God Will Provide the Ram!!

 -Then Abraham looked up and glanced around, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering and an ascending sacrifice instead of his son-

(Genesis 22:13)

 

Hey Neighbor,

God Is So Awesome!!

Look at how He bestows mercy upon Us when We decide to Just believe God and Go-On with Him…

We’ve been reading 1 Samuel Chapter 30 and in verse 11, David’s men ran into a young man, lying in the fields…deathly ill.

Who was he??… Just some Egyptian fellow of no importance…probably just a slave, but David’s men decided to take the young man to David, who instructed them to feed and care for him. Now after this young Man had eaten and had regained his strength, David, concerned about the young man’s welfare inquired about his master.

The young man began to tell David the story of how his master, who was an Amalakite, had abandoned him after he fell sick three days before. He went on to add that his master and his troop had recently attacked and raided several of the Israelite and Philistine camps, including Ziklag, which they had burned.

So Look! This young man was a member of the very same troop that David and his men were seeking out to avenge their families!! I can imagine that at this point…both of David’s ears were tingling…this young man was one of the raiders who had invaded his home and snatched away his wives and children…and now… here David was feeding this wretched fellow and restoring life to his spirit!!

Wow!!

Now, if You know anything about King David, You will know that when an individual comes to David bearing bad news and acknowledging that he had participated in such evil acts against God’s people, David was quick to have one of his men to fall upon that man with the sword…but here we see David practicing restraint…spiritual restraint from the Holy Spirit that was upon him…and he chose to spare this Young man’s life.

David realized that God had strategically placed this young man in the field and he was David’s ram in the thicket. God had provided David with an inside scoop, someone to help him navigate his way to uncover the raiders secret location and to find his family. God had used this young man’s illness and thus his abandonment by his master, to create an enmity between the slave and his Amalakite master, but to also establish an affection for David and his men, who had fed him when he was at death’s doorstep. In his appreciation, the young Egyptian agreed to disclose the location of the raider’s camp to David and lead him directly to the troop.

Now…The Bible tells Us that David was a ‘man after God’s own heart!’ Although David was still distraught over his family, he chose to look past his own pain…and took the time to serve a starving slave…Not realizing that The Lord had miraculously planted this young man in the field to fulfill His promise to David…That he would Recover ALL!!

When David and his men reached the Amalekite camp…there they were…the wicked raiders partying and celebrating because of all the spoil that they had taken. David and his mighty man defeated the Amalekites and regained and reclaimed all that their enemies had stolen . The Lord had given the Amalekites into their hands, just as He had promised and David and his men walked out with ALL that had been stolen…not missing a woman…and not missing a child!!

Look at that…David sowed mercy…by feeding this sick slave…and sparing the life of his young enemy and setting him free from his captivity and therefore…David reaped mercy…God had spared his loved ones lives, freeing them from their captivity, and reuniting his family.

God is Pretty Awesome!!

 -So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide – (Genesis 22:14)

Thanks For Stopping By…Until We Meet Again,
God Loves You and So Do I!!

-Tam
Don’t forget to Be a Blessing…
Share The CareBibleStudy Blog with YOUR Family, Friends, Co-Workers, and Your Neighbors – Loving Them As You Love Yourself!!

 

Slay Your Giants with the Sword of the Spirit!!

-For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,-
(2 Corinthians 10:4)

Hey Neighbor,

As I was reading through 1 Samuel chapter 17 this morning, I was particularly taken in by verses 49-51. It just reminds me again that the weapons of our warfare are not physical, but spiritual!! When we use God’s word against our enemies, we are able to slay our dragons…and just like Goliath,…The Bigger they are, the Harder they Fall!!

So often when We have heard the story of how David defeated the giant Goliath, We have been lead to believe that David killed Goliath with only a slingshot and a stone, but when We read verse 49, scripture tells Us that after that stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, Goliath just fell on his face….verse 51 goes on to tell Us that Goliath was not killed until David drew the sword to cut off his head…

So what does that mean to You?

Well, again we must realize that, contrary to what most of Us have been taught, Goliath was not slain by a stone…but he was slain by the sword, i. e. the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Remember is verse 23, When that arrogant Goliath made his daily debut, he would come out before the Philistine armies everyday, ‘talking trash’ and spiritually intimidating the Israelite armies. Verse 24 tells Us that the men of Israel were terrified at Goliath’s approach and they fled from him.

There was not one spiritual giant in the Israelite army that had the courage and boldness to talk back to this oversized devil, except for David.

Now David knew God and he knew God’s Word and although he had come, armed for battle with sling and stone, he first came prophesying…and speaking out against Goliath with the Words that could have only come from the Spirit of the Lord that was upon him.

