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Do You Need a Scapegoat? Leviticus 16:20-22

February 21, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Failure, Guilt, Jesus, Leviticus, Sin with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 14:33-16:34

Dictionary.com’s definition of scapegoat: A person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.

The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. –Leviticus 16:10a

When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land. –Leviticus 16:20-22

…laying the sins of the people on the head of the goat and then driving the goat and the sins into the wilderness.

That sounds like a great idea… Right?

When all was said and done–

The Israelites were still sinful people.

Still dealing with the guilt of their sin.

Until one day, our Heavenly Father decided the Israelites had experienced enough failure to realize…

They could not keep the law
They could not be good enough to be free from sin and guilt
They were hopelessly sinful

That’s the day God sent His son Jesus to this earth to live as a man, suffer, and die for our sins–To be our scapegoat.

It must have been easy for the Jews to understand Jesus’ message of redemption. They had been using scapegoats for hundreds of years.

They knew something (or someone) had to bear their sins.

They knew a goat wasn’t working.

Let’s fast-forward to today’s world…

What or who have you been using as your scapegoat?

Who have you been blaming for your sins?

Parents
Teachers
Siblings
Spouses, significant others
Peers
Society
Our corrupt world

Friends, there’s only one scapegoat that will take your sins so far away they can never show their ugly head again–Jesus Christ.

If you’ve never asked Jesus Christ to be your scapegoat repeat this prayer with me:

Jesus, I know that I was born with a sinful nature and I’m hopelessly lost without You. I believe You came to this earth, suffered and died for my sins, and rose from the grave to defeat the enemy of my soul who has eternal damnation planned for me. I believe that if I was the only sinner You would have come just for me.

I ask you to forgive me of my sins, take them from me, and be my scapegoat. I ask You to come into my heart and live forever. I believe I’m a different person because of You and Your love for me.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

If you prayed this prayer I’d love to hear from you. Click on the [contact Dianne] tab at the top of this page and send me a short note. I want to pray for you!

Blessings in Jesus!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 17:1-19:37

Only Jesus Can Make Me Clean–Leviticus 13:17

February 20, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Guilt, Leviticus, Sin with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 12:1-14:32

…the priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean by declaring, ‘You are clean! –Leviticus 13:17

There are many practical aspects to Leviticus. It sounds sort like a crash course in disease prevention. One thing for sure, if God tells us to do or not to do something, there is a reason…

It’s interesting to think about walking up to a priest unclean and walking away clean.

How can that happen?

The unclean person had to do something, make a sacrifice.

But were they really clean?

Were they really changed?

Probably not. That’s the reason they had to make sacrifices for their sins on a daily basis. It wasn’t just that they had sinned, they were sinners.In the days of Leviticus most folks spent a lot of time in front of the priest trying to get clean.

Can you say with me,

“Thank the Lord we don’t live in the days of Leviticus!”

Thank you Jesus, our High Priest for settling the sin issue on the cross 2,000 years ago.

A priest can’t make us clean
Sacrificial offerings can’t make us clean
Punishing ourselves can’t make us clean
Ignoring our sins can’t make us clean
Numbing our pain with drugs, alcohol, sex, work, etc. can’t make us clean

Only You Lord, can make us free from the guilt and responsibility of our sins.

Only You Lord, can make us clean.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the cross. Thank You for thinking we were worth the sacrifice of Your Son. Jesus, thank You for forgiving me of my sins and making a way for me to come to Your once and be free from the pain of my sinful nature. Thank You Lord that I can come to You anytime I mess up and You are faithful and just to forgive me (1 John 1:9). Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus!

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 14:33-16:34

What Good is Sacrifice if Change Doesn’t Occur?

February 18, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Guilt, Leviticus, Obedience, Sin with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 7:1 through Leviticus 8:36

As I read the instructions for guilt offerings and peace offerings I began to ask questions…

“Did the guilt go away after the guilt offering?”

“Was there peace in the camp after the peace-offering?”

After the last few days of reading we know the significance of the shedding of blood, but were the people changed?

Was the blood shed in vain?

Here in lies the problem with the law. We can follow every tradition, ritual, or superstition that changes the outside but if change doesn’t happen on the inside, sooner or later we have to ask, what’s the point?

