Month: December 2020

Naaman and Cornelius, two gentile soldiers to whom the Lord revealed Himself in powerful ways.

Both these men were people of rank, yet it’s evident that they were both humbled before the Lord and received blessings.

Naaman came with his own expectations of how the prophet of God, Elisha, would come and minister to him, however, initially Elisha didn’t even come out to meet him. We’re all ready with our own opinions, but God often does things His way and in His time. Naaman was blessed with a creative miracle, new skin and returned to Elisha a different man, no longer in pride, but now with the attitude of a servant.

… for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other God but the Lord. 2 Kings 5:17

Naaman’s heart had been touched and henceforth he wanted to express his gratitude to the God of Israel, he was going to make offerings to Him alone.

Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, had been making prayers  and offerings to the God of Israel and he had an encounter with an angel messenger.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. Acts 10:4, 5

We need to understand and remember that our prayers and  offerings are known to God and recorded in heaven. This was the beginning of the Gentile Church and the taking of the Good News of Christ to the whole world. A tremendous moment for all of humanity.

From their positions as high ranking soldiers, Naaman (mentioned by Jesus in Luke 4) and Cornelius, understood authority and submitted to the Lord. They recognised His authority, but more than responding from just a sense of duty (soldiers understand duty) they both wanted to give to Him out of sincere Love. We’re looking at two soldiers recorded in the Book who both had ‘hearts for God’, to love and serve Him.

The first of the seven churches recorded in Revelation 2 was the Church of Ephesus.

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men… Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from what you have fallen and do the things you did at first. Revelation 2:2, 4, 5

None of us knows what the New Year will hold, but people no longer take things for granted, the world has changed and also the Church. We can no longer walk out our lives by following ‘rote and ritual’(following from duty alone) we must be walking with the Lord and giving of ourselves and our substance to Him.

‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’. Matthew 6:21

Those things that we truly value will determine much of our steps in the coming season.

God bless and keep you all in 2021.

 

 

Today is our last opportunity to GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD in 2020 – don’t miss it.

It’s been a difficult year for many people but God’s people have much to be thankful for, let’s tell Him today.

Oh Give Thanks To The Lord,
All You His People.
Oh Give Thanks To The Lord For He Is Good.
Let Us Praise, Let Us Thank,
Let Us Celebrate And Dance,
Oh Give Thanks To The Lord For He Is Good.

God bless and keep you.

Run to the LIGHT(of God), get out of the darkness.

It seems a bit strange to be urging people to walk in the light at the darkest time of the year, here in the northern hemisphere. Light and darkness cannot exist together, we will either be in one or the other.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we WALK IN THE LIGHT (our choice) as he is in the light,  we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5, 6, 7

A long time ago now I read a book by an Anglican Minister, Charles, where he confessed that he was having feelings of attraction towards a young woman; he was happily married. Instead of ignoring the feelings he decided that he needed to address the problem and went to an older clergyman. He was open, the first essential for getting help and talked about his misplaced feelings. The older brother counselled him and they prayed together, but at the end of their time he said to Charles, ‘you won’t have any more problems with this, now that it’s been BROUGHT INTO THE LIGHT’. Simply confessing and sharing what had started to manifest inside, out of sight, had broken the power of the false attraction. The devil loves to keep things hidden and covered, but as John tells us, ‘God is LIGHT’.

King David, the greatest king in Israel, committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, Uriah, to cover up his sin. But God, who ‘lives in Light’, couldn’t let him away with the sin and called him to account through his own personal prophet, Nathan. We all have blind spots and God may use others to speak to us and identify areas where He requires repentance or change. Don’t be hasty to reject those who bring correction, God Himself may be speaking to us. David wrote Psalm 51 to acknowledge his sin before God and it’s been kept in God’s Word for eternity.

Isaiah 9:2 spoke of the coming of the Lord;

The people walking in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT; on those living in the land of the shadow of death A LIGHT has dawned.

Don’t focus on the problem, focus on the Lord;

For with You is the fountain of LIFE; in Your LIGHT WE SEE LIGHT.  Psalm 36:9

The Life and Light OF THE LORD are the answer we need.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT. 1 Peter 2:9

God called us before time began to be His own special people, out of darkness into His Wonderful Light.

May God bless and keep us this day and in the year ahead.

 

Wishing all our friends and followers a very blessed, peaceful and safe Christmas 2020.

God bless you.

