Do we need tuning? [ 1 Samuel 13 v14 ]

Before David comes on the scene we are told what type of a person he would be,it is revealed to us at a time when Saul is beginning to show his hidden weak character,and is told that his reign as king would not continue.Remember none of us are indispensable,we can be replaced,and indeed will be replaced , as Saul was, even the great apostle was conscious of this CP  1 Corinthians 9 v27.There was a belief at one time that the Kings of England felt that they could do what they wanted,they believed in the divine right of kings, but they were wrong as Charles the 1st found out.Saul was the Lords anointed, but he acted in ways, that offended God, and so was rejected,and replaced by a man after God own heart[1 Samuel 13 v14]. This was the type of person that replaced Saul,a man after Gods own heart,what does it mean to be a man after Gods own heart?.Well I believe it means that his heart was in tune with Gods,in an orchestra every instrument must be tune,if they are not, there will be discord.One of the first things I did when I started playing the guitar, was to buy an electric tuner,I had to tune it every time I used it.Davids heart was in tune with Gods,no discord,let us ask ourselves, is our hearts in tune with Gods?
A  prayer....../Dear God grant us the grace to be people whose hearts are in tune with Yours in Jesus name Amen /

He behaved honourably. [ 1 Samuel24 v 16-17 ]

Let us continue with David the man of God,David was to be king Sauls successor,but Saul was more interested that his son Jonathan would succeed him. David was a warrior and God granted him favour in all his endeavours,so much so that he became a national hero,and they sang songs about his greatness.This is what they sang,/Saul hath slain his thousands ,and David his ten thousands[ 1 Samuel 18 v7],this did not do David any favours, from that moment,Saul became his enemy.Saul knew that God had chosen another person to succeed him[1 Samuel 13v14/15v26]. Saul should have bowed to Gods will,but he didn't,instead he went on the rampage,possessed by the desire to kill David, and oppose God will. So how did David act?, well he never once tried to overthrow Saul,  there were times that he had opportunities to kill Saul , but he didn't,he acted in an honourable manner.When Saul died in battle David was  genuinely filled with sorrow and composed a song,[2Samuel 1]in his honour,in all things he behaved honourably. Two other very important lessons are to be learned in all this,leave God to deal with those who would try to harm us, we are told to leave God to deal with them [Romans 12 v19-21] The next lesson we learn is God will fulfil His purposes for us, the word had been given,David would be anointed as king[ 1 Samuel  16],Gods purposes for David could not be stopped,inspite of Sauls threatening,it came to pass [2 Samuel 5 v3 ]
A prayer ..../Dear God Help us to act in a God fearing honourable way at all times, in Jesus name Amen /

Harden not your heart. [Hebrews 3 v7-8 ]

David was a man of God ,and one of the characteristics of this godly man  was his willingness to listen to God and respond to it in a proper manner.I think of two  occasions when he David did this,the first  we read about in 1 Samuel 25,  in this chapter we read how a man called Nabal offended David,and initially he responded by setting out to destroy Nabal   and his whole household .But Nabals wife Abigail intervened,she met David and spoke to him,and David listened,he sees Gods in it and acknowledges that God had used Abigail,to stop him from doing an evil act. The next occasion I want to highlight is when David had sinned [1 Samuel 11-12 ],he had committed adultery,and murder, by this time he was king,maybe he felt he was above the law,but the thing he had done displeased the Lord. Nathan was a prophet, and acted very bravely,he spoke to the king ,the word he had from God and David listened,and repented,CP Psalm 51,and God forgave Him.The word of God declares if today we hear Gods voice we are not to harden our hearts[Hebrews 3 v7-8],David could have done this,but he didn't,if he had not ,he would have ended up as another Saul,rejected by God.
A  prayer...../ Dear God help us not to harden our hearts when You speak to us,help us to appreciate it is always best to listen and obey,in Jesus name Amen /

Glory here and glory there. [John 17 ]

