Category: Strength for Today

1 Kings 8:66
“On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.”

People often ask me what is the most beautiful sight you have ever seen. That is one of the hardest questions to answer because the LORD has allowed me to see some very beautiful sights. Seeing the mountains covered with snow in the early morning is a beautiful sight. Watching the sun set on the ocean shore is one of the most beautiful sights one can see. Walking through the forest and seeing the sun rays boring their paths through the trees is also one of the most beautiful sights one can see.

Yet, the verse above is among the most beautiful sights one can see. It says that as the people went away, “…they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.” God’s people being joyful and glad, happy with what their leader is doing and going home as families who are serving the LORD together is no doubt one of the most beautiful sights that one can see.

However, this sight can be painted over and over again. This is not just a one time sight that God allowed us to see in the Scriptures, but this is a sight that can be painted if we will do what caused this sight to happen. Let me show you what painted this beautiful sight.

First, they did all that God commanded. These people were not interested in picking and choosing what they wanted to do; rather, they heard what God wanted them to do and they did it. You will never find people joyful and glad who are not following all that the LORD commands them to do. Don’t ever believe the lies of those who say you can’t completely serve the LORD and be happy. The result of obeying all that the LORD commands is happiness.

Second, they blessed their leaders instead of questioning them. I am certainly not for blind followship, but I do believe we ought to be more apt to praise and listen to leadership than we are to question everything they do. Don’t fall for the trap of constantly questioning your leader. Learn to bless them for they carry a difficult task of leading God’s people.

Third, they chose to look at the goodness of God. You can choose to look at the bad times of life, but you can also choose to see the goodness of God. What you choose to dwell on will ultimately determine your outlook on life. Choose to see the goodness of God and you will have little difficulty being joyful.

Fourth, they served God together as a family. They went home together with their families talking about the goodness of God. You will find that when you serve the LORD together as a family that life will become more joyful. Don’t serve God alone, but get your family involved and together serve Him.

You can paint the picture of joy and gladness with your life if you will let these four things be a part of your life. Let your life be a beautiful picture that the world sees. Many people stop to see the beautiful sights, and if you paint this beautiful picture with your life, you will find many opportunities to tell those who have stopped how they can have the same picture if they will get saved and live the same life.

2 Samuel 23:3
“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”

In the final days of David’s life, he reveals the advice that God gave him concerning leading Israel. This was not leadership advice from a leader trying to sell a book, but this was leadership advice from the God Who rules over mankind. God made it clear to David that if he were to be successful as a leader, then he needed to be a just leader and a leader whose leadership is always guided by the fear of God.

Every leader must be a just leader. Being a just leader is not treating any person differently, but judging everyone by the same law. A leader who is going to be right with God and man must treat everyone the same. Being a just leader is treating the rich the same way you treat the poor. Being a just leader is treating followers the same way you would treat another leader. Being a just leader is treating a person of no stature the same way you would treat a person of position. A godly leader is one who treats everyone the same.

Moreover, a just leader is one who uses the established rules or laws to make decisions. Being just is more than treating everyone the same, but it is also letting the established rules guide their judgments instead of their feelings. Great leaders do not lead by feeling, but they lead by the established rules. If you want to be a godly leader, then you must be one who bases every decision upon the established rules or laws.

Every leader must also be one who is guided by the fear of God. The fear of God will cause leaders to obey the commandments of God’s Word. In other words, God expects you to lead with the understanding that He will hold you accountable for everything you do. You may think that your leadership position sets you above the laws of God, but you will soon find out that God holds leaders accountable to His Word. A fear of God will cause the leader to follow God’s Word out of fear of God’s judgment if they don’t.

Furthermore, a fear of God will keep you from the influence of the fear of man. Many leaders have strayed from what they were supposed to do because they were guided by a fear of man. A good leader will not allow man’s leverage to influence what they do. A good leader is one who lets their fear of God guide everything that they do.

Are you leading by the two characteristics God requires? If you want God to bless your leadership, then you must be guided by these two characteristics. When a leader is determined to be just in all they do because they have a healthy fear of God, then you will find a leader who people can trust because they know that leader is fair.

Before a leader makes any decision, they must ask themselves these questions: What did I do with others in this situation? What do the established rules or laws say? What does God’s Word say concerning this situation? Would God be pleased with my decision? These four questions will help every leader to lead in the manner by which God wants them to lead.

2 Samuel 12:24
“And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.”

One of the worst feelings a person can have is when they are holding something that is precious and accidentally drop it and breaking it. Several years ago I watched a friend of mine hold an object made out of crystal. He was not doing anything foolish, the object just accidentally slipped out of his hands and shattered. Oh, the look on his face and the apology coming from his lips, but nothing would ever bring that crystal object back.