In Verse 45, David says, “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head.

I can hear David now, “Ok Goliath! Whenever you get done talking Trash, I’m gonna cut you down today with my handy dandy slingshot, in the Name of the God of Israel…then I’m gonna put that big head of yours on a platter!!

So David aimed for Goliath’s forehead and took him down with the stone, but it was the Sword that caused the fatal blow to Goliath. David Cut Goliath down with God’s Words!!

So when those oversized demons come against you ‘talking trash,’ reminding You of Your past transgressions, replaying painful defeats, and stirring up old wounds…Just CUT him!!

CUT him down with the Word of God!!

And as You take the time to read 1 Samuel Chapter 17, notice that scripture goes on to tell Us in verse 51 that after the backup soldiers of the Philistine armies saw that the mighty Goliath was defeated, they fled.

I Love That!!

So that means…that Not only can You use the Word to CUT off that GIANT demon’s neck, but then…You can also put his little backup demons on the run!!

In Jesus’ Name!!

-So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you-(James 4:7)

Thanks For Stopping By…Until We Meet Again,

God Loves You and So Do I!!

-Tam

Don’t forget to Be a Blessing…
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Just BELIEVE and GO-ON with GOD!!

-No king is saved by the great size and power of his army; a mighty man is not delivered by [his] much strength. A horse is devoid of value for victory; neither does he deliver any by his great power-(Psalms 33:17)

 

Hey Neighbor,

So We’ve been reading 1 Samuel 27-30 and We find in Verse 30:9-10 that 200 of David’s men, although mighty in battle, were not so mighty in faith as they were crossing the brook of Besor, with David to GO and reclaim ALL that God had promised to Restore into their hands.

Here’s The Story….

**********
So as David and his army of 600 men were leaving Ziklag in pursuit of those that had burned down their homes and had taken away their wives and children, David was confronted with yet another interpersonal issue amongst his comrades. 400 of the 600 were not physically, nor spiritually fit for battle. They were wiped out – physically, from the three day journey returning from the land of the Philistines and wiped out – spiritually, as they were still mourning for their loved-ones and did not possess the spirit to believe God for such a miraculous victory as that that David had spoken of.

Although God had spoken to David, reassuring him that every man would Recover ALL -including every man’s wife and every man’s child…missing NO-THING, great or small…yet they did not have the faith to GO-ON with God.

I’m sure this was quite a disappointment for David. God had told him to GO and pursue the raiders, but somehow David had imagined that the Lord would give him this miraculous victory with the strength and might of his army of 600 men vs. only 400.

I’m sure that David made every attempt to also encourage these faithless men in the Lord, as he had encouraged his own spirit in Verse 30:6…but at some point, David had decided that he must hold fast to his own Faith in God. He would Press-On, leaving the 200 behind and leading the 400 Forward.

David decided to Just Believe God…Going-On and trusting that He was still going to give him the victory, regardless of the size of his army…just as He had promised. Only this miraculous victory would not be obtained via the strength of David’s 600 mighty men, nor even by the power of David’s 400 men, but it would be obtained by God’s Ever-Abounding and Faithful Spirit to those Who Will Just Believe.

*********

-It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
(Zechariah 4:6)

Thanks For Stopping By…Until We Meet Again,
God Loves You and So Do I!!

-Tam
Don’t forget to Be a Blessing…
Share The CareBibleStudy Blog with YOUR Family, Friends, Co-Workers, and Your Neighbors – Loving Them As You Love Yourself!!

THE GOOD NEWS HAS COME!!

-We are assured and know that [God being a PARTNER in their labor] ALL things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for GOOD to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.-
(Romans 8:28)

Hey Neighbor,

 

When We read Romans 8:28, We are often ‘Encouraged in the Lord’ by Paul’s writings, but there are other times….trying times…when the enemy is coming against Us with attack upon attack, that We can easily allow a spirit of despair and self-pity to creep in and feed Us a meal of continual doubt and discouragement. We begin to doubt the very thing that We heard God say to Us and satan tries to convince Us that God is no longer on Our side.

We find ourselves walking in unbelief, wondering if God really does have a GOOD plan for Our lives and for Our future, after ALL.

We feel like We are trapped in what seems like an endless period of trials and ALL We can see are calamities and misfortune.

We find Ourselves asking God,
“Why!!” …And asking Him,
“When will I see the GOOD?”

THE GOOD NEWS HAS COME!!