Sometimes God can do nothing until our thinking changes! Romans 12:2, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

We’ve been looking at the encounter between Naaman and Elisha the prophet. It’s probable that this was a ONE TIME TRIP and Naaman was only going to have this one opportunity to meet with the God of Israel. Sometimes the change can be sudden and dramatic, e.g. Paul on the road to Damascus. Naaman experienced a major Turnaround;

A Turnaround – an abrupt or unexpected change, especially one that results in a more favourable situation.
“it was a remarkable turnaround in his fortunes”

God apprehended Naaman, by giving him a stark choice; obey and be healed or refuse and succumb to the leprosy.  God may put many of us in similar situations, for our own good. Naaman was initially outraged but his servants calmed him down, ‘wash and be cleansed’. 2 Kings 5:13 Naaman followed Elisha’s instructions and received a miracle, but he also had a ‘Turnaround’ in his thinking and his life.

“Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel”. 2 Kings 5:15

In Naaman’s day and also in our own time people worship many things, so this was a profound change of thinking. He also returned to Elisha in humility, no longer in arrogance. He pressed Elisha to accept a gift but the prophet wouldn’t because God had forbidden him. Even well meaning people can suggest things that are not right for us before God, we need to be careful.

Naaman asked for earth from the land of Israel to take home; ‘for your servant will never again (lasting change) make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord’. Naaman’s whole perspective had changed and he declared from now on he would only worship the Lord. It seems he had an intuitive understanding of what God required and the Israelites so often turned away from.

His final request before Elisha was that God would forgive him when he had to accompany his master to the temple of his god Rimmon and bow with him. 2 Kings 5:18 This request showed his sincerity to Yahweh; he didn’t want God to misunderstand how truly he was now devoted to Him alone. Elisha told him to, ‘Go in Peace’, God’s blessing. God was willing to forgive him for something he was obligated to do, but not by choice. There may be people today who are in similar situations, but God knows our hearts.

Naaman had to change his whole outlook before God, Elisha wouldn’t even come out to meet with him until he’d done that! Is God waiting for us to change our outlook, to take a Turnaround before He can bless us today? Only each one of us can really know, but God won’t bargain, we must obey and go His way. It’s the perfect way for us.

Father’s Love would welcome your support today.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

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The second part of the story of Naaman has an underlying  theme. (Yesterday’s blog looked at the servants’ roles, speaking truth to power).

It’s interesting that the Word records in detail how Naaman prepared for his trip. ‘So Naaman left, taking with him 10 talents of silver, 6000 shekels of gold and 10 sets of clothing’. 2 Kings 5:5 Why does the Bible record these amounts? Well we would be right to say that it was expected that the services of God’s servant be paid for. Saul said he had no money to go to Samuel, but his servant had a piece of silver. 1 Samuel 9:7, 8 Payment was expected and there may even have been an element of fear, mistreat God’s servant and perhaps you would come off worst.

Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house with his whole retinue; horses, chariots and servants. He was a somebody, an important man. He believed he should have been treated with respect and received the personal attention of the prophet but it wasn’t to be. Elisha sent his servant out with a message, ‘Go and dip seven times in the Jordan River and be clean’. Naaman turned and went off in a rage; he didn’t get his own way! (So true of many religious people today.)

I believe Naaman’s mentality towards this encounter was something more in the nature of a contract. I will bring a good recompense for this prophet (maybe they had prophets in Aram too) and he’ll be obliged to give me his personal attention. (Contract, one party does something and receives a payment in return, naturally the payer calls the shots or is in charge). God graciously restored Naaman’s flesh, ‘like that of a young boy’, but he was somewhat humiliated and had to humble himself by dipping seven times (number of completion, fully) in the Jordan.

Elisha had been told not to touch the gift, I believe severely;

The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing”. 2 Kings 5:16

Naaman had expectations, he was the one paying, but God wouldn’t permit it. Naaman was a high official and we’re told God had given victory through him, but he was still only a man. God would never come down to meet Naaman’s conditions and he’ll never allow anyone to dictate to Him. RELIGION is all about how much we’re doing and surely God must acknowledge that He owes us for our service, Not at All! We can never stand in our own merit before the King of all creation.

So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” Luke 17:10

Fortunately Naaman’s heart changed and not only was his leprosy cured but he acknowledged the God of Israel (his wife’s young servant girl alone knew the key to his miracle!) was the only true God. Complete surrender is the only way to God, on His terms alone.

God bless and keep you today.