David found himself in a similar situation, but what he messed up was his life. In one night of passion, he committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and his life would never be the same. Bathsheba got pregnant from that night, and even though David got right with God about the sin, the child that was born died a premature death. David was certainly brokenhearted, but you can see from the verse above that David decided to pick up the pieces and move on from where he was. God gave him another son, and this son eventually became the one who would sit on his throne after he was gone.

Everyone does something wrong at one time or another. For us to sit and point our fingers at someone who made a foolish decision is wrong. That person still has a life that God can use. We must remember that we are only one decision away from making the same foolish decision. There are four things we need to remember if we are going to pick up the pieces and move forward and be used of God.

First, you must not live in the past. David did not live in the past and sulk over what he did, but he moved on. You cannot change what you have done, so move on from where you are. You can sit and sulk, or you can get up and move on from where you are.

Second, David moved on from where he was. He couldn’t go back to where he used to be, so he wisely chose to move on from where he was. You cannot play as if sin never happened. No, you don’t have to talk about it, but you must not deny it either. If you want to pick up the pieces, then you have to acknowledge you’ve done wrong and move on from where you presently are.

Third, God still blesses after confession. God is always the God of another chance. God blessed David with another son after his sin, but David got right with God before the blessing came. God can still bless you after you have done wrong, but confession to God must happen before He will ever choose to bless you.

Fourth, the greatest blessings can be ahead. David never understood that Solomon would become the greatest blessing of his life, but he was, and all because David picked up the pieces and moved on from where he was. The greatest blessings of your life can come if you will pick up the pieces and move on from where you are. Don’t sulk in the pieces of sin or deny the pieces of sin, but pick them up and move on and God will bless. God is a masterful God at making something beautiful out of broken pieces.

2 Samuel 1:8
“And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.”

The last act of Saul’s life is a sad one. He was in a battle with the Philistines when one soldier drew his bow, shot at Saul and hit him. Saul fled from the battle wounded, but the Philistines pursued hard after him. As he saw them coming and knowing what they would do to him if they captured him, he asked a young man who was behind him who he was. He responded, “I am an Amalekite.” Saul asked the Amalekite to slay him for he did not want to be abused by the Philistines.

Hold on! It was an Amalekite who slew Saul. In the final minutes of Saul’s life the one thing that caused God to pull His blessings from him was that he did not destroy the Amalekites. God told Saul, “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” (1 Samuel 15:3) Yet, we find a few verses later that the Scriptures say, “But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.” (1 Samuel 15:9) Saul’s incomplete obedience came back to get him several years later. It was his incomplete obedience that marked the final act of his life when an Amalekite killed him.

Sin always has a way of coming back to get us if we don’t take care of it. Incomplete obedience is still disobedience. The one thing God always demands from every Christian is complete obedience. God says, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) You may obey God in everything but one area, and that is still disobedience.

Moreover, what you consider unimportant in God’s commands are considered important by God. It is not your business to decide what is right and wrong, but it is your responsibility to obey all that God commands you to do. If God felt something was unimportant, then He would not have commanded you to do it.

Furthermore, in whatever area you disobeyed God, it will eventually come back to get you. God says in Numbers 32:23, “…and be sure your sin will find you out.” Saul’s disobedience in this area didn’t really hurt him for many years, but it finally hurt him and marked the final act of his life. He will forever be remembered as being slain by the Amalekite. You may feel that you have gotten away with your sin, but it will come back and get you if you don’t confess it to God and take care of it.

What is your Amalekite? What is it that you have done that you feel you have gotten away with? Friend, sin that is not dealt with is like a seed of cancer that one day will flourish and ravish your life. Don’t let the sin which you did not deal with be the final act of your life. God is a wonderful God Who will forgive and cleanse you from your sin if you will simply confess it to Him. I beg you to come clean right now. Don’t let all that you worked for in your life be destroyed at the final act of your life. Sin will surely do that if you don’t take care of it.

1 Samuel 24:20
“And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.”

The most revealing thing about Saul came out in the verse above. Saul tried to kill David on a couple of occasions while he was playing the harp but failed. He left his responsibilities of leading Israel to try and destroy David when it would seem that his best ally was the very person he was pursuing. It truly seemed needless for Saul to pursue David and try to kill him.

What was the reason Saul was so adamant about trying to kill David? It was simple; he was fighting God’s will. Saul said, “I know well that thou shalt surely be king…” If Saul knew well that David was going to be king, then why was he fighting the will of God? There were many reasons as to why he fought God’s will.

First, he fought God’s will because he had his own personal agenda. His agenda was to have his son take over the throne, and God’s will was opposite of his agenda. Many people have found themselves in a battle with God because their agenda didn’t agree with God’s will. I have seen parents fight God’s will for their children because it disagreed with their agenda. You must be careful that you are not so bent on your agenda that you will be willing to fight God over it.

