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Today is Monday April 05, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of I Samuel, chapters 15 & 16. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-april-5

Title: Bible Study: Totally Committed
It is amazing to witness the blessings, miracles, and power of God in our lives, yet it is just as amazing to see how fast many people forget God once they receive them. It can happen to all of us, but that little thing called an ego can take a blessing and turn it into a curse. How? We get so confident in what we have accomplished that we forget it was God that gave it to us or we think we no longer need God because we have what we need. There are three types of Christians, totally committed, semi-committed, and non committed. Some people get saved and that is all they will ever do and praise God, that they at least asked Jesus to save them because they will at least serve Him in heaven one day. Some Christians are totally committed, they serve God in every way that they can and some even become disciples of Christ. However, the majority of Christians are semi-committed, they only seek God when trouble comes their way and need to be bailed out. The problem with this is that sooner or later, God is not going to bail them out.

Saul, had everything going for him, he was the first king of Israel, was prosperous, and was chosen by God Himself to reign over His people. However, it did not take long for Saul to forget that God put him in that position and go against God's commands. Once again he proved that by disregarding God's commands during Israels war with Amalek. The Amalekites were actually relatives of Esau, Jacobs brother, and plotted to destroy the Israelites during their travels in the desert toward the promised land. God does not even allow relatives to turn on their own, so, He had declared a war against the Amalekites and now Saul was commanded to destroy them all, even the livestock. “Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 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....And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 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.” - I Samuel 15:1-3,7-9. Instead of destroying all of Amalek, Saul took their king captive and the livestock as well. Saul was the king and God's order was to the king of Israel, yet when the battle started and the people saw the riches that were stored up by the Amalekites, they came to Saul and caused Saul to change the orders that God had given to him. Saul allowed only the vile and refuse to be destroyed, yet the people saved the good cattle and all that was of value. How did this happen? Saul did not seek guidance from God. People of the world have a lot of influence on people of God and regardless of how strong of a Christian they are they will get persuaded to go against God if they are not seeking guidance from God.

Saul let his ego and desire to reach more popularity with the people make decisions for him rather than God. When confronted by Samuel for his disobedience he admitted his fear of the people. This time Saul's disobedience caused God to strip him of his reign as king. “And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.” - I Samuel 15:20-26. Our unconditional motive needs to be a desire to know and do the will of God as revealed in His Word. If we do not, He will reject all who seek His forgiveness.

While God is a forgiving God, being obedient to Him is much more pleasing to Him than constantly seeking forgiveness for our disobedience. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” - Galatians 5:19-25. Are you a totally committed Christian, a semi-committed Christian, or non-committed Christian? Regardless of either we can all praise God that we are saved and going to heaven, but those who are truly committed to Christ become more like Christ and less like the world. Every time we commit sin we crucify Jesus all over again, but when we commit to Him we no longer want to live in sin, but become totally committed Christians.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina


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