At the end of today’s reading Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Everything we have done today was commanded by the Lord in order to purify you, making you right with Him (The Lord).” –Leviticus 8:34

This is the same Aaron who just a few chapters back gathered the Israelites’ gold and made them a golden calf to worship in Moses absence. (Exodus 32) As I think back I really haven’t seen Aaron’s relationship with the Lord growing. I know, my problem is—I’m comparing him to Moses. I’m just wondering out loud, but do you think Moses might have said, “Okay Aaron we’ve done everything we can to purify you and make you right with the Lord, now you better not mess this up!”

Jesus’ words to a group of priests in Matthew 23:25-27 would come many years later, but I couldn’t help but think of these words as I imagined Aaron and his sons in their priestly garments.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.

Think about how beautiful Aaron and his brothers must have looked in their priestly garments but were they “filled with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurities”? Were they just going through the motions or did they want to “What Good is Sacrifice if Change Doesn’t Occur? Were they just “going through the motions’ or did they really want to “Know Him More?

Father, help us to filter every religious tradition, ritual, and superstition through the Your Word. God show us our motives. Lord, “create in me a clean heart, O Lord. Renew a loyal spirit within me”. (Psalm 51:10) …help us to Know You More!

Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 9:1 through Leviticus 11:47

2 Life-Changing Words—Luke 23:39-43

November 4, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Forgiveness, Guilt, Jesus, John, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Prayer with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Mark 15:21-24, Matthew 27:32-34, Luke 23:26-31, John 19:17, Mark 15:25-32, Matthew 27:35-44, Luke 23:32-43, John 19:18-27, Mark 15:33-41, Matthew 27:45-56, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37

I’ve read, heard, and seen the story of the crucifixion many, many times throughout my life. It really came alive for me during the years that I worked on the Passion Play project at our church.

Today I saw something new…

Jesus was crucified between two criminals.

Was it a coincidence?

Did it just happen to be their day to die?

I don’t think so. As I read the account of the crucifixion in all four gospels it seems that every detail was either fulfillment of prophesy or final life lessons from Jesus; He was still teaching, loving, and forgiving as he died for the sins of the world.

These two criminals represent every person who has or will ever meet Jesus.

God used these two criminals to simplify the plan of salvation:

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” –Luke 23:39-43

Both criminals met Jesus

Both heard the message

And then came the fork in the road…

Decision Time—

One criminal immediately rejected the Messiah, his only hope and died in his sinful state.

The other criminal immediately acknowledged

his sinfulness
that he deserved to die
that Jesus did not deserve to die
that Jesus was God
that Jesus was his only hope

And then he asked Jesus to remember him when (not if) he came into His Kingdom. Today that second criminal is in heaven with Jesus.

The plan of salvation acted out…

Meet Jesus
Accept Him
Reject Him

Remember me—2 words

That’s all it took. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a simple message; let’s not complicate it. But let’s also not minimize it; yes, it’s a simple plan, but it was bought with a difficult prize—the suffering and death of the Son of God. If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, do it today. It will be the best decision you ever made.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the simple plan You design for my redemption. Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins. Lord, I pray that those who haven’t accepted You as their savior will do so today.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Mark 15:42-47, Matthew 27:57-61, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42, Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1-8, Matthew 28:1-7, Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:9-11, John 20:1-18, Matthew 28:8-15

2 Things to Do When You’re Exhausted from Grief–Luke 22:45-46

November 1, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Choices, Depression, Divorce, Failure, Forgiveness, Guilt, Jesus, John, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Parenting, Rejection, The Hurting World, Tough Times with 2 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: John 18:1-2, Mark 14:32-42, Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46, Mark 14:43-52, Matthew 26:47-56, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:3-24

When we hear the word grief the first thing that usually comes to mind is death, but over the years I have found grief is present when people, relationships, hopes, or dreams are lost.

Grief is sorrow over loss

What are some things you are grieving over today?

In Luke 22, Jesus and the disciples left the upstairs room and went to the Mount of Olives. He has just told the disciples about the sorrow that was coming, as they arrived at the olive grove Jesus told them to “Pray that you will not give in to temptation” (22:40). Then He walked a short distance from them to be alone to pray. When he returned he found them sleeping:

At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” –Luke 22:45-46

The disciples were definitely experiencing loss. Things certainly weren’t working out the way they had planned. Their rabbi, teacher, and lord had just told them He was going away. They didn’t understand it all, but they knew things weren’t ever going to be the same…they were exhausted from grief. There have been many times when I have been exhausted from grief:

As a teenager I wanted my family to be free from conflict
As a young wife I wanted my husband to understand me
As an expectant Mom I wanted my first child to live
As a Mom of teenagers I wanted them to serve God and not rebel
As a wife of a 20+ year marriage I didn’t want a divorce
As a daughter I didn’t want my Dad to die prematurely
As a woman I didn’t want my friend to die of A.I.D.S
As a Mom I didn’t want my children to experience divorce
As a Mom I never wanted my children to experience the pain I’ve experienced

In EVERY ONE of these situations I experienced the exhaustion of grief.