Second, he fought God’s will because he didn’t like it. He didn’t like what God wanted to do. God’s will was not something which he wanted to see happen. Have you ever found yourself fighting God because you didn’t like His will? Maybe you have found yourself fighting God’s will with your life about life’s hardships. Friend, you don’t have to like God’s will, but you better obey it.

Third, he fought God’s will because he was rebellious. This is where the heart of problem is revealed. Saul was simply rebellious. Many young people and adults alike have fought God’s will simply because they are rebellious. A rebellious heart is the core reason anyone fights God’s will.

Saul eventually realized the mistake he made when he said, “I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” (1 Samuel 26:21) He finally came to the conclusion that he messed up in fighting God’s will, but the damage was already done. He had already influenced the division of a nation that would take years to overcome when David became king. Yes, he finally acknowledged his fault, but many people lost their lives in the years to come because he fought God.

You can fight God’s will, but you are going to hurt many people along the way. God’s will should always trump your agenda and your likes and dislikes in life. What is it in your life about which you are fighting with God? Always remember that one day you will realize you have “played the fool,” but it could be too late to stop the damage it made on the lives of others. You may not understand God’s will or agree with it, but make it your habit to trust God and obey it.

1 Samuel 16:18
“Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.”

God expects all of us to live like a king. I’m not talking about being wealthy and wearing kingly robes, but I am talking about God’s people conducting themselves on a daily manner as a king should conduct themselves in their kingdom. Christians serve the King of kings, and we should live in a kingly manner.

David was certainly the greatest king Israel ever had. Before God shows us how David conducted himself when he was a king, He shows us his background before he became a king to shows us how he conducted himself after he became a king. There are five definite characteristics of David’s background that show us why God wanted him to be the king of Israel.

First, he worked when others were home. When Samuel came to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be king, he didn’t immediately see David because he was out in the field working when his brothers were at home. God doesn’t use people who are not hard workers. You can’t expect God to use you greatly when you go to work and go home at the same time everyone else does. Christians who work when others are not working are the Christians whom God uses.

Second, he was faithful when he was alone. David was out in the field all alone doing his job when his father was not watching. The best Christians are the ones who don’t just do right when they are in public, but they do right when they are all alone. You show me how much you read the Scriptures, pray and soul win when others are not watching and I can show you how good of a Christian you are.

Third, David had character to prepare. It is interesting that David was a cunning harp player. He didn’t become that by not practicing, but he became that by preparing when no one was watching or listening. Your preparation in private will dictate God’s blessings upon your life in public. God only blesses the performance on the platform by the preparation one does when all alone.

Fourth, David took care of the unseen details. When the lion and bear came, he made sure he took care of his father’s sheep. Your care for details will greatly impact your ability to lead the masses. If you let the small details go uncared for, then God cannot trust you with the greater tasks.

Finally, David was loyal to authority before he was an authority. David loved Saul, even though Saul was not good to him. You will never be a great leader if you are not a loyal follower. Many want to be the authority, but they won’t submit to the authority they have. If you can’t follow authority, then you are not qualified to be an authority.

These five things are imperative to the Christian life. If you want God to use you, then these things must be a part of your character. These things must be in your life if you are going to conduct yourself like a king.

1 Samuel 14:45
“And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.”

There are many things about this story of Jonathan fighting alone with his armor bearer against the garrison of the Philistines that should stir the heart of the Christian. The army of God was settled, and the enemies of God were marching when Jonathan determined not to let them advance any further. With God’s, help Jonathan and his armor bearer stopped the advance of the Philistines and wrought a great victory that day.

Jonathan was a man who saw a need and filled it. He saw a window of opportunity and opened it when others could not see that window. The trust this man had in his God was tremendous. He knew that God was big enough to take two people and defeat this great army.

Yet, even after a great victory he still faced opposition from his father. Saul had made a foolish command not to eat anything that day, and Jonathan had not heard the command and ate some honey. When Saul was determined to kill him because he disobeyed the command, the people stood up and saved Jonathan’s life by saying, “…he hath wrought with God this day.”

One of the definitions of the word “wrought” is to disturb. In other words, Jonathan’s actions disturbed God to involve Himself in the battle with Jonathan. God saw someone whose faith was great enough to step out and do something beyond themselves that disturbed Him to work a great victory.

Christian, are you doing anything beyond yourself that would disturb God to work with you? In other words, is there any act of faith that would grab God’s attention and cause Him to work with you? The greatest need in Christianity today is for God’s people to step out by faith and disturb God. I’m certainly not saying that God is not interested in our lives, but what I am saying is that God doesn’t need to work with most Christians because they are not doing anything big enough that He must step in and help them.

