DEFEND OR SURRENDER?

2 Samuel 16:9-12  (9)  Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."  (10)  But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' "  (11)  David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.  (12)  It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

For me, this is one of the highlights in the life of David.  We all know David as the one who defeated Goliath, and as the warrior who won many battles.  We may fail to see the other “hidden” victories that he had – that of his heart.  Here's one of them.

When David’s own son Absalom took over the throne, David was forced to leave, probably to avoid conflict.  As he was leaving one of the descendants of king Saul began to curse him.

(5)  As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.  (6)  He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left.  (7)  As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel!  (8)  The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!"

One of the hardest things to deal with is being cursed, being insulted, slandered, talked down at.  It pierces our heart.  It provokes, awakens, our pride.

The world we live in is a sinful world, because we are a sinful people.  Even we, Christians, are not exempted from this.  We are recipients of people who curse us, insult us, slander us, talk down to us.  We are also, in our fleshly moments, those who curse, insult, slander, talk down at others (even spiritually.  Are there not times where we insult the spirituality of others, thinking that we are better than they are?)

As we continue the story we see two ways that our hearts can deal with this type of sinful action, when we are cursed or insulted.  We have the reaction of Abishai, and the reaction of David.

(9)  Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."

Abishai was one of David’s finest soldiers.  He was, in modern terms, his bodyguard.  And when Shimei cursed the king, his natural reaction was to defend his king in the best way that he knew – “let me go over and cut off his head”.  In his mind, which was the natural thing to do then, the man deserved death.

But that’s who Abishai was – he was there to defend his king.

Then we have the reaction of David:

(10)  But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' "  (11)  David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.  (12)  It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

You quickly see the difference.  Abishai was defending David.

David was humbling himself before his God.  True to what God Himself proclaimed – that he was a man after God’s own heart.

“If he is cursing because the Lord said to him “curse David”, who can ask “why do you do this?”. 

David recognized the sovereignty of God over his life.  David recognized that if this was the hand of God who brought David into this situation, then he would let it be.

“Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.”

Abishai focused on who David was – the king. 

David focused on who his God was.  His being king wasn’t important anymore.

By this time his heart had been so humbled that he totally surrendered all things to his God.  So he says – “leave him alone, let him curse”.

And, if there was any good, any vindication, that was going to happen, it would be the Lord who would bring it, not him.

(12)  It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

When someone curses us, insults us or slanders us, we, too, have these two options.

We can be an Abishai, who will defend our honor, our pride, and fight back.

Or we can be a David, who was so humbled by God that his honor, his pride, meant nothing to him.  He did not see his position, his self, as something to defend.  He focused on the sovereignty of God in his life, and the working of God in his heart.

He focused more on pleasing the Lord, rather than pleasing himself.

Now, we shouldn’t think that David all of a sudden became a humble man.  Remember, after his sin with Bathsheeba God strongly dealt with him, humbled him, and revealed to David how sinful his heart was, how he was nothing, and how his Lord was everything.  Every circumstance we go through is a lesson that God is bringing to our hearts, humbling us, and forming a character that pleases him.

In the same way God is continually teaching us, humbling us, before Him.  In His sovereignty He will lead us to dealings with our pride.

This is a battle that all of us face.  A bigger battle than "Goliath", if you ask me, because it deals with our heart before God.

Our pride will always be tested, in big and small ways.  Is God working in our hearts, like David, where we are humbled and totally submit all circumstances to Him?

Or will we be like Abishai, quick to protect and deal with the situation in how we see fit?

DO NOT BOAST ABOUT TOMORROW

Proverbs 27:1  Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

This proverb has become very real and applicable today, in what we are experiencing with this virus crisis.  We cannot boast about our tomorrow, because we do not know what a day may bring forth.

Notice what the proverb says – we cannot boast about TOMORROW, because we do not know what A DAY may bring forth.  It doesn’t say we don’t know what tomorrow may bring forth, it says that we don’t know what a day may bring forth.  Why boast about tomorrow when we don’t even know what’s going to happen TODAY.  We cannot even boast about today!

We literally have no idea what this day may bring forth for us.  

We used to be able to boast about tomorrow according to many things – our work, our savings, our investments, our health, our strength, our skill, our knowledge or experience.  Suddenly, all of those things are being shaken. 

