What do I want for Christmas today?
I want you all to have a great Labor Day holiday, with family, friends, and to make it a safe, clean, and godly day too; if your traveling away from home too far to make the trip safely, and arrive back at home safe, and without trouble.
“An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning fire.
A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He purses his lips and brings about evil.” Proverbs 16:27-30 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to always be a man of honesty, integrity, and strength in the LORD; and to never sow strife between friends, or enemies, but to seek to bring others together through the love, power, mercy, and grace of our Lord.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (KJV)
In recent days in the community in which I live two life long residents have passed away, and their families are mourning their losses. The first was discovered by a neighbor in his home; the other died in a tragic tractor and haybaler accident on a hillside. The people in Jenkins and Barry County are strong and resilient people, and were strong at the funerals.
A friend of mine, and fellow School Bus driver passed away on Thursday after suffering a very short bout with what had been diagnosed as bone cancer in the beginning, then I do not know, after they changed that diagnosis. His funeral is tomorrow [June 13].
There is much mourning in our world over the deaths of family members and friends.
What do I want for Christmas?
I want those families to be comforted, encouraged, and blessed; and if those family members and friends do not know the Lord; I want you to know that Jesus loves you so much that He died for you.
I want us to mourn for our sins; to be grieved when we have offended God in our iniquities, and transgressions; and to seek His forgiveness.
What do I want for Christmas?
I want my family, friends, neighbors, and U. S. of A. citizens to remember those who died for the freedoms that we have today; and to drive carefully as you travel back to your homes.
Have a blessed and safe Memorial Day, and remember everyday the One who died to free you from sin, and death; Jesus Christ.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galations 5:1
What do I want for Christmas?
I want my family, friends, neighbors, readers of this blog, people around the world to be free of crippling, hindering fear, and I want you to know that is only possible through the faith of Jesus Christ Son of the Living God, God the Living Son.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 (KJV)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want my friends, family, neighbors all around the world to know that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and bodily arose from the grave; that He is the Son of the Living God, and God the Living Son.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NKJV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Also see Colossians 1:16-19; Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; Revelation 1:17
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to want what God wants and desires for my family, friends, neighbors, myself, and the rest of the world.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want to desire what God desires for my family, friends, neighbors, the world and myself; to desire what God desires.
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:1-3 (NKJV)
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:3-4
What do I want for Christmas?
I want GOD to show Himself strong in and through me that others may see what is going on in me is GOD. In this I also desire that it be so of my family, friends, neighbors, my community, State, Nation, and the world.
Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, That they may know that this is Your hand—That You, LORD, have done it!” Psalm 109:26-27 (NKJV)
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…” 2 Chronicles 16:9a
What do I want for Christmas?
I want family, friends, and neighbors to prosper and be in good health; even as they prosper in their spiritual lives.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 2 John 1:2 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want my family, friends and neighbors to be blessed, in peace, comfort and wealth; most of all to be blessed with the peace and presence of the Lord in their lives.
“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)
What do I want for Christmas?
I want all my family, friends, neighbors, and enemies to be at peace with God, one another, and themselves in the New Year of 2016.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27 (KJV)
Job had been falsely charged by his friends. He also felt neglected, despised even by God; but Job still trusted the love, grace and mercy of God.
Are you beaten, battered, bruised, sick or diseased? Do you feel you have been forsaken by God, your family, your friends? Do you believe that no one cares? God does care. God does love you.
Even the righteous (those declared so by God Himself) suffer. Job is a great example of that; yet, Job’s faith went on trusting and believing in God.
Job believed that he was probably going to perish; was going to die; that his body would decay, and be eaten by the “skin worms”. Yet, he believed that his Redeemer lived, and that he would see Him stand upon the earth.
That Redeemer is none other than the One who died for the sins of mankind upon a cruel, old rugged cross, was buried, and arose bodily from the grave. He (Jesus Christ) will one day return to rule and reign as King of the earth from Jerusalem.
My Redeemer Lives….
“If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer Thee: Thou wilt have a desire to the work of Thine hands.” Job 14:14-15 (KJV)
As I was reading Job 11 – 14 I found myself laughing. Laughing at the way Job uses sarcasm to rebuke his friends (12:2-3), and tells them that he would have been better off if they would have kept their mouths shut (13:4, 5, and 13).
