 2 SAMUEL 10, 1 CHRONICLES 19, PSALMS 20
Study: Jesus And Our Support System

Hello My Friend,

At my job, we get a lot of calls from patients who are desperately seeking answers that their own pharmacies have not given them. I spoke with a man who’s wife was in desperate need for some medicine that is only available through one of our specialty pharmacies. They would not even help him find one near him, but had the prescription in their possession. I noted that sadly, it was their lack of compassion that did not want to go that extra step. Let me tell you, there is something in this country that has been progressing very quickly, and I believe it started happening after we were attacked back in 2001, and that is selfishness. And I do not mean that we get our selfish days once in a while, I mean, a down right, me, myself, and I, and I do not care what anyone else needs, selfishness, and it reminds me of this passage.

[Romans 3:11-18  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  13  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:  14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:  15  Their feet are swift to shed blood:  16  Destruction and misery are in their ways:  17  And the way of peace have they not known:  18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.]

If there was such time as this, where this world has no understanding of God nor are even seeking Him, I would say, since Jesus was here in the flesh, it is now. And I do not know about you, but I see the cursing and bitterness of the people as well as their carelessness of life, and it brings tears to my eyes. This has been especially true since the pandemic started, and we have all these people sitting home collecting unemployment while the few who are working are paying for them to do nothing. If we could all learn a lesson about having compassion and being there for other, it would be from David. As we continue in the reading of 2 Samuel, we find that one of King David’s friends had died, who happened to be the king of Ammon. David send some of his men to send their condolences, and they were not very kind to David’s men.

[2 Samuel 10:1-5  And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.  2  Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.  3  And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?  4  Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.  5  When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.]

[because the men were greatly ashamed:] You know, it is a sad state that Christians feel the need to hide themselves if something happened to them that would be questionable. There is a saying, I do not know who said it, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”, and it is so true. We do not know what people have gone through, even faithful Christians, that they might have appeared to have been living in sin. And I tell you what, it takes a lot of courage for the victims to show up, knowing that there are many who are questioning their integrity. And all I have to say about that is, well, it is what Jesus said, [John 7:17-19,24  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.  18  He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.  19  Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? 24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.]

The people who are around us ought to know who we are and how we live in and outside of the church walls, so that if it appeared that there was evil, they would not think twice about their integrity. Sadly, many do not, and for some reason we have all been quick to think the worst of someone. Nevertheless, it is God that we have to answer, and no one else. 1 Chronicles also gives the account of what happen, and when the news got out to Ammon that their own people had caused a riff with Israel over this, they decided to get the Syrians involved and started a battle against Israel. David sent his army, Joab decided to split the army and send half to fight Ammon while the other half dealt with the Syrians, and left his brother, Abishai in charge.

[1 Chronicles 19:10-14  Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.  11  And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.  12  And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.  13  Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.  14  So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.]

[and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people,] Do you see why Christ’s faithful remain faithful? We do it for God, our families, and even our nations. Even if we have messed up a time or two, we are faithful, repentant, and stay out of trouble because we are literally the face of Jesus. For the life of me, I will never understand why God does allow some of the circumstances we face, but God has brought me to understand that His will prevails and He will work everything out for good to those who love Him. I am probably pretty close to understanding Paul, who said, [1 Timothy 1:15-16  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.  16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.]

I believe that the trips and falls of life, even as faithful Christians, are God’s way of making us into a pattern that resembles His Son. Perhaps the recovery from a fall, through Jesus of course, is exactly what someone else who has fallen and does not know what to do needs to see to let them know that Jesus has not given up on them. We all need to come together, the strong, the weak, the fallen, and the risen, all under the power of Christ.

[Psalms 20:1-3,6-9  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;  2  Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;  3  Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. 6  Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.  7  Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.  8  They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.  9  Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.]

[but we are risen, and stand upright.] The just fall, and get up. I repeat, and will add, that the just fall, and get back up seven times. When I am talking about faithful Christians falling, I am talking about the occasional bad decision that caused some problems. There is a difference between backsliders and the repentant Christian, but regardless of which one they are, we need to treat them all the same because we are just as capable of getting ourselves in a situation. The backslider may fall and dangle there a bit until they repent, but they will eventually rise and stand up, through Christ. And the second we think that we are strong enough to handle temptation and believe that we could never fall, that is when we will find out the hard way just how possible it is. And there is a reason why Jesus said, [Luke 17:3-4  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  4  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.]

Sincere repentance does get us to turn away from sin, one way or another, even if we are too stubborn to figure that out until we have suffered our worst affliction. I speak for myself on this, not that it is technically sin, but my need to eat food that is laced with gluten, among other things, and do not get be started on bioengineered food. I am now at the point that unless I change my diet permanently I might as well be killing my insides with a slow and quite painful death that is now protruding to the outside. I am going to tell you this, we cannot fight any temptation without two things, Jesus and a support system, which would be other like minded Godly Christians. Now, watch what happened when both Joab’s and Abishai’s troops had come together as one.

[2 Samuel 10:15,17-19  And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.  17  And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.  18  And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.  19  And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.]

[they made peace with Israel, and served them.] What is the saying? “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Well, there is not one of us who is not capable of tripping or backsliding, which is why we need that constant encouragement and reinforcement as one body of Christ. What is the passage I am thinking of? It is this, [Galatians 5:13-15  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.]

Jesus can do a lot to keep us from falling, but if we do not have anyone to go to, we are likely to be tempted to go outside of the fence so to speak, and that is how so many do fall. There is something else that comes to mind about what Paul said, [1 Corinthians 9:22-24  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.  23  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.  24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.]

Do you want to know how many Christians became backsliders through this pandemic, especially during the time that the churches were on lock down in 2020? That number is probably quite large by the looks of what is happening in the Church, and I am sure it saddens God to no end. I tell you what, as I listen to patients who are my age, barely able to talk, and in such pain, it breaks my heart and reminds be of how blessed I am not to be given what I do deserve for failing God every day. At the same time, I am also reminded that through my weakness, it is Christ who not only strengthens me, but keeps me faithful and picks me right back up.

[2 Corinthians 12:8-10  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.]

Today’s Prayer: God, You have proved to us time and time again, that there is strength in numbers. There are two things that we need in order to be strong enough to handle the temptations and afflictions of life and that is Jesus and a Godly support system of other like minded and faithful Christians who are not judgmental, but practice righteous judgment as well as show the same love and respect to all, even backsliders. You know that it really is easier to guide the fallen and backslidden back to You when we love them as Jesus does. Lord, lead us and guide us, give us Your power, mercy, and grace to be the compassionate, loving, and Godly Christians that You have called us to be. Let us love like Jesus, let us rebuke like Jesus, and let us forgive them like Jesus, even seventy times seven if they are repentant. We are Your face, please, give us Your strength and wisdom to become the pattern that You need us to be to not only win new souls, but bring those who are ashamed and afraid back to You. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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