So what is it that a Christian can boast of?

Jeremiah 9:23-24  This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,  (24)  but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.

Though we cannot boast in tomorrow, or even in a day, we can boast in our knowledge and understanding of God, who does not change.  Circumstances may change, but our God remains the same.  So, let us cherish every moment we have in a day, and let us spend  every moment growing in our knowledge of the Lord, meditating upon His faithfulness, and seeing His goodness and faithfulness working around us at all times.

2 Peter 3:18  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

 Moment by moment, let us grow in our knowledge of God, so we may boast in Him.

PRAISING THE LORD WE TRUST

Psalms 146:1-10  Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.  (2)  I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (3)  Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.  (4)  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 

(5)  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,  (6)  the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.  (7)  He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,  (8)  the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.  (9)  The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.  (10)  The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

This psalm makes four things very clear:

First, IT IS GOD ALONE WHOM WE PRAISE (verses 1-2). 

Our soul, all our life, as long as we live, we will sing praise to God.  This is not just a spiritual statement or song.  It’s something that we believe.  The Hebrew word can also mean “boast”.  We praise God because it is in Him that we boast.  And we will boast in Him in our soul, all our life.

Second WE DO NOT PUT OUR TRUST IN MORTAL MAN (verses 3-4). 

Whether it was a prince, or any mortal man, we were not to put our trust in them. 

A “prince” was someone who was a noble leader who was very generous with his constituents.  This can also refer to rich, influential men in this life, or business or political leaders.  Or any other human being.  We are not to put our trust in them. 

Why?  Because they are mortal.  When they die, their plans come to nothing.  “his thoughts perish” in the NASB.

Third, WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE GOD IS OUR HOPE AND OUR HELP (verses 5 -9). 

When a man puts his hope and trust in God he is blessed.  Why?

He is our Creator.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed.

He gives food to the hungry.

He sets prisoners free.

He lifts up those who are bowed down.

He watches over those who are oppressed.

He frustrates the way of the wicked.

This is why He is our hope.  It is God, not man, who blesses us.

Lastly, OUR GOD IS KING FOREVER. (verse 10). 

This is why we praise the Lord.  He is our King forever.  Unlike princes and mortal men whose spirits depart and return to the ground, and whose plans come to nothing, our God is eternal, and His plans are also eternal for those who recognize Him as our King.

Are our souls continually praising the Lord?  Are we boasting in Him for everything, for every blessing we receive?

Have we put our trust in man, in princes, whose plans will just come to nothing?  Or are we blessed to know that we have a God who is our Creator, who watches over us, who feeds the hungry, lifts up those who bow down?

Do we really believe that our God is King forever?  Or are we still putting our trust in our leaders – whether political or business leaders, or influential men?

Something to ponder on as we face the present circumstances we are in.

KEEPING OUR LIVES FREE FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY

Hebrews 13:5-6  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  (6)  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

To really understand what God is dealing with us here in this passage, let’s take a look at what the writer tells the Hebrew Christians in chapter 12.  I’ll just highlight two of them:

Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  (2)  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

          We are not part of the “rat race” of the world.  (A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely.)

          Our race is the “race of faith”, as Hebrews 12 shows us.  That’s why we fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith.

Hebrews 12:12-14  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  (13)  Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.  (14)  Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 

          Our main concern in life is not riches, or material things.  It is holiness.  It is when we are making every effort to be holy that we recognize the dangers of money and material things.

Then, together with so many other teachings in chapter 12 and 13, we have this:

Hebrews 13:5-6  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  (6)  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

This passage is full of important warnings for a Christian in this world.

1.  We are to KEEP OUR LIVES FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY.

          All over Scripture God has made clear that it is not money that is evil, because we all need money.  It is the LOVE of money.  When we crossover from needing money to loving money that is when it becomes a danger to our Christian life.

2.  We are to be CONTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

          Contentment is something that is almost absent in the mentality of the world today.  Everyone wants more.  We look down on the simple life.

          On the other hand, contentment is something that is found in the heart of every true believer.  It is an attitude of life that God works in the heart of a man, that is based on his understanding of who his God is.