Then I was brought to tears. Mostly tears of joy due to Job’s faith, as he states, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him”, and again in the above verses of our text.
It can be seen that he looks at the created order of things, and realizes that a tree can be cut down, and it sprouts again to life. Is it not amazing how God has built into the creation the hope of resurrection; living again. Job, may have very well been thinking that the tree had more hope than he did; but then, he states the above.
“All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” What change? The change of the resurrection of the body.
The whole created order of things is a testimony of God, and His promises to fulfill all His word.
The greatest hope ever given was when Jesus became our sin on the cross; was judged for our sin, put to death; and then bodily arose from the grave to show that the cross was the place of defeat for sin, death, hell, the grave, and the devil. The Courts of heaven, by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ rules today. By His resurrection there is a resurrection to life in His presence for all eternity.
The call of the prophet was one of separation. It was one for Jeremiah that would separate him from his family, due to the message he would be proclaiming, it would even keep him from marriage. There were times he would even feel that God had forsaken Him. We will see these things as we progress through this wonderful prophecy which our LORD God has given us.
The passage of the prophet for today is chapter one, verses 17-19;
“Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.” Jeremiah 1:17-19 (KJV).
The idea of “girding up the loins” is the idea of getting one’s self ready for the task at hand. You might say of a preacher called by God, “Get yourself ready to do My bidding”. As Paul spoke to Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV). Jeremiah was called to preach the Word of the Lord and he must be prepared. He must know that calling is sure, because there were going to come times in his ministry where that would be all that he had.
“Arise”, get up and get going, the time is short. “Speak to them all that I command thee”. There can be no changing of the message to soften the impact. It must be spoken as God has given it. It is sad to say and to think, but there are many preachers, who are pastors of churches and preach (if you can call it that) messages that are watered down versions of the truth, thus not the truth, but lies. They would rather be popular with their people. Popular with the people unpopular with God. Which would we be? God says to the prophet, “Be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them”.
If we as preachers neglect to preach Jesus; His death on the cross; His burial; His bodily resurrection; and His promise… “I will come again” then we fail to preach the Word of God. That is the essence of all of Scripture.
The prophet is called to stand, to be strong. God tells Jeremiah, “I have made you this day a defenced city, an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests , and against the people of the land.” This is God’s promise to Jeremiah of God’s protection from harm. Even when the judgment comes on the land, even though the people, the kings, the princes, and the priests turn against him Jeremiah is promised protection. His life will be kept and preserved. Someone has said, “The man of God in the will of God is immortal, until God is through with him”. That is a profound statement. Of course the one who made that statement must have been speaking of this temporal life we live here on earth, because with Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are immortal anyway.
The promise of God for protection would be a mighty force in the faithfulness of Jeremiah. The promise is a mighty power in our lives as well. To think that his own family, friends, king, princes, and others would try to harm him, even try to kill him, and he having the promise of God’s protection and keeping. “They shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.” Would you rather have the friendship of the world, or the protection and power of God on your life? Think about it. You cannot have both, if you are going to be a preacher of God’s Word.
-by Tim A. Blankenship
It seems that we are all a bit fickle. We love our friends; as long as they are kind and never say a harsh or critical word to us. Yet that is not friendship. I will not spend a lot of time or words with this, but really, a true friend should be someone who will tell you your weaknesses, when you have done something wrong. A friend is someone who will sharpen your ax blade, so to speak; or at least aid you in doing so yourself.
Is it a friend who is always telling you the good things you do? How bright you are? How handsome or beautiful you are? A friend will appreciate the good and great things about you, and tell you so; however the friend will also pick you apart, and cut away, and may hurt you to help you. There; I said it. Now let us see what the wise man of Proverbs says.
“Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Proverbs 27:5-6
There will be those who call themselves friend, but never really help you shine. They are really your enemy; never wanting you to improve; wanting you to remain in their league. Their kisses are venom, poisonous and deadly.