So what do we do?

Just lie down and give up… No way! We do what Jesus told the disciples to do…

Get up
Pray, so that you will not give in to temptation

So instead of giving up we must get up!

Jesus knows that the times we are most vulnerable to the enemy’s temptation is when we’re exhausted from grief.

In our humanness we want to do the opposite. We want to stay down, pull away from the Lord, and turn to the world for comfort…don’t do it!

Run into the arms of your Heavenly Father!

During my times of grieving I would imagine my Heavenly Father sitting in a very, very big rocking chair on a very large front porch. In my imagination I would use my last bit of strength to crawl to His feet. He would reach down, sit me on His lap and rock me and stroke my hair. I found comfort and rest in His arms. If you are exhausted from grieving today, go to the God who made you. Rest in Him today.

Heavenly Father, I pray for those who are exhausted from grieving today. Comfort them. Give them the strength to get up from their despair and pray so they will not give in to temptation. Reassure them of Your love. Restore their hope.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Mark 14:53-65, Matthew 26:57-68, Mark 14:66-72, Matthew 26:69-75, Luke 22:54-62, John 18:25-27, Mark 15:1, Matthew 27:1-2, Luke 22:66-71, Matthew 27:3-10

Oh, Lord, Please Leave Me—Luke 5:8

September 30, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Guilt, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Obedience, Prayer, Pride with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading: Luke 5:1-11, Mark 1:40-45, Matthew 8:1-4, Luke 5:12-16, Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 9:1-8, Luke 5:17-26, Mark 2:13-17, Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27-32, Mark 2:18-22, Matthew 9:14-17, Luke 5:33-39

Do you ever wonder how you will react when you stand in the presence of Jesus?

I love that chorus in Mercy Me’s song, “I can only imagine.”

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus or in honour of you be still

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

I’m sure Peter’s unusual reaction to the realization that He was in the presence of God in Luke 5 was probably different than he had imagined:

It wasn’t long after Peter had been called by Jesus to be His disciple that they were on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had just finished speaking and he told Peter (at this time his name was Simon) to go out where it was deeper and catch some fish.

Peter, an experienced fisherman who knew the best fishing was done at night, told Jesus that they had already fished all night and not caught a thing, but because Jesus said so, he went out and let the nets down again. They caught so many fish that two boats were filled to overflowing.

(Luke 5:1-7, my paraphrase)

When Jesus told Peter to go fishing again he was probably thinking, “Jesus is a carpenter, He knows nothing about fishing—I’m the expert here.” But in one moment Peter’s attitude went from extreme self-confidence and pride (Luke 5:5) to deep humiliation.

When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” Luke 5:8 (Emphasis mine)

Just like Peter we are all sinners. Yes, because Jesus’ came to earth, died on the cross, and rose from the dead, we can accept Him as our Lord and Savior and be saved from the consequences of our sins. But as long as we’re on this earth we will have to deal with our sinful nature that shows up most often as pride.

How can we keep our prideful hearts in check?

By daily turning our focus to Jesus instead of ourselves.

Peter in our example—when he kept his eyes on who Jesus was, his pride was in check, but when he focused on who he was, he made some big mistakes.

What are some ways we can make Jesus our focus instead of ourselves?

Allow Him to get in our business (He may tell us to do something differently than we’ve ever done it—Luke 5:4)
Be obedient to His Word (Luke 5:5)
Spend some time on our knees (Luke 5:8)
Confess our sins to Him (Luke 5:8)
Learn about his miracles (Luke 5:9)
Look for the lesson in each experience (Luke 5:10)

I’m sure Peter didn’t really want Jesus to leave him, but he realized that in his sinful state he wasn’t worthy to be in His presence. I’m so thankful for the price Jesus paid, now we can say “don’t leave me Jesus; I’m too much of a sinner without You!”

