BE SELF-CONTROLLED! Then a harmful spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. —Samuel 19:9-10 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. —I Samuel 20:32-33             When the Holy Spirit…

CAUSING JOY AND REJOICING IN HEAVEN FROM EARTH! I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. —Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. —Luke 15:10             Wow… imagine the joy and rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents!  Think of that.  When we share the gospel it has the ability, when a person repents and calls on Jesus, to affect the emotions of those in heaven.  Do we get excited about someone who repents…

IT IS ALL ABOUT YOUR HEART! “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” —I Samuel 15:22-23 For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” —I Samuel 16:7             Our Lord is not interested first in what we are doing…

OUR TREASURE FOCUSES OUR HEART The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart…  —I Samuel 13:14 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” —I Samuel 14:6 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to…

BE FAITHFUL IN THE MIDST OF A WORLD OF UNFAITHFULNESS If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king. —I Samuel 12:14-15             Listen… disobedience and rebellion against the commandment of our Lord God Almighty will not go well.  None can stand against Him.  He…

FALLEN, IMPERFECT MEN IN GOVERNMENT AND EVERYWHERE Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and…

UTTER DEPRAVITY AND WICKEDNESS FOLLOWS ABANDONMENT OF GOD! He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? —Luke 12:54-56             People can look at the skies and interpret what weather is coming or they can know the direction of the wind and have an idea about the temperature that will occur. …

FEAR! The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. —I Samuel 2:6-7 I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! —Luke 12:4-5 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? —Luke 12:25             Life— how long will you live?  Wealth— how…

THE IMPACT OF FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. —Ruth 1;16-18 “The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given…

YOU ARE FOR JESUS OR AGAINST HIM!  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. —Luke 11:23 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” —Luke 11:28              Are you with Jesus or against Jesus?  Are you gathering with Jesus or scattering from Jesus?  Is He your Shepherd or not?  Are you in His flock or out of it?  How do you know?  Well, those who are blessed by Him “are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”  Now there is a good indicator that a person is with Jesus and…