And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And He answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. (1 Sam. 30:6-8, 16-17)
The attack on Ziklag by the Amalekites left David and his men devastated by the temporary loss of their wives and children. David sought the Lord in his distress and enquired as to his next move in pursuing and attacking the captors. David also asked about the result and the Lord assured him that he would indeed be victorious and rescue all the people which were taken. After leaving some of his own men who were too weak to continue and discovering a servant of the Amalekites who was also left behind, David located and overcame the Amalekites who were busy celebrating their victory. 400 young men of the Amalekites escaped the battle but all that were part of David’s company were rescued and saved, just as God had declared.
Though David endured this time of trouble, the Lord was with him and gave him victory. David rightfully sought the Lord and looked to Him for instruction and direction in whether to pursue the Amalekites. David did not want to put the victims in further danger in the pursuit of the outcome was not of the Lord. The Lord was gracious and promised not only victory but full recovery of all the captives taken by the Amalekites and kept his promise. God’s people are always to look to the Lord and seek His will, in good times and bad, and trust Him in the outcome. His thoughts and ways are not ours and our plans are often at cross purposes with His unless we turn to Him and get in on what He is doing. The victory will be ours if we accomplish His work His way and obediently follow His direction and His Word.
Even during times of seeming disaster, evil events, or calamities in this life, we can trust God knows what He is doing or allowing to come upon us. We live in a broken world cursed by our sin and rebellion against God and only by His grace are we at times delivered from those things which occur in this world all too often. Even those events caused by man; wars and conflicts, crime and trouble, occur because God has allowed sinful men a time of grace to repent, just as He gave those who are His people a chance to repent and put their faith and trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary unto Salvation. We were once just as lost and without hope in this world as those who are still lost and dead in their trespasses and sins and acted just as those who are not born again still act. Without the change which God brings to a believer we are sinners who act sinful and continue with a bent to sin, and many reject Him and continue in sin. God makes us new in Him and brings victory over sin to all who come to Him on His terms. He will bring those who are His thru to the end and not one of His own will be lost, even as this world gets worse and worse. While not all who are strangers to the God of Heaven will surrender and be saved, all who are reconciled unto our Creator, Redeemer, and King, already have victory in Him and will one day be glorified and stand in His presence by His grace and mercy unto all who believe, not just with the head but with the heart, in Him.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
Though David endured this time of trouble, the Lord was with him and gave him victory. David rightfully sought the Lord and looked to Him for instruction and direction in whether to pursue the Amalekites. David did not want to put the victims in further danger in the pursuit of the outcome was not of the Lord. The Lord was gracious and promised not only victory but full recovery of all the captives taken by the Amalekites and kept his promise. God’s people are always to look to the Lord and seek His will, in good times and bad, and trust Him in the outcome. His thoughts and ways are not ours and our plans are often at cross purposes with His unless we turn to Him and get in on what He is doing. The victory will be ours if we accomplish His work His way and obediently follow His direction and His Word.
Even during times of seeming disaster, evil events, or calamities in this life, we can trust God knows what He is doing or allowing to come upon us. We live in a broken world cursed by our sin and rebellion against God and only by His grace are we at times delivered from those things which occur in this world all too often. Even those events caused by man; wars and conflicts, crime and trouble, occur because God has allowed sinful men a time of grace to repent, just as He gave those who are His people a chance to repent and put their faith and trust in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary unto Salvation. We were once just as lost and without hope in this world as those who are still lost and dead in their trespasses and sins and acted just as those who are not born again still act. Without the change which God brings to a believer we are sinners who act sinful and continue with a bent to sin, and many reject Him and continue in sin. God makes us new in Him and brings victory over sin to all who come to Him on His terms. He will bring those who are His thru to the end and not one of His own will be lost, even as this world gets worse and worse. While not all who are strangers to the God of Heaven will surrender and be saved, all who are reconciled unto our Creator, Redeemer, and King, already have victory in Him and will one day be glorified and stand in His presence by His grace and mercy unto all who believe, not just with the head but with the heart, in Him.
While we are here, God has sent those of us who are His saints and know Him out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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