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to rescue us. Help us to keep You as our focus. When we’re operating in our own pride and self-confidence turn our face toward You, Lord. Forgive us when we fail. Help us to grow through every experience. Use us for the Glory of Your Kingdom.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: John 5:1-47, Mark 2:23-28, Matthew 12:1-8, Luke 6:1-5, Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 12:9-14, Luke 6:6-11,Matthew 12:15-21

If You’re Going to Burn Your Bridges Don’t Forget to Haul Away the Ashes of Guilt–2 Kings 23:4

August 1, 2012 in 2 Kings, 2012 Journey, Depression, Failure, Guilt, Issues Women Face with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 23:1-20; 2 Chronicles 34:29-33; 2 Kings 23:21-28; 2 Chronicles 35:1-19; Naham 1:1-3:19

I’m going to make a new start…

Kick an old habit…

Turn over a new leaf…

Burn my bridges!

Have you ever made any of these statements?

Were you successful?

In today’s reading King Josiah did a major house cleaning when he became king. He ‘burned the bridge’ of idol worship in Israel. Just to make sure everyone knew he meant business, he carried the ashes away. There was no going back! Nothing to remind the people of their past.

Then the king instructed Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second rank and the Temple gatekeepers to remove from the Lord’s Temple all the articles that were used to worship Baal, Asherah, and all the powers of the heavens. The king had all these things burned outside Jerusalem on the terraces of the Kidron Valley, and he carried the ashes away to Bethel. –2 Kings 23:4

Why did Josiah carry the ashes to Bethel?

Here’s some interesting facts about Bethel:

The name Bethel comes from the Hebrew beth, meaning house, and el, meaning God. Bethel means House of God.
Bethel is located about 12 miles (19 kilometers) north of Jerusalem, west of Jericho and the Jordan River.
In times of trouble the people went to Bethel to ask counsel of God (Judges 20:18, 21:2).

So basically the king took the ashes to the “house of God.”

How many times have you decided to destroy some habit, toxic relationship, or sinful behavior or attitude and the guilt of the past keeps flashing before you?

Maybe you need to take your ashes of guilt to the “house of God.”

Give God Your Guilt!

Just imagine taking a big wheel barrow and walking through the corridors of your mind and scooping up every ash of guilt and then rolling it up the aisle of your church and dumping it on the altar. Pretty messy huh?

Yep, but our God can handle it!

One of Satan’s greatest tools is guilt. Stand up to him today. Take your guilt and give it to Jesus. Every time a thought of your past wants to creep in, remind yourself and the enemy of your soul that you no longer have that guilt, you took it to Bethel.

Heavenly Father, teach us how to be over-comers! Thank you for handling the mess of our guilt. Help us to burn our bridges and carry away the ashes!

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

© 2012 Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 23:1-20; 2 Chronicles 34:29-33; 2 Kings 23:21-28; 2 Chronicles 35:1-19; Naham 1:1-3:19

Lord, Please Use My Mistakes to Save Others–Jonah 1:16

June 20, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Biblical Principles, Failure, Guilt, Jonah with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 14:1-14; 2 Chronicles 25:1-24; 2 Kings 13:12-13; 2 Kings 14:15-16, 23-27; 2 Chronicles 25:25-28; 2 Kings 14:17-22; 2 Kings 15:1-5; 2 Chronicles 26:1-21; Jonah 1:1-4:11

Jonah purposely rebelled against the Lord by heading in the opposite direction of Nineveh, his next “ministry opportunity.”

This wasn’t an optional assignment. God went after Jonah and some innocent bystanders–the crew of a ship headed to Joppa, got caught in the middle of Jonah’s mistake.

At first it looked as though they were going down with Jonah…

But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. –Jonah 1:4

The crew came to the conclusion that Jonah was the problem:

Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” –Jonah 1:7-8

Once Jonah told them he was a Hebrew and a worshiper of the Lord, the God of Heaven who made the sea and the land (Jonah 1:9) AND that he was running away from the Lord (Jonah 1:10), they knew they were going down unless they did something quick. They asked Jonah what they should do…

“Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” –Jonah 1:12

The sailors tried everything they could think of to save Jonah, the ship, and themselves.

Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” –Jonah 1:13-14

Everything they tried failed. So…

Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once. –Jonah 1:15

The storm was about Jonah’s mistake, it wasn’t about the sailors. But God used Jonah’s mistake to show Himself to the sailors, so that they could know Jonah’s God.

