1 Samuel 15:13 – “And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of Yahweh! I have established the word of Yahweh.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God today, the word “contrast” would not leave my thoughts.  Contrasts are a constant companion of life.

In 1 Samuel 15, Saul had been directed to utterly destroy the Amalekites.   In verse 9, we read of his disobedience.   In verse 13, Samuel shows up, and Saul says, “I have established the Word of Yahweh.”  That was a distortion of the command. Samuel responded, “Really? Then why do I hear sheep bleating and cows mooing?”

Saul began shifting the blame in verse 20. He said, “I did obey.”   In verse 21, he said, “But the people…”  Samuel gave the familiar treatise in verses 22-23, reminding Saul that God is not interested and will not accept our works or superficial efforts to justify by sacrifice. He demands obedience. The contrast of Saul’s thoughts and God’s commands resulted in Saul losing the kingdom.

The account of David facing Goliath is another contrast.  In 1 Samuel 17:45-47, we have David’s response to Goliath’s taunt.  David revealed his faith in God.  Faith does not come from our confession, but our confession comes from faith.  In this account, it was Faith, followed by confession, followed by action.   Out of David’s faith, he declared and then acted upon his faith declaration.

David’s confidence was in God, Saul’s confidence was in his armor, and Goliath’s confidence was in his size and strength.  The contrast was clear.  David’s desire was that victory would honor God and testify of Him.

Another contrast is in 2 Peter 3:3-4.    Peter reminded us that the delay in the return of Jesus invites denial of His promise to return.    We either hold fast regardless or we lose hope.

Remember, explicit obedience results in explicit blessing. God’s patience and desire to redeem us are the reasons for His delay, not inability or lack of concern. It is because of LOVE!

The LORD directed me to consider the contrasts and make the choices that lead to explicit obedience.   In that place, there is peace, power, purpose, provision, and presence!

Lord, help us to be consistent in our walk with You!

Ezekiel 9:4 – “And the LORD said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and SET A MARK upon the foreheads of the men who SIGH (anguish) and are tormented (deep conviction) on account of all the abominations and evil things that are done in the midst thereof.”

A new day is dawning, and a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit is being prepared.   We have and are because of love.  The love of God to us and through us enables us to love each other with an undying love.

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something in Ezekiel’s prophecy stirred me to my core.  Ezekiel 9: God gives instructions to six avengers to bring judgment.   Then, another angel was instructed to do something preemptive.

Immediately, America and the church filled my consciousness.   Evil is prevalent, accepted, endorsed, and practiced with no remorse today. The church is not in anguish of soul over sin.  The church gathers in its tribes, sects, groups, and denominations, hurling stones of enmity against one another.  The church today trusts in man and seeks a human savior; there is none!

The church does not lose sleep over what does not affect them directly. Souls spending eternity in hell should torment us.   God marked those whose hearts were crushed over sin and preserved them.  Not just to protect them but because He intended and intends to send a refreshing renewal in revival.

A revival of a New Heart is coming.   Hearts that will feel God’s for the lost.   A heart of obedience and trust.   A heart of total surrender.  A heart, mind, and soul that will teach the wayward God’s ways.

The American church has become more political than spiritual. It has become more interested in the socio-political than the eternal. It has failed to realize that until the heart is changed, actions and ideologies do not change.

If we are truly His body and one with Him, what breaks His heart breaks ours.  We live unaffected lives and are not anguished over the condition of the world enough to act!  God is marking those today who are moved as He is moved. Will He mark us?

Lord, fill us with the awe of You and give us hearts to feel Your pain over the condition of man!   Help us to move into Your outpouring and be vessels You can use!

Jeremiah 24:1-4 – “The Lord showed me two baskets of figs sitting before his temple. This happened after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deported Jehoiakim’s son, King Jeconiah of Judah. He deported him and the leaders of Judah from Jerusalem, along with the craftsmen and metal workers, and took them to Babylon. ² One basket had very good-looking figs in it. They looked like those that had ripened early. The other basket had very bad-looking figs in it, so bad they could not be eaten. ³ The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see figs. The good ones look very good. But the bad ones look very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.”

As I was reading, praying, and meditating on the Word of God today, something interesting caught my attention. Did I say interesting?   Yes!   In Jeremiah 24, the prophet Jeremiah was giving counsel to those taken captive to Babylon.   He had a vision of two baskets of figs.   One was fresh, ripe figs, and the other rotten.

In verse 5, he related that vision to those in captivity.   He said, “Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge the exiles of Judah whom I have sent out of this place to the land of the Chaldeans for their good.” Stop the presses – WHAT?

Did you say that God sent them into captivity for their good?  The captivity had a purpose, but what was it?    In verse 7, we see God’s desire and plan. “And I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God WHEN they shall return to me with a whole heart.”

God sometimes allows difficulty (captivity) to come and become a platform or classroom of transformation.   Sometimes, when we lose our ease and things fall apart, we realize the fallacy of trusting ourselves.   We learn that God does not ignore our disobedience and will not always be our vending machine of blessing unconditionally.

Paul told us that he learned to be content.    Learned is the key. Jeremiah 29:7 reveals that contentment in trouble is powerfully beneficial.   They were to pray for the city in which they were being held in captivity to have peace.   He said, “For in the peace thereof shall you have peace.”

In that context, we have a promise we claim in verse 11, “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a good hope at the end.”   As we graduate from the school of afflictions with a grateful and content heart of trust and obedience, verse 11 becomes a reality.   It is not indiscriminately given to us.