Which bring us to the next point…

3.  We trust in WHO OUR GOD IS, AND WHAT HE PROMISED

The foundational truth in the heart of a Christian is in what God has said, His word.  In this verse the writer quotes "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

A Christian believes, in his heart, that his God will never leave him or forsake him.  NEVER.  It does not matter what circumstance we may be in…God will always be there.

(6)  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

          And so we “SAY” with confidence… notice what comes out of a believer’s mouth, what words he speaks - THE LORD IS MY HELPER…I WILL NOT BE AFRAID…WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME

          This is why a Christian doesn’t grumble or complain, why we don’t blame others or slander others when we are financially affected.  The words a Christian speaks are words that reflect what he or she actually believes about his or her God.

          We say with confidence:

·         The Lord is my helper, not my employer, not my business, not the government.  That’s why we cry out to Him, not to man.

·         I will not be afraid.  “No matter what this world throws to me, I will trust in God”

·         What can man do to me?  He can oppress me, withhold what is truly mine, give me less than I should get.  Man can do nothing.  But he cannot affect my faith in my God.  My heart will remain steadfast.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

We can be content with that...all the way up to eternity!

THE FERVENCY OF PAUL'S TESTIMONY

While Paul was in prison he had an opportunity to share his testimony to king Agrippa and his wife.  Acts chapter 26 deals with that testimony.

Paul’s testimony was simple:

Who he was...His past life.

Acts 26:9-11

• On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
• Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

His encounter with Christ.

Acts 26:13-18 

• I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
• I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'  'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.

His present calling in life.

Acts 26:19-23 

• I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
• I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

As the story continues, the response of king Agrippa reveals to us the heart of Paul while he was sharing his testimony:

First, Paul sounded insane!

Acts 26:24  At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."

Paul was speaking as if he was insane!  This doesn’t mean that he was incoherent, or that he was speaking nonsense.  This probably meant that Paul was so on fire, so caught up in his testimony, so convinced of who Jesus Christ was, that it sounded like he was insane.

This is not something you train for.  This is not something you memorize or practice before speaking.  This simply comes from the reality of our testimony.

When we share the gospel, we don't just share "a gospel", but we share the gospel that changed our life - how we encountered Christ and how He changed our heart.

Not just a change of religion, not just a new set of beliefs, but an encounter with the Savior Himself in our hearts.

The fervency of our testimony of the gospel comes from it’s reality in our hearts.

We can share a memorized gospel, we can give a testimony out of duty, but it will not seem as if we are insane for Christ, how He saved us from our sin, and what He has done in our life.

And then king Agrippa reveals another aspect of Paul’s heart:

Acts 26:28-29  Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"  (29)  Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."

Another thing that king Agrippa felt was that Paul was trying to persuade him to be a Christian.  Paul wasn’t just giving a testimony.  He was trying to persuade all who were listening to him to become as he was – a Christian.  That was the prayer, the burden, of his heart.

The fervency of our testimony is not just in how we are sharing it, but in why we are sharing it.  We are persuading them to be like us, discples of Christ.

When we share our testimony, do people sense that persuasion in how we are speaking?

Of course we know that the conversion of hearts, of sinners, is all God’s work.  We have no power at all to save someone, to bring regeneration, a born again experience to a person’s heart.  That is all God’s work.

But it doesn’t mean that as we share the gospel they cannot sense our persuading them to believe, just as we have also believed.  Persuasion is what expresses our burden, our desire that the one we are speaking to will become like us!  We want them so much to know Christ as we know Him, to encounter Him and know Him as Savior and Lord, just as we have.

Persuasion is not forcing someone to believe.  Persuasion is showing them how much we desire for them to know Christ as Savior, just as we have.

Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."

Short time or long – Paul was in prison for two years.  But his burden for the lost, his desire to share the gospel, never died down.  His circumstance was not a hindrance to sharing the gospel.  Why?  Because Paul was sharing his testimony with the intense burden that all who were listening would become as he was – a disciple of Christ.

Short time or long.

Do we take advantage of every “short time” God gives us to share the gospel, our testimony, to others?

Are we patient enough to keep sharing, no matter how long it takes, even years, praying that God may open the hearts of those we share to may become as we are?

The fervency of Paul’s testimony made it sound like he was insane.