When You accepted Jesus Christ into Your Life, You received The Holy Spirit as Your very own Tag-Team PARTNER against Hell…And He equips You with the ability to discern God’s Word and to Speak it out, BOLDY into Your own life.

So Boldly memorize and meditate on this verse (Romans 8:28)…repeating it over and over…singing it…and yelling it out-loud into the room…praying, fervently that those life-filled words will seep in through your ear canal and flood your mind and penetrate your heart with hope, until You are convinced that God Still Loves You and that He has Never Left You, Nor Forsaken You!

He’s been right there with You, ALL along…in the midst of ALL that You’ve been going through…and God is still Working on Your Side…and He will cause ALL of these things to Work Out…and You Will See The GOOD that He has planned For You!!
Thanks For Stopping By…Until We Meet Again,
God Loves You and So Do I!!

-Tam
Don’t forget to Be a Blessing…
Share The CareBibleStudy Blog with YOUR Family, Friends, Co-Workers, and Your Neighbors – Loving Them As You Love Yourself!!

GO! And SURELY, You Shall Recover ALL!!

-David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God-

(1Samuel 30:6)

 

 

Hey Neighbor,

Sometimes We need to take a moment to ponder and meditate on the Awesomeness and Faithfulness of God in our lives…and as we remember and Reflect on His Goodness, we too will find Ourselves ‘Encouraged in The Lord.’

Here’s David’s Story…

**************

Oh, How David’s faith in God must have been shaken. He was greatly distressed. He found himself a refugee and a ‘Wanted’ man from Israel – as King Saul continually sought his life to assassinate David, because he viewed him as a threat to his throne. David had since defected and was now serving in the enemy’s army- the Philistines, currently under King Achish,…but there too, he met rejection when the Philistine princes refused to permit David to fight in the war against Israel, suspecting that during the heat of battle, David would turn against them and fight in favor of his beloved Homeland.

And so David was sent away, back to his town of refuge that was given to him by King Achish -Ziklag, only to find that the town had been burned to the ground and all of his possessions had been stolen and his wives and children had been taken away into captivity. Verse 30:4 tells Us that David and his men were devastated. They fell to the ground, grieving in bitter sorrow…and they weeped and weeped…until the had no strength left.

Here We find David in a mental, emotional, and spiritual pit. Yet while he was mourning for his family, his men- those who he considered his ‘faithful friends’ in times of trials and tribulations, ‘his comrades’ on the battlefield, his ‘trusted companions’ began to speak of stoning him.

Why??

Well, David’s men had decided that David was to blame for this tragedy. After all, it was his bright idea to abandon their wives and children, leaving them unprotected in Ziklag to fall victim to the Amalakites, while they- the husbands and fathers- were away preparing to fight on the wrong side of a war against their own countrymen, God’s chosen people, Israel!

So David finds himself confused, stressed-out, and overwhelmed with guilt. He was both despondent and broken-hearted when he begin to remember the faithfulness of God in his life.

David remembered that God had given the 9+ foot giant, Goliath into his hands on the battlefront in Israel.

David remembered how many times God had caused him to slip out of the wicked grasps of King Saul’s fingertips, barely escaping death from his treacherous hands.

David remembered how God had chosen him to be king and had sent Samuel to him to anoint him before his father and brothers, who had also rejected him.

David remembered that when he had been forced to flee for his life into the land of the Philistines, God had given him 600 trusted men to accompany and defend him.

It was these same trusted 600 who were now speaking of stoning him, but as David continued to reflect on How God had always been present and active during the toughest times in his life, and how God had never forsaken him, David realized that his head was no longer hung quite so low, in sadness and sorrow.

He also noticed that his countenance was no longer reflecting despair.

He found that his soul was no longer devastated by his current circumstances.

And as David continued to meditate and ponder on God’s marvelous works in his own life, he found himself ‘Encouraged in the Lord!’

So, David recommitted himself to the Lord and renewed his hope in God and sought His Glorious Face in prayer, asking Him for direction.

God Answered, encouraging David to pursue the troops that had burned Ziklag and Reassuring David that He would recover absolutely everything that his enemies had stolen.

God said, Go! And Surely, You Shall Recover All.

-David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray you, bring me the ephod. And Abiathar brought him the ephod. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? The Lord answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all-

(1 Samuel 30:7-8)

Take the time this week to Read Through 1 Samuel 27-30 and ‘Encourage Yourself in the Lord.’

Thanks For Stopping By…Until We Meet Again,

God Loves You and So Do I!!

-Tam

Don’t forget to Be a Blessing…
Share The CareBibleStudy Blog with YOUR Family, Friends, Co-Workers, and Your Neighbors – Loving Them As You Love Yourself!!