It is always the act of faith that disturbs God. It is the person who sees a void like Jonathan saw, and does something to fill it that disturbs God to work with them. It is the Christian who sees a great opportunity and steps out to open it that disturbs God to get involved. God will only get involved in things that are so big that the Christian cannot do it themselves. The reason is because God alone will get the glory for the victory. It is in these moments that God chooses to work with you.

Let me ask you, have you done anything worthy of disturbing God? Friend, it takes faith to step out and do something mighty to disturb God. You will never disturb God as long as you stay in your comfort zone. I challenge you today to come out of your comfort zone and disturb God by doing something beyond yourself. You will find that God will work with you to see a great victory when you disturb Him.

1 Samuel 8:9
“Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.”

Samuel’s sons had soured the children of Israel from wanting another priest to rule over them. They saw how the other countries had a king over them, and they thought that it would be better for them to have a king. When they went to Samuel and demanded a king, he was upset with their request, but by the command of God he agreed.

God’s agreement with these people certainly didn’t mean that He agreed with what was going to be done. God told Samuel in verse 7, “Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” God then told Samuel to tell them what a king would take from them and demand of them. God agreeing with the children of Israel did not mean that He was in agreement with what was going to be done.

There are times when God will agree to let us do something even though He is not in agreement with it. He agrees because He knows that we are going to do what we want to do no matter what. For instance, God agreed with Balaam to go with Balak even though He was not in agreement. God had already told Balaam not to go, but He agreed because he was persistent. God was not in agreement with Samson’s lifestyle, but He agreed so that the works that were supposed to be done would be accomplished. Just because God has agreed to let you do something does not mean that He is in agreement.

Friend, when God has already told you not to do something, then don’t expect Him to change His mind about what He wants you to do. Yes, God may agree and let you do it, but that doesn’t mean He is in agreement with our actions. God gives you a free choice to do what you want to do, but you don’t need to ask God if you can do something when you already know what He wants you to do. You may push God to the point where He agrees to let you do something, but He is not in agreement with what you are doing.

Moreover, just because you see blessings while you’re doing that which God agreed to do not always mean that He is in agreement. For instance, just because you see people getting saved when you have compromised the truth does not mean that God is in agreement with how you did it. God’s Word being preached will do It’s work whether or not you preached His Word while doing right. There are times when God’s blessings are a result of something other than what we are doing.

It simply comes down to this, are you doing God’s perfect will for your life? Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” God may agree with you doing His good or acceptable will, but His agreement comes when you are doing His perfect will.

Let me ask you, is God in agreement with what you are doing in your life or has He simply agreed to let you do it? Don’t push God into agreeing. Your ultimate desire should be to do what God not only agreed to let you do, but what He is also in agreement with. This is where you will find the greatest blessings of God upon your life.

Ruth 2:1
“And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.”

Every strong society is a society where the men are strong. We live in a generation where the men have become more effeminate and the women more masculine which has resulted in a society that lacks leadership. You will never have a strong home, church, business or nation without strong men.

Boaz was the epitome of a strong man. It is no wonder that God wanted Him in the lineage of Christ. His ability to be a strong man who understood his role and was not intimidated by it allowed God to use him. When you study his life, you find there were five things that were key elements to making him a strong man.

First, he was an honest man. His dealings with mankind as a whole were honest. When Ruth came to glean from his field, he dealt with her according to what the Scriptures taught. Strong men will be honest in all they do. They will make sure that the Scriptures guide their thinking and never do something that would be dishonest at all.

Second, he was an honorable man. Boaz lived by principles. When others in his family would not carry out their responsibilities with their family, he did. Strong men will always honor their responsibilities. Their responsibilities to the LORD, their wife, children and employment will always be honored. It doesn’t matter how difficult those responsibilities are, they will honor them because of principle.

Third, he was a hard working man. Anyone who has ever been involved in agriculture knows that line of work isn’t easy. Strong men always work hard. When others around them are loafing around and shirking their duties on the job, strong men continue to work hard. Strong men are the hardest workers on the job and usually end up being the ones promoted because their boss knows they will complete any job.

Fourth, he was a pure man. When Boaz realized that Ruth was at his feet late at night, it scared him because of how he lived a pure life. He didn’t want anyone to think that he slept around with women. Strong men will be pure in their personal life. You will find that strong men know how to control themselves with the opposite sex and will in no way impose on someone who is not their spouse.

Fifth, he was a finisher. Naomi told Ruth that Boaz would not end the day without making sure his responsibility was finished. Strong men finish what they start. If you continually start something and never finish it, then you will have so many loose ends in life that you cannot be strong.

The need of strong men today is enormous. In a day when society lacks strong men, you can rise above them all by simply applying these five key elements to your life. Let it be said about you that you are a strong man. Strong men are not strong because of muscle, but they are strong because of character.