The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. –Jonah 1:16

Friends, our mistakes aren’t just about us. God can use our biggest and greatest mistakes for His Glory and His Plan. Give Your mistakes to Him and watch what He’ll do for His Kingdom and your Circle of Influence.

Heavenly Father, I have made some “Jonah-size” mistakes. I give them to You. Use them for Your Glory!

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Amos 1:1-6:14

4-Steps to Better Crisis Management–1Samuel 30:6-9

April 19, 2012 in 1 Chronicles, 1 Samuel, 2012 Journey, Failure, Faith, Fear, Friendship, Guilt, leadership, Obedience, Tough Times, Trials, Workplace with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 30: 1-31, 1 Chronicles 12: 20-22, 1 Samuel 31: 1-13, 1 Chronicles 10: 1-14, 1 Chronicles 9: 40-44, 2 Samuel 4: 4, 2 Samuel 1: 1-27

Have you ever had something happen in your life that caused you to “weep until you could weep no more?”

When David and his men arrived home and found their city crushed and burned to the ground and their wives and children carried off, “they wept until they could weep not more.”

In one sense David was just like them, he had lost everything he loved, but in another he was the leader and everyone looked to him to fix it. So when David thinks it can’t get any worse—it does. He hears his men talking of stoning him. He’s hurting as bad as they are, but somehow it’s his fault.

Folks we’re reading real life here.

This happens…

in the workplace

with friends

in families

I hate to say this…it happens in the church.

We get hurt and we play the blame game.

Yes, part of the responsibility and burden of being a leader is taking charge in a crisis, but wouldn’t it have been great if David’s men would have brought him into the group and grieved with him rather than putting a target on his back as the cause of the problem.

Once again, David leads by example and gives us a model to follow on those days when we’ve “wept until we can’t weep anymore.”

How was David able to deal with his own grief, compose himself and develop a plan to get their families back?

He found strength in the Lord his God.

Oh, that we could follow the plan David laid out for us in today’s scriptures:

David found strength in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6b)
David asked the Lord for guidance (1 Samuel 30:7)
David waited to hear from God
David led his men as they carried out the plan that the Lord had blessed (1 Samuel 30:9)

The order is really important! Complete one step before moving to the next one.

I don’t know about you, but when there is a crisis that needs some kind of action I usually get the news, jump in the car and pray on the way to ask God to bless what I’ve already decided to do!

What I should do is S-T-O-P and follow David’s example.

Prayer is the most important thing we can do, but waiting for His answer is just as important.

Father God, I need your strength and your direction! Help me to follow David’s plan when the next crisis arrives.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 2: 1 through 2 Samuel 3: 5, 1 Chronicles 3: 1-4a, 2 Samuel 23: 8-17, 1 Chronicles 11: 10-19, 2 Samuel 23: 18-39, 1 Chronicles 11: 20-47

One Sign of Emotional and Spiritual Health–1 Samuel 10:27

April 11, 2012 in 1 Samuel, 2012 Journey, Christian Living, Depression, Failure, Guilt, leadership, Workplace with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 9:1-12:25

When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him. But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them. –1 Samuel 10:27

Why did Saul ignore them?

After all he had just been anointed king; shouldn’t he have put these folks in their place?

Saul was just and ordinary guy and he knew it:

Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?” –1 Samuel 9:21

At this stage of the game Saul was emotionally and spiritually healthy. He knew his authority came from God. He was just God’s puppet moving when the Spirit of God came upon him. It wasn’t about him, so it was easy to ignore his scoffers. God gave him a new heart (1 Samuel 10:9) that cared about the people of Israel more than his own reputation.

How much time to you spending fretting and worrying about what people are thinking and saying about you?

There’s only one opinion we need to be concerned about–our Heavenly Father’s.

In a few short chapters Saul will completely change, but for now…

Heavenly Father, help us to learn from Saul. Help us to realize that when we begin to care more about what people think than what You think we are of no use to You. Give us a new heart and teach us how to keep it pure. Use us for Your Glory.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen and Amen!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 9:35-39; 1 Samuel 13:1-5, 19-23, 6-18; 1 Samuel 14:1-52

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Do You Need a Scapegoat? Leviticus 16:20-22

Only Jesus Can Make Me Clean–Leviticus 13:17

What Good is Sacrifice if Change Doesn’t Occur?

2 Life-Changing Words—Luke 23:39-43

2 Things to Do When You’re Exhausted from Grief–Luke 22:45-46

Oh, Lord, Please Leave Me—Luke 5:8