I travelled to Belfast to attend the funeral of my oldest brother Davey,I don't  go home to much, now this was a sad time, but it was also a joyous time when one met with my family and friends. My  nephew and his wife had their little child there,and it reminded of the ongoing cycle of life,for the  writer of Ecclesiastes it was pretty meaningless,and for some it may appear that way,but as a Christian, I see life as  a gift from God,a gift that is precious.Of course for many life is hard,life is difficult,because of poverty,illness,and death,but as a Christian, I believe  that my life is not  defined by my circumstances, as a child of God ,my life has a greater purpose,to glorify my God and Saviour.I must never loose that focus,if I do then life will loose its meaning,so today let us all see our glorious purpose in life,that in our difficulties,trials,of whatever nature,we are called to glorify  God. Our dear Saviour prayed to His father,I have glorified Thee on the earth, I have finished the work which Thou give st me do do[ John 17 v4 ] ,consider what that meant for Him,a cross.and all its suffering,none of us want to suffer, but its inevitable that we will, to some degree,the challenge for all Gods children is,to glorify our Saviour,and when we  do ,then life will  have  meaning,and in the end eternal glory.
A prayer...../ Dear Father in heaven help us to glorify You in Jesus name and for His sake Amen /

Where to focus.[ Psalm 121v1 ]

I hope God willing to work until next year and then retire, I will then be seventy, but I found myself asking the question can I make it?, can I cope with the demands of my job. Then one thinks what will I do if I retire?,I am filled with all sorts of questions,then  there is the ongoing challenge of  life,I often feel vunerable.Which raises the question will I do something stupid,and fall to some temptation,will I be able to say like Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith[ 2 Timothy 4 v7 ]These are the uncertainties,consider what I have said, the many times I have used the letter I a lot of times in what I have said ,the most important thing we should remember is,there is one who is with us,and declares ./Fear Thou not, for I am with You, be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will strenthen thee,yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.....For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand. Fear not, I will help thee/.[Isaiah 41 v10/13 ].
A  prayer..../Dear God help us not to focus on the I but on You we ask this in Jesus name Amen/

We have Hope . [Romans 8 v28-39 ]

Jim Braddock was an Irish American,he was a failed boxer,but he got the chance to get into the fight game,he was very poor,married with three children,it was the depression.I suppose he was driven by the desire to succeed, to be able to look after his family,well he succeeded,he went on to win the heavy weight championship of the world.In doing this he did something very important,he gave the many poor struggling people hope.I suppose when I think of Winston Churchill I think of a man a very imperfect man, who gave our nation hope, and the people enslaved by the Nazi es.People need hope,my heart goes out to those people who are struggling with difficulties, whatever they may be,for often they must despair. If you are a Christian it does not mean that you will not have difficulties, the things that are common to all men,will happen to you.  Do not despair God can turn every difficult you are faced with ,into a blessing, did not the apostle Paul write, That he gloried in his infirmities,how can that be?because then he experienced the very power of God working in him.He even took pleasure in his infirmities,in reproaches,in necessities,in persecutions, in distresses,because it was  for Christs sake,and in all that he experienced in his weakness strength[ 2 Corinthians 12 ]Faith in God  sees that no situation is out of Gods control,God can give us a hope,that is unexplainable to the natural eyes ,consider the words of one of Gods dear suffering children,nay in all these things we are more than conquerors  though Him that loved us.[Romans 8 v37 ]
A prayer    / Dear God we thank You that as Your dear child we can experience hope ,a hope that will never disappoint,because of Jesus. Amen /

Psalm 46

Psalm 46 is a lovely Psalm,it is song of confidence,v2-3 speaks of the natural elements being in turmoil,and in v6 the natural man as the message puts it, ranting and raving,and threatening. There are so many things that can threaten us, even threaten to destroy us,but the writer of the Psalm, starts where we all need to start with ,God. The things that threaten were real,but so is God,what are you threatened with today?yes they are real,but God also is real,are they powerful?, God is more powerful Do you feel helpless?,then God will be your helper,is there no way out ?,God can make a way out.In v8-9 the writer points to what God has done, and what He can do,look back on past deliverance's ,be in encouraged, He changeth not,He who was faithful in the past will be faithful in the present. Consider v10/Be still and know that I am God, it is hard to be still,when we feel threatened,but here is the word of God for us all ,be still,and see how your God will undertake.Consider the last verse ,the Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, Selah,the word selah means pause and consider,yes pause and consider this wonderful truth that God is with us,He has not ,nor will He ever desert us.
A  prayer..../Dear God we praise You that You are with us,and that You will care for us,we thank You in Jesus name. Amen /