The fervency of Paul’s testimony revealed his desire, his prayer, that others to be like he was.

May this be the same fervency of our testimony, as God gives us the opportunity to stand before others and share, short time or long.

INQUIRING OF THE LORD

David is known as being a “man after God’s own heart”.  God Himself told Samuel that this was the king He was preparing for Israel (1 Samuel 13:14).

What is it that describes a man after God’s own heart?  David’s life is full of examples of how much he was after God’s heart.  But I want to share with you one aspect of that heart of David seen in decisions he had to make.

The moment he had to run away from King Saul, who wanted to kill him, notice David’s heart:

1 Samuel 23:1-2  When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,"  (2)  he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

Before David fought the Philistines, he inquired of the Lord first.

In the same story, when his men doubted, David inquired of the Lord again.

1 Samuel 23:3-4  But David's men said to him, "Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!"  (4)  Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand."

When the Amalekites raided the city where David and his men lived, and took captive their wives, sons and daughters, you see the same thing with David:

1 Samuel 30:8  and David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."

He didn’t just attack those who raided their city and took their families.  He inquired of the Lord first.

When king Saul died, David didn’t just go back to Judah and make himself king.

2 Samuel 2:1  In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked. The LORD said, "Go up." David asked, "Where shall I go?" "To Hebron," the LORD answered.

He inquired of the Lord first.

When he was made king of Israel, that did not change the heart of David:

2 Samuel 5:17-19  When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.  (18)  Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;  (19)  so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you."

Whatever circumstance he was in, whatever decision he had to make, David was a man who always inquired of the Lord first, for every decision he had to make.

Sinful man does not automatically seek God’s heart.  We think of ourselves, prioritize ourselves.  We are not naturally men who are after the heart of God.  God usually comes in last minute. 

But someone whose heart has been regenerated, born again, has been given a heart that seeks God.  Being a man after God’s own heart is not something we make of ourselves, but something that God has made us to be for His glory.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15  For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  (15)  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

A Christian is someone who does not live for himself anymore, but for Him who died and was raised again.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, the very first part of prayer was centered on God and His will:

Matthew 6:9-10  This, then, is how you should pray:  'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,  (10)  your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

When we come to God in prayer we approach him as men/women after His own heart, not after our own desires or will.

What does it mean to be a man after God’s own heart?  It means that you are not concerned with your own heart, your emotions, your understanding – you are after God’s heart, His will, His decision.

And a man after God’s own heart is someone who is always praying, always inquiring of the Lord concerning His will.  In any and every situation, for whatever concern that is in our hearts – it is God’s heart that we desire.

 This is a state of heart.  It is a practice, a habit, that we have, that we bring all the time, no matter what we are facing, no matter what we are asking for.

Jesus Christ Himself, when He was man, became an example for us concerning this kind of heart.

John 4:34  My food, said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

John 5:30  By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Is our “food” to do the will of Him who sent us?  Is God’s will, God’s heart, something that we are craving for at all times, something we believe to be essential, important for us?

Do we really believe that by ourselves we can do nothing?  Do we come to the Lord in prayer for even the simplest of requests?

If our answer is "yes", then, like David, and like our Lord Jesus, we will always be inquiring of the Lord…at all times, for all things.

May this be what is written again and again in the story of our lives.

SHALL WE GRUMBLE?

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, and were being oppressed for 400 years.  You would think that when God used Moses and led them out of Egypt to bring them to the promised land, they would be rejoicing in God, and trusting in Him.

But, no, that was farthest from what the Bible tells us.

Just a few days after they left Egypt, saw God part the red sea, destroyed Pharaoh and his army who were running after them, they GRUMBLED.  First about water.

Exodus 15:22-24  Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.  (23)  When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. )  (24)  So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

Again, after that, they grumbled.  This time about food.

Exodus 16:1-3  The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.  (2)  In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  (3)  The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

And again, they grumbled about water.

Exodus 17:1-3  The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.  (2)  So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"  (3)  But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

And even if God had provided manna for them, bread miraculously coming out of the ground for them to eat everyday, they grumbled about it.

Numbers 11:4-6  The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat!  (5)  We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.  (6)  But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"

They grumbled about water, food, and even the blessing that God had given them.  They kept looking back at their life in Egypt where they had an abundance of meat, fish, vegetables, etc.