Let’s hear what Matthew Henry has written of these two verses;
Note, 1. It is good for us to be reproved, and told of our faults, by our friends. If true love in the heart has but zeal and courage enough to show itself in dealing plainly with our friends, and reproving them for what they say and do amiss, this is really better, not only than secret hatred (as Lev. 19:17), but than secret love, that love to our neighbours which does not show itself in this good fruit, which compliments them in their sins, to the prejudice of their souls. Faithful are the reproofs of a friend, though for the present they are painful as wounds. It is a sign that our friends are faithful indeed if, in love to our souls, they will not suffer sin upon us, nor let us alone in it. The physician’s care is to cure the patient’s disease, not to please his palate. 2. It is dangerous to be caressed and flattered by an enemy, whose kisses are deceitful We can take no pleasure in them because we can put no confidence in them (Joab’s kiss and Judas’s were deceitful), and therefore we have need to stand upon our guard, that we be not deluded by them; they are to be deprecated. Some read it: The Lord deliver us from an enemy’s kisses, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
From the Matthew Henry Commentary – Libronix Library
Remember too, that a friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17). Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God is your dearest friend.
-Tim A. Blankenship
It is a wonderful and blessed thing to be alive, breathing, and walking upon this beautiful planet the Lord of all has blessed us with. The stars which shine at night with the moon, and all the planets; those seen and those which cannot be seen with the human eye.
We can be thankful no matter what our lot in live. Captive or free we are all captive in one way or another. Let us all remember that we are made by the one true God; our Creator, Spirit, the Son of God and Savior of all who will call on that wonderful, glorious name of Jesus the Christ.
Thank God for family, friends, work, health, wealth because we here in the USA are wealthy compared to many places and people on earth. Even if you have no home you still live in the land of the free, and home of the brave.
What a place to live, breathe, move and have our being.
Thank YOU Lord for YOUR blessings.
-Tim A. Blankenship
“…Go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you” Mark 16:7
Have you ever done something wrong, and you felt ashamed about it? I really believe the answer to that question is, that all of us have. We feel there is no way of recovering that friendship that was lost. There is no way of restoring the personal credibility which was thrown away because of a word that was spoken; or words that were spoken. There is no way they will ever trust me again.
You know? Those thoughts are all lies. Especially when it comes to the Lord Jesus. You see Jesus had warned the disciples that they would flee from Him (Mark 14:27-28), but Peter had said, “If I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee in any wise.” (Mark 14:29, 31).
When it had happened; just as Jesus had said (Mark 14:66-72), Peter went and, “he wept” (v. 72). He was grieved for his denying His Savior. He probably felt as though there was no going back, there was no hope. However, when Jesus has risen from the grave, the angel says, “Go… tell His disciples and Peter…”. Jesus was still including Peter in the group. He will with you and I as well.
Isn’t it wonderful and marvelous to know that even when we have fallen, Jesus is there to pick us up and set us back in His way.
-Tim A. Blankenship
“And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:20-30 (KJV)
The profane religious rulers and leaders were accusing Jesus of using the power of the devil to cast out demons. Jesus tells them that Satan will not cast himself out of any place. That would be self defeating. It is ridiculous for these men to accuse Jesus this way. In doing so they condemn themselves because they have rejected the only means of salvation.
The Holy Spirit is the means by which people are convicted of sin, their lostness, their condemnation, and by which they may know the path to eternal life. The path to eternal life is shown by the Spirit to be Jesus Christ. To equate the works of the Spirit of God to the devil is to reject God. All that awaits those who reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit is eternal judgment.
The “Lake of fire”, as it is called in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the place where all those who have called the work of the Spirit of the devil will spend all eternity. You see; God created man an eternal being. An eternal soul is given to every individual upon conception in the mother’s womb. By that is meant the future, not eternal in the past; for we did not preexist as Christ has.
Just as surely as there is a Heaven there is a Hell. God is just, holy and righteous, and He will not allow the unholy in His presence. All that reject the work of the Holy Spirit; the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are bound for an eternity of judgment. There will be no relief from the fires of Hell. Jesus Himself described it as the place where “…The worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” He mentions this several times in the ninth chapter of Mark. It has been said that Jesus said more about Hell than He did of Heaven.
There is one thing for certain. No one needs go to the place of fiery judgment. Jesus paid the price for all sin. He already endured the judgment for our sin.