Don’t be overawed, be bold and make the most of every God given opportunity.

There’s a very old saying in English and other languages;

Even a cat (lowly/humble person) may look at a king.

In the story of Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, we see servants who played important roles. 2 King’s 5 Naaman was highly respected because the Lord had given victory through him, but he had leprosy. A young girl from Israel had been taken captive and she served Naaman’s wife.

She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy”. 2 Kings 5:2

This unnamed young Jewish woman was the first link in a chain of events that would lead to a miraculous healing and salvation, probably for Naaman’s whole household. She’d been placed in his house and God used her, a captive to initiate/open a door for a valiant soldier to know Him. We may not be aware what God’s doing in our situations, just like Job, but He’s often planned things for us to play a part.

The king of Aram wrote a letter to the king of Israel, ‘I’m sending my servant Naaman to you, so you can cure him of his leprosy’. The king of Israel thought he was trying to pick a fight and panicked, but Elisha said, “Make the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel”.

Naaman went with his chariots and horses and attendants and stood outside Elisha’s house. He had false expectations of what would happen next and they could have robbed him of everything the Lord had for him! God rarely does things as we expect, so don’t try to pre-guess the way He’ll answer us. Naaman expected a public display before those with him, but Elisha sent a messenger to tell him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan and be healed’.

Naaman, a soldier, went off in a rage. The God of Israel told him how to be healed but he’d have to humble himself. Fortunately Naaman had some more wise servants with him, also unnamed, who spoke to him;

“My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, wash and be cleansed?” So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times as the man of God told him and his flesh was restored and became clean, like that of a young boy (more than just healed, perfection). 2 Kings 5:13, 14

Naaman, a great man who served a king may have died if his servants hadn’t spoken to him on these two occasions. They had access and knew how to speak to him when he was being headstrong. They stopped him from losing everything and going on to perfect healing and salvation.

Through PATIENCE a ruler can be PERSUADED (Patient Persuasion is best) and a GENTLE TONGUE can break a BONE. Proverbs 25:15

Has God opened doors for us to speak to some who will only hear of Him through our voices? Timing may be important, but God gives opportunities and grace. Be sure to grasp those chances to be a blessing in the lives of others. They may need them greatly.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

 

There were two Turning Points In Saul’s life, both with very different outcomes.

As Saul TURNED TO LEAVE SAMUEL, God changed Saul’s heart and all these signs were fulfilled. 1 Samuel 10:9

God can move very quickly when He decides to do something, all the signs spoken of for Saul to be king happened at once. The key to the change, from livestock keeper to king, was TURNING TO OBEY GOD. As soon as Saul TURNED the Lord moved things quickly to fulfill His word.

God gave King Saul a command to go and completely destroy the wicked Amalakites for attacking Israel as the Lord led them up from Egypt. 1 Samuel 15:1-3. The command was specific, Saul was to put to death all the people and all their livestock, but he failed to fully obey God’s command.

Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I am grieved that I have made Saul King, because he has TURNED AWAY FROM ME and has not carried out my instructions”. Samuel was troubled and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 1 Samuel 15:10, 11

Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul. He eventually found him at Gilgal with his troops and with Agag king of the Amalakites and the livestock they had kept as plunder. 1 Samuel 15:19, 32

Saul eventually admitted that he’d disobeyed the Lord’s command through Samuel because, ‘I was afraid of the people and gave in to them’. 1 Samuel 15:24 He asked Samuel to come back with him and honour him before the elders of the people. This was the second turning point for Saul;

As Samuel TURNED TO LEAVE, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe and it tore. Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbours – to one better than you”. 1 Samuel 15:27, 28

A prophetic confirmation that God had torn the kingdom from Saul and would give it to another, David, a man after God’s own heart.

The word ‘Repentance’ is associated with Turning Back to the Lord. God may be waiting for some of us to acknowledge today that we need to Turn Back and put things right with God. He can then move quickly on our behalf as He did for Saul.

Let the wicked forsake THEIR WAYS and the unrighteous THEIR THOUGHTS. Let them TURN TO THE LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isa 55:11

Turn Back to the Lord today, ask Him for forgiveness and for His plan for our life. His way is perfect, there’s no better plan for our lives than His Plan, it’s perfect just as He is.

God bless and keep you today.

Some lessons from Saul’s call to be King. 1 Samuel 9

God used Saul’s search for missing donkeys to direct him to His purposes, Kingship.