 They just kept grumbling, even if their God had been so faithful to them.

Does this sound familiar?  Have you noticed how the grumbling is starting to come out in the world today because of the effect of the COVID-19 virus?

We (in the Philippines) are in an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).  Most of us have stopped work, businesses have closed shop, malls are closed.  Even the simplest of work - Jeepney drivers, trisikad drivers, etc.  Because of this many will be struggling financially, and will not be able to buy as much food.  

Our government has promised to help people, especially the poorest of the poor.  But we all know they cannot fully meet what many are actually making per day.

Whatever people are going to receive, it’s not exactly how much they usually earn. 

This is why the grumbling has started.  We see or read it in the news, on television or social media.  People grumbling, complaining, that they're not getting enough.

It’s not enough.  We should be getting more.

Why sardines again?  Why only this much rice. 

Is this all we’re going to get?  

Of course people will complain.  Because they’re people.  People have not changed since time in memorial.  Just like the Israelites complained when they left Egypt.  They kept on looking back at what they had, and complained that they did not enjoy it anymore.

People have not changed.  They will always be unsatisfied, discontent, hungry for more.

What is painful in the story of Exodus is that the Israelites were complaining against God.

The Israelites were God’s people.  He was bringing them to the land He promised for them.  He promised to provide for them – and He did.  Manna in the morning, quail for them to catch and cook, and water wherever they went.

But sadly they were not satisfied. They kept grumbling against God.

Later on God explained what He was doing:

Deuteronomy 8:2-4  Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  (3)  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.  (4)  Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

It was God’s Word that He would provide, that He would take care of them, that should have given them life.  Not the food or water, or anything else.  Just the promise of God, His Word.

Imagine – manna everyday.  They didn’t go hungry.  Water from hitting a rock.  Their clothes and shoes did not wear out for forty years!

There was so much for them to be thankful for.

But they grumbled.

And that's why this article is primarily for the church, the people of God today, whom He has redeemed, and to whom He has proclaimed so many promises in His Word.  We are going to experience a little adjustment in what we eat, or drink during this ECQ.  We are going to adjust financially, just like the rest of the world we may not receive exactly what we need for a month.

Are we going to grumble?

Are we going to complain?

Or will we recognize how God is humbling us, testing us, in this circumstance we are facing.

Do we see how God is showing us that we do not live on bread (or water, or clothes, or money) alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Are we thankful for the promises of God, from His word, that He will provide for us, take care of us through this ECQ?  Are we going to be content and thankful in how He provides, rather than in what we are receiving?

We are those who have been called out of this world, who trust in our God for all things.  We are God’s people, pilgrims in this world, being led into the promised land of eternity that God has prepared for us through Jesus Christ.

In this journey, are we going to grumble and complain, just like the Israelites in Exodus?

Or will we be thankful, content, trusting in Him and His word?

Let the world grumble and complain.  That’s who they are.

Let the church proclaim that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from our God, that this is the God we trust in.

For that we are thankful.

No grumbling for us...I pray.

WHEN I AM AFRAID

Psalms 56:1-13  For the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack.  (2)  My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride.  (3)  When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  (4)  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?  (5)  All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me.  (6)  They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life.  (7)  On no account let them escape; in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.  (8)  Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll-- are they not in your record?  (9)  Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.  (10)  In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise--  (11)  in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  (12)  I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you.  (13)  For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

We all know David as the "giant slayer", who fought a nine-foot tall Philistine champion and defeated him with a sling and a stone.  He was just a ruddy boy, a shepherd.  But little did they know he was an anointed of God, being prepared to be the next king of Israel.  Goliath came with a giant sword, but all David had was a sling, a few stones, and his trust in God.  What a story of faith and courage!

And when we attend bible studies, or listen to sermons, about David, we are always told to be as courageous, as confident, as David!  We can defeat our giants!  We can overcome as long as we are with the Lord.

To the point that when you show even a hint, or a shadow, of fear, of being afraid, you are rebuked and corrected by other believers.  "Why are you afraid?", they will ask you.  Do you not have the faith of David?  