“There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” Mark 3:31-35 (KJV)
In verse 21 it tells us that Jesus’ friends came for Him saying, “He is beside Himself”. With friends like that who needs enemies. Right? Well now we see that His family – mother, brothers, sisters – are standing outside the group wanting to get to Him. When they tell Jesus they are “seeking” for Him He just tells them what is more important, and that is those who will believe in Him.
Those who do the will of God are His brethren. Are you His brother, sister, mother, father? At this point in Jesus’ life it appears that His “family” – apparently even Mary – is not sure of who He is.
This is what John recorded that Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:29 (KJV)”. If you want to please God and have eternal life with Jesus Christ call upon the name of Jesus and be saved, then you will be a part of His brethren. Do it today.
-Tim A. Blankenship
FRIENDS WHO KNOW GO TO THE ONE WHO CAN.
“And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” Mark 2:3-12 (KJV)
Even though it was in Capernaum there were some there who believed in who Jesus was. They went to great extremes to see that their friend who could not walk would be able to walk when he met Jesus. There was a problem, though. That was a problem of a crowd who had gathered to hear Jesus speak. It was in a home of someone who had invited Jesus to stay there, most likely. They could not get their friend through the crowd, so they went to the roof and began tearing away the dried clay, wood, and what ever other particles there was until there was a hole large enough to lower a man on a “bed”. What friendship. What devotion. What a faith.
Jesus makes a statement which caused some discontent in the thoughts of some who were present for this great gathering. “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” These “scribes” of the law accused Jesus of blasphemy. “Blasphemy” = “irreverence toward something considered sacred’ MIRRIAM/WEBSTER DICTIONARY. For Jesus these Scribes were thinking of Jesus taking on the role of God, and that was blasphemy. To the religious leader of Jesus’s day “Only God can forgive sin”, and that is absolutely correct. By this statement Jesus was declaring to these “leaders” that He was God. In order to prove He had the power, privilege, and authority to forgive sin He healed the man who was let down through the roof and ceiling.
We have no idea how long this man had been sick and unable to walk. It really does not matter though, because Jesus healed him and he got up, took his bedroll and went home. This event is in all three of the synoptic gospels. It is very similar in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew reckons the statement of the “Scribes” as “evil”. Jesus said, “Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4), after they were thinking Jesus being blasphemous. Luke’s version is, “What reason ye in your hearts?”.
βλασφημία blasphēmia
blas-fay-me’-ahFrom G989; vilification (especially against God): – blasphemy, evil speaking, railing.
How they could accuse Jesus of blasphemy is beyond understanding. What He did He did in God’s name, He did for God’s glory – the crowd glorified God; and the man got up and went home. Because of the faith of these friends God is glorified and their friend is up walking, glorifying God as well as the throng of people who witnessed it.
In a world filled with turmoil it is great to know that we can still go to the One who can take care or our every need. Notice that “Need” not our every want. Go To The One Who Can. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.
-Tim A. Blankenship
1 Samuel 17:29
There are times we need to heed the wise advice of who ever coined the phrase “Choose your fights”, or maybe you have never heard the phrase before. That is okay. The advice is good to heed when it comes to family, friends and neighbors. You might include in that the people you work with in case some don’t understand the neighbor part.
There are times we must fight when no one else will, and this case in David’s life is a great example. His brother was willing to start a quarrel with David, but unwilling to face Goliath.
What is there that is worth fighting for; even if it could mean our death?
OUTLINE from 1 Samuel 17:29 –
I. THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE IN FEAR (vv. 11, 24).
II. THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THERE IS NO FEAR IN THE ENEMY CAMP (vv. 3-10).
III. THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THE ONE WITH NO FEAR IS CHARGED WITH PRIDE (v. 28).
IV. THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THE NAME OF GOD, AND HIS ARMY IS DEFIED (v. 10).
THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE IN FEAR (vv. 11, 24). I would imagine that all of us have been intimidated by some one or some thing at some time of other. Intimidation is fear. King Saul and his troops were in fear of this behemoth of a man, the soldier of the Philistines who challenged them to send out their best man, and end the battle.
Saul was a king who had allowed pride, and his own personal accomplishments to get between himself and God, and fear was a side product of this. The Lord Jesus has said,
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 (KJV)
Saul seems to have been more concerned with losing the battle than that the name of God was defied. Compare the heart of the king with young David, and you see quite the contrast. David had the heart like what our Lord spoke, believing God would deliver;
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32 (KJV)
The fear in the troops of God was evident for the young David who had a heart for God.