However, verses 12-13 must not be overlooked.   It is then that we are invited into the courts of Heaven to pray.   It is then that we have the assurance that when we seek God wholeheartedly, He reveals Himself.

It is in that condition Faith Grows.   If we put our whole selves in His hands and believe His promises unwaveringly, Matthew 21:22 becomes our reality. “And EVERYTHING that you will ask in prayer, you SHALL receive.”  Notice the two keywords: EVERYTHING and SHALL.

We do not seek trials, but if our disobedience, inconsistency, and indifference place us in captivity, we need to shift our focus to God, not self, and receive the heart He gives that enables us to know Him, serve Him, and manifest Him.   We move from being in captivity to setting others free from captivity.    God’s purpose is for us to know Him and live in His fullness.

I pray that your day will be filled with peace and that you will wholly give yourself to Him!

Proverbs 4:25 – “Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”

As I was reading, praying, and pondering the Word of God today, two thoughts began to expand in my heart.   They are not unconnected but may appear so.  They are “Focus and Delay.”

In Matthew 14, we have the incredible account of Peter walking on the water.  Something in that event captured my thoughts.

The disciples had witnessed an incredible creative multiplication miracle, 5,000 men plus their families fed with five small loaves of flatbread and a couple of sardine-sized fish.   I can only imagine what they were thinking (if they were thinking) as they followed His instructions to go by boat to the other side of the lake.   Basking in the sense of awe from what they had witnessed, a storm came.   They feared for their lives.   It seems that the most intense storms follow great victories.

Jesus came to them, walking on the water.    They presumed it was a vision or a ghost because that was impossible!   He assured them that He was real, but Peter asked for further confirmation in verse 28 – “If it’s really You, command me to come to You walking on the water.  Jesus said, Come!”

Peter’s focus shifted from His problem to Jesus.   In that state of focus, the water became like concrete, and the winds and waves no longer gripped him with fear.   He got out of the boat and began walking on the water.  All was wonderful until…

UNTIL?  Until his focus shifted again.  He shifted from seeing Jesus only to seeing the power and danger of his surroundings.  At that moment of focus change, fear entered his heart.

A change in focus, shifting from Jesus to the problem, opened the door to fear, and fear brought failure; he began to sink!   Remember that, in the natural, in water, you don’t slowly sink; you SINK.   Struggling to keep his head above water, he shifted his focus back to Jesus and cried out, “My Lord, save me!” (v. 30)

The delay in coming to them tested them.   It presented the opportunity for them to exercise their faith and implement His teaching.  They forgot the loaves and fishes.  They forgot His teachings and promises and became consumed by the storm.

Being focused in the calm and the storm is where God desires to take us.  Focused on Jesus, we walk on the problem.   If we focus on the problem, we become overwhelmed by the storm.  We are in Him and live through Him.

Hebrews 12:2 instructs us to “Fix” our eyes on Jesus.  If we stay focused on Him, the promise of Isaiah 43:2 becomes a reality.  The waters won’t overwhelm us, and the fire won’t burn us.  We will soar like an eagle and fulfill His purposes.

My encouragement is Do Not Let Delay Distract You or Cause Your Focus to shift away from Jesus, not even for a moment.

I pray that today your focus will be firm on Jesus and He will lift you to new victories!

Hebrews 10:35-38 – “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive ^[j]what was promised.

³⁷ For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.  ³⁸ But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God, the LORD amazed me again.  Several things filled my heart and mind, each connected and, in a measure, a progression from one step to the next as His victory unfolds.

He reminded me of the song we used to sing – “I’ve Got Confidence.  “

When trouble is in my way

I can’t tell my night from day

That I’m tossed from side to side

Like a ship out on a ragin’ tide

I don’t worry, I don’t fret

My God has never failed me yet

Troubles come from time to time

But that’s alright, I’m not the worryin’ kind

Because I’ve got confidence

God is gonna see me through

No matter what the case may be

I know He’s gonna fix it for me

I’ve got confidence

God is gonna see me through

No matter what the case may be

I know He’s gonna fix it for me

That led me to the Word I heard during worship on Sunday.  “When will you let your problem be My problem?  When you give it to Me, I will lift your burden.”

1 Peter 5:6-7 – “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, THAT He may exalt you in due time, 7 CASTING all your cares upon God, for He cares for you.”   [Emphasis mine]

Matthew 11:28-30 – “COME to Me, all you who labor and carry burdens, and I will give you rest.  29 TAKE My Yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and meek in heart, AND you will find rest for your souls.  30.  FOR My Yoke is pleasant, and My burden is light.”  [Emphasis mine]

We have a choice in Everything!   We make choices consciously and subconsciously.  We make choices through careful evaluation and spur-of-the-moment reactions.  We trust something, and that which we trust either propels us into the calm peace of assurance or into the inner turmoil of worry.

We say, “I’m trusting God,” but continue to fret over the situation, trying to think of a solution.  That is not making our problem His problem; it is trying to include God rather than totally yielding everything to Him.

To make our problem His is to take it to Him and take our hands off.  We then do only what He directs, but we must do what He directs.  As He shows the way, we walk in it and walk toward it, and reap the blessings of its harvest!

I suggest we sing the song; I’ve Got Confidence as we pray and encourage ourselves in the LORD. Matthew 6:26-34 provides a powerful reminder of God’s love, power, and faithfulness.

Give it to Jesus, then in obedience, do what He says, and if He says nothing, do nothing!   The victory is in the being, not in the doing!

May your day be filled with God inspired confidence!