It comes to the point where we do not tell others that we are afraid.  We hide what we are really feeling, to the point that we lie.  People ask us "how are you?", and the answer we give is what we believe others want to hear - "I'm ok!  I'm trusting in the Lord".  When in reality we are afraid.  

We are ashamed to say that we have seemingly lost our faith, and that we cannot stand before our giants.

"Why am I not like David?", we may ask ourselves.  And we bow down in shame, thinking that we have failed the Lord.

But, was David always courageous in all his circumstances?

It is true that David does stand as an example of someone who had courage and faith when facing a nine foot tall giant.  But did this mean that David was courageous all the time?  Was there a time when he was afraid?

Psalm 56 gives us a glimpse of how David, just like us, had bouts with being afraid.

(3)  When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

When I am afraid.  In this song David was open about what he was feeling.  And he had every reason to be afraid.  Look at verses 1-3

(1)Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack.  (2)  My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride.  

Most probably this was during the time of David when he was fleeing from king Saul, and he had to escape to Philistine territory.  We see this in 1 Samuel 21.

1 Samuel 21:10-12  And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath.  (11)  And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"  (12)  And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

David found himself in the midst of people who did not like him, who looked at him as an enemy, and who could defeat them in battle.  David felt this and, in verse 12, "WAS VERY MUCH AFRAID" of the situation he was in.

And all this happened after he defeated Goliath, and after his many victories in battle for Israel.

Yes, David was afraid.  He shares this emotion, what he felt, in Psalm 56:3

It is only natural for a person, anyone, to experience fear.  We are not supernatural beings.  We are human beings, with emotions.  And when we are faced with something bigger than us, it is only natural for us to be afraid.

But this does not mean we should REMAIN AFRAID.

Look again at what David says in the psalm.  Yes, he shares his being afraid...but he also shares what he did with that fear:

(3)  When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  (4)  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? 

He expressed his fear, but he also directed his heart to the One who could overcome that fear in his heart - "when I am afraid, I WILL TRUST IN YOU.  IN GOD WHOSE WORD I PRAISE.  IN GOD I TRUST.  WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME.

Yes, there will be times we will be afraid - of a circumstance, of a sickness, even of another person, that are so much bigger than us!  But when that happens we need to set our hearts on our God, and proclaim our trust in Him.

This trust in God comes from our understanding of His WORD that we PRAISE!

We cannot trust someone that we do not know.  Trust is not blind faith.  We put our faith in the God that we grow to know and understand.  That's where His Word comes in.  This is how important it is for us to be growing in the Word, in our knowledge of who our God is.  This is what strengthens us.

Then our God becomes bigger than our circumstance.  That's why David could end this passage by saying "WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?".

In the latter part of his psalm David writes:

 (9)  Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.  (10)  In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise--  (11)  in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  

This time David doesn't say "when I am afraid" anymore, but he now is able to proclaim "I WILL NOT BE AFRAID".  He knew his God was for him, the God whose Word he praised!  This is the God he trusted in.

(7)  On no account let them escape; in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.  (8)  Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll-- are they not in your record?  (9)  Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. 
David remembered that his God would not let them escape.  And David took comfort in the truth that God knew what he was going through, and that his tears were being recorded by God.  In other words God knew what David was going through, and that He would be faithful to defend him.
David knew that his God was for him (vs.9)

Because of David's trust in God and in His Word, he now could say "I WILL NOT BE AFRAID".

We can begin by being afraid, but our trust and knowledge of our God moves us to trust in Him, taking away the fear.

Like David we can experience our "Goliath" victories, and then later on come to a point where we become afraid.  But it shouldn't end there, we shouldn't stay afraid.  This emotion should lead us back to our God, to His Word, so that our knowledge of who He is prepares our hearts to trust in Him.

So, should we be ashamed of being afraid, or hide what we are feeling when faced with circumstances that seem to be bigger than us?  No.

But our being afraid should cause us to look to the One who is bigger than our circumstance.  Like David we can proclaim - "when I am afraid, I will trust in You, in the Lord whose Word I praise"!

Finding Strength in the Lord

1 Samuel 30:1-6  David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it,  (2)  and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.  (3)  When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.  (4)  So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.  (5)  David's two wives had been captured--Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.  (6)  David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

David found himself in a very difficult situation.