David was angry by the man who defied the armies of God; defying God. When God’s people see people defying our God; it should cause us to rise up and confront the enemy of God.
Christian, let us maintain our right fellowship with God. Let us always give Him the glory for any accomplishments. Let us never fear the flesh of man, but always fear our God, knowing that it is He who raises up kings, and prime ministers, presidents, and princes. Christian, always walk in the fear of God and you will fear nothing else. Paul the apostle has written by the Spirit of God,
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THERE IS NO FEAR IN THE ENEMY CAMP (vv. 3-10). The words of Goliath continued haunting the host of Israel day after day after day, and no one is doing anything, except shaking in their sandals. It is a good sign that the people of God are not living by the commandments of God and have fallen away from Him.
It is quite evident by Goliath’s challenge that the Philistines are not shaking in their sandals. The giant is boastful, arrogant, confident that he can win against any “poor soldier” of Israel. They have forgotten the power of one man who is right with God.
Saul’s sins are many, but there are two which bear remembering. The first is his impatience in waiting for Samuel to come and offer sacrifice; so he offers it himself (1 Samuel 13). The second sin is one of disobedience. In chapter 15 the LORD sent Samuel to command Saul to destroy the Amalekites, and to leave none living; and to kill all the animals in their possession; to take nothing. Saul saved many alive, saved some of the animals, and saved king Agag alive; in disobedience to God. Some of today’s people might call Saul a “Real humanitarian”; however the issue was a commandment of God, he disobeyed, and the issue is obedience, godliness, and righteousness and Saul was none of them.
Due to the sin of Israel, the king and the troops they now live in fear. Some fear with over coming faith in God can be a powerful thing. When there is no faith in God, however, it [fear] is crippling. Such was the case with Saul. Now because of this there was no fear in the Philistine camp.
Could it be, that the reason there is no fear of God in the enemy camp today [2009] is due to the disobedience of many of God’s people? The love, power, grace and mercy of God is not seen in our lives.
The cause for the Christian today is to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10), and stand upon the teachings, the death, burial, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the promise of His imminent return for His bride. To be honest, forthright, just, faithful (first to God, and to one another), loving, generous, kind, having self-control, being filled with joy, peace, and patience (Galations 5:22-23).
When Christians are walking with God the world will respect us, and they will fear YHWH.
THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THE ONE WITH NO FEAR IS CHARGED WITH PRIDE (v. 28). You could say that Eliab, David’s brother, was accusing him of “grandstanding”. That sounds like many who have accused men of God in past generations of Christianity, and not so distant days of “grandstanding”. It could be called, “Making a spectacle of one’s self”, or using an opportunity to call attention to one’s self as the answer to the problem at hand; just for selfish cause.
David’s heart went immediately to God when he saw this treacherous event from the Philistines. He saw a cause in this and he, though just a youth, was willing to give his life in God’s hands and go and conquer this mocker of God. David did not say, “I think I can conquer this giant”, he said,
“The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” (v. 37).
There is no question in the mind of David. God will give him the victory, and he is going to give God the glory.
THERE IS A CAUSE WHEN THE NAME OF GOD, AND HIS ARMY IS DEFIED (v. 10). This thought is tied very closely with the second thought. When there is no fear in the heart of the enemy of God, and His people they will defy the name of God, and His people.
To defy is to belittle, mock, to make light of, to accuse of cowardice, or impotence in battle. John Gill in his commentary wrote;
“1Sa 17:10 – And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day,…. Or “reproach” them; that is, should they not accept his challenge, and send down a man to fight with them, he should then upbraid them with cowardice; and now he disdained them, as if there was not a man among them that dared to encounter with him:
On verse 26 Gill writes;
“for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? there were two things which provoked David, and raised indignation in him against this man; the one was, the character of the person that reproached, a Philistine, an uncircumcised person, a profane man, that had no true religion in him, an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, and a stranger to the covenants of promise; and the other was the persons whom he reproached, the armies of the living God, of the King of kings, and Lord of lords; and which in effect was reproaching the Lord himself, and which David, filled with zeal for God, and for his people, could not bear; and the consideration of these things animated him to engage with him, not doubting of success.”