It’s said that it’s easier to redirect someone or something that’s moving than to get stationary objects moving. So the first lesson of Saul’s coming to his lifetime’s call may be that it’s better to be involved, to be active rather than static. V3 God can redirect our steps and He may use those around us in the process. ‘Take the servant with you’. V3

The servant walked with Saul much of the journey. V 4,5

The servant (speaks of other people, maybe close to us) knew about Samuel, God’s seer and the way to him. The servant had the silver to offer him for his service. V8

Samuel was the one who understood Saul’s true calling. V16 He had no idea himself of his future.

Other girls confirmed Samuel’s presence and told them to hurry, they needed to be with Samuel for a certain time. V12

They were received and honoured, Saul’s food, the best piece (indicative of his future) was provided there for him. V23

The most important part of this process may be that Saul could only find his calling alone with Samuel before God. His servant had to leave before that would be revealed. V27

The journey continues in 1 Samuel 10

“Then”, when the servant left, Samuel anointed Saul by pouring a flask of oil over his head. It’s important to note that the Lord revealed to another person that Saul was called. In 1 Cor 1:1 Paul’s letter to the Corinthians begins;

Paul, call to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes.

Paul’s calling as an apostle was the will of God and also sanctioned by a fellow believer, Sosthenes. A true calling should be recognised by other believers, though perhaps not all.

Saul was then given a series of steps to take and meeting with others, fellow Israelites (God doesn’t work in a vacuum, people are usually involved to some measure). Once again Saul was to given two loaves of bread which he was told to take, more provision. Finally, Saul was told to go to Gibeah, where he would meet a procession of prophets playing musical instruments and prophesying.

The spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these SIGNS are fulfilled, do you whatever your hand finds to do for God is with you. 1 Samuel 10:6, 7

God’s calling will require the anointing of His Spirit to fulfill. If we can do it in our own strength, question if it’s a call from God. SIGNS may well accompany a calling, we serve a mighty God, nothing is too difficult for Him.

I trust that some of these pointers may help those seeking God’s way for their lives at this time. God will confirm that which His hand is in; so we can look for confirmations such as Saul received.

God bless and keep you today.

 

Some things God wants to share with us will never be spoken in the presence of others, they’re for us alone!

Israel had demanded a king and Samuel told them, ‘everyone is to go back to his town’. 1 Samuel 8:22

The story now turns to a Benjamite called Kish and his young son named Saul. Kish had lost some donkeys and he sent Saul with a servant to look for them. God ordained this all, including the servant, it was wiser that Saul travelled with the servant than go alone. God may have ordained certain people to walk with us for a season in our own lives.

Saul and his servant spent some days looking for the donkeys without success. Sometimes we may be searching for something, like the donkeys, but the Lord has a different agenda. We may go somewhere with one intention, but God is guiding us to something of much greater importance. Some believers looking back on their lives can clearly see the hand of God guided them in their most important decisions.

They were about to turn back when the servant told Saul about a man of God, Samuel, who lived in a nearby town and who could help them. Saul had nothing to give the seer, an obstacle, but the servant had the money. God may appoint someone to pay your way to get you where and when He wants you to be. Don’t turn them down, receive their help.

As they went to the town they met some girls going to draw water and asked them, ‘if the seer was there’? God will make it abundantly clear how you’re to get to the place He has for you. He doesn’t mind repeating directions and sending help at each step as we move forward. Don’t be afraid to ask for confirmation, He will provide in different ways.

The girls told them, ‘Hurry now’, 1 Samuel 9:12, they needed to get there before the people sat down to eat and indeed this was God’s intention. God had revealed Saul’s visit to Samuel the previous day and Samuel was expecting him, but God again told Samuel that Saul was the man. Samuel told him the donkeys had been found 3 days ago, put his mind at rest about his concerns. Samuel sat Saul and his servant at the head of the table and had a leg of meat, already set aside, brought to Saul. We should expect to be received and honoured in the place God has for us! If we’re not then we need to ask if this is the right place and right time.

After they came down from the sacrifice, Samuel got ready to send Saul on his way.

“Tell the servant to go on ahead of us” – and the servant did so – “but you stay here a while, so that I may give you a message from God”. 1 Samuel 9:27

The servant had accompanied Saul, the Lord’s chosen as king for Israel, as far as he could. Samuel anointed Saul with oil before God, with no one else recorded present. There are certain things in our lives that God has for us and even those close to us won’t stand with us at these times. God wants to bless us alone with Himself.

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