He wasn't king yet at this time...it was Saul who was king of Israel.  But King Saul envied David because of the success David had with the Lord.

So because of this David had to run away and hide in Philistine country.  While he was here he had to pretend that he was on the side of the Philistines lest they themselves attack him and kill him.

So you can imagine the tension they had.

The story above made it even worse.  When they returned to the place where they lived it had been raided by the Amalekites, and their women and children taken captive.

David and his men wept aloud.  But what was really distressing was that the men who were with David talked of stoning him, each one being bitter in spirit!

The men who were with David probably trusted in their leader to take care of them, even while they were running away from king Saul.  They looked up to him as their strength.

But when their wives and children were taken captive this was probably the "straw that broke the camels back", they wept till they had no strength left to weep.  They became so bitter that they turned against David, blaming him for the predicament that they were in.

David was in the same predicament as the men.  He was the one leading them.  His wife and children were also taken.  He also wept aloud until he had no strength to weep.  When the men turned against him he was greatly distressed.

But look how he handled the situation - verse 6 - "But David found strength in the LORD his God."

There's the difference with a "man after God's own heart".

Initially the men with him found strength with David, which is why when it looked like he failed them, they turned against him.

David, on the other hand, did not trust in himself.  Though he found himself in exactly the same situation, HE FOUND STRENGTH IN THE LORD.

We can find ourselves in a similar predicament, even in one when we weep until we have no strength.  We can be greatly distressed in our circumstances, or when men go against us.  But, like David, may we  FIND  STRENGTH IN THE LORD OUR GOD.

When we trust in others, find our strength in them, we will eventually realize that they may fail us, and we end up bitter and distressed.

When we trust in circumstances, hoping that they will always be in our favor, we may end up bitter and distressed when things don't go our way.

But, if like David, we are "after God's own heart", we will always run to him, trust in Him, and find our strength in Him.

A man after God's own heart is someone who knows that despite the circumstances we are in, despite the weakness of the moment, when we find ourselves weeping until we have no more strength, and despite the possibility of others coming against us - we come to God and find strength in Him.

Not in other people, not in the circumstance...but in God and God alone.

May we find our strength in the Lord our God.

Because the Lord Sustains Me

Psalms 3:1-8  A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!  (2)  Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah  (3)  But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  (4)  To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah  (5)  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.  (6)  I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.  (7)  Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.  (8)  From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Selah

David was in dire straits when he wrote this psalm.  He was fleeing from his son Absalom, who had taken over the throne.  Look at how he describes it in the song:

vs. 1 "how many are my foes!  How many rise up against me!

vs. 2 he was being taunted, many were saying "God will not deliver him", because Absalom was now the one sitting as king.  Imagine the feeling, wondering if God was still on your side or not.

In verse 6, David felt as if there were tens of thousands drawn up against him on every side.  David left with only a handful of supporters.  Absalom now had the whole army under his command.  And even when David was leaving some people cursed him, especially those who were related to Saul.

This was no ordinary circumstance.  And yet, in the midst of this stressful and fearful time, David dug deep into his heart, and trusted in God.

(3)  But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  (4)  To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.

David knew that his God was still with him.  It was God who was his shield, not himself, or his bodyguards...only God.  And whatever glory was taken away from him as king, he knew that it was God who would bestow it back to him, and lift up his head.

And so even as he fled, in the midst of this situation, David said in verse 5 "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me."

Imagine, in a situation like this, David could still sleep.  Why?  Because it was the Lord who sustained him.  His total trust was in God.  He knew that his deliverance (vs. 7-8) was from God and God alone.

This is what made him able to lie down, sleep, and wake again.  Despite what surrounded him, he slept "like a baby", trusting that his life was in God's hand.

There are many who quote verse 5, "I  lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me", without really understanding the context of David's situation.  When we understand what he was going through, and compare it to ours, this should strengthen our faith, the same faith that David had, that despite what we are going through, what surrounds us, we can lie down, sleep, and rest assured we will wake up - because it is the Lord who sustains us, the Lord who is the shield around us!

If God is our shield, if we trust Him as the One who will lift up our head, who will deliver us from any and every situation - it is God who will tuck us in our beds, give us the sleep and rest we need, for He is the One who will sustain us.