Back to the thought of fear. It cripples, it keeps God’s people from the power which God has given us through the seal of the Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13-14). We begin to fear the shadows of life when we are not walking with God. We fear physical assaults, we fear every turn of our lives, we fear that our friends are whispering about us behind our backs, plotting to ruin or hurt us in some way, we fear financial ruin, we even begin questioning our salvation, the love of God, and the love others have for us.
When we, like David, are walking in the Spirit, walking with God, then we fear nothing but God Himself.
When God and His army is defied, that should cause His people to rise up, and be brave, bold and beautiful in our Lord. We are living in a day of darkness. It is not the time for fear, but faith in God through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus’s words, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1) were words of assurance, peace and encouragement. We must live, love, and fight in those words. When others try to tear you down, the body of Christ down, your church down; let us stand strong in God; in His Word, in and through the power of His Spirit.
-Tim A. Blankenship
We hear much about love. Love for your wife, or your husband. Love for your child or children. Love for a friend. What is meant by the word “L.O.V.E.”? Real love goes beyond the ordinary. That kind of love is more than feeling; it is a decision. It is not driven by being loved by an individual; it is driven by the love of God, and it is displayed by a decisive act of mercy, grace and goodness; even toward one who has wronged you. Maybe I could or should say, “…especially toward one who has wronged you”.
Well no one can do that you might say. God and His Word teaches us to do just that thing. Hear the Word of the Lord:
“Since you have purified yours souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…” 1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV).
This verse is directed toward loving the brethren, ie., our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a “Going Beyond” type of love. We are to love when we are not loved by others. We are to love when it may not be convenient to do so. This is not just a speaking of words but an act of love.
This is the kind of love that responds to a command – the command to love. It is the kind of love which will take you to a neighbors yard to mow it when they need help, even though this neighbor has caused you many heartaches, and much grief. All Christians have this “Going Beyond” love.
It comes from a purified soul. You receive a purified soul by “obeying the truth through the Spirit” of God. This “Going Beyond” love is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, and His bodily resurrection. This kind of love meets others at their point of need. This is the love of Jesus Christ.
-Tim A. Blankenship
God Makes a Preacher
The call of the prophet was one of separation. It was one for Jeremiah that would separate him from his family, due to the message he would be proclaiming, it would even keep him from marriage. There were times he would even feel that God had forsaken Him. We will see these things as we progress through this wonderful prophecy which our LORD God has given us.
The passage of the prophet for today is chapter one, verses 17-19;
“Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.” Jeremiah 1:17-19 (KJV).
The idea of “girding up the loins” is the idea of getting one’s self ready for the task at hand. You might say of a preacher called by God, “Get yourself ready to do My bidding”. As Paul spoke to Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV). Jeremiah was called to preach the Word of the Lord and he must be prepared. He must know that calling is sure, because there were going to come times in his ministry where that would be all that he had.
“Arise”, get up and get going, the time is short. “Speak to them all that I command thee”. There can be no changing of the message to soften the impact. It must be spoken as God has given it. It is sad to say and to think, but there are many preachers, who are pastors of churches and preach (if you can call it that) messages that are watered down versions of the truth, thus not the truth, but lies. They would rather be popular with their people. Popular with the people unpopular with God. Which would we be? God says to the prophet, “Be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them”.
The prophet is called to stand, to be strong. God tells Jeremiah, “I have made you this day a defenced city, an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests , and against the people of the land.” This is God’s promise to Jeremiah of God’s protection from harm. Even when the judgment comes on the land, even though the people, the kings, the princes, and the priests turn against him Jeremiah is promised protection. His life will be kept and preserved. Someone has said, “The man of God in the will of God is immortal, until God is through with him”. That is a profound statement. Of course the one who made that statement must have been speaking of this temporal life we live here on earth, because with Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are immortal anyway.
The promise of God for protection would be a mighty force in the faithfulness of Jeremiah. The promise is a mighty power in our lives as well. To think that his own family, friends, king, princes, and others would try to harm him, even try to kill him, and he having the promise of God’s protection and keeping. “They shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.” Would you rather have the friendship of the world, or the protection and power of God on your life? Think about it. You cannot have both, if you are going to be a preacher of God’s Word.
-by Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 