Follow up - When God is Silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Samuel 28:6)

Last week we looked at five reasons that God may be silent in your life:

#1 – To bring us to repentance

In other words, there may be something in your life that is blocking you from being able to hear God's voice.  This was totally Saul’s issue:  Saul was sorry he sinned, he felt bad about it, he made great proclamations about it, but he never repented to the Lord.

Psalm 66:18 says,

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear, (Ps 66:18)

(click the link below to read the entire article)

When God goes silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Sam 28:6)

In 1 Samuel 28 we find both David and Saul in a tough spot.  David is living with pirates, and Saul is facing a huge army. ...and God is silent.  Saul seeks the Lord for direction, and nothing.  Zip. God has his phone on silent, all calls are going straight to voicemail.

Maybe you have experienced a time in your life when God was silent.  In times past God had spoken clearly to you, giving you supernatural words of wisdom, direction, even prophecy.  But now, at a time when you feel you really need Him, He is silent.  You pray, you ask, you worship, you sit on the beach with bible in hand, and nothing.  Then the doubt begins to creep in.  Is God done with me?  Have I gone too far? Can I ever get back to that place? Fret not Christian, there is an answer.

Join us this Sunday at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington, for “When God goes silent”

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Love Believes the Best

Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” So Saul eyed David from that day forward. (1 Sam 18:6-9)

What an interesting study of human behavior this little section of scripture is.  See, you would think that because David was so highly regarded by the people, it would be a good thing for the Kingdom.  For Saul to have a person on staff that was doing a great job and that the people were totally excited about, it should have been a reflection of Saul’s wisdom in promoting David. But because Saul was self-absorbed, he saw David’s popularity as a threat to his leadership, even his position as king.

From this point forward Saul’s mind is filled with suspicion towards David. He’ll begin to hear most everything David says with suspicious ears.  He’ll look at most all David’s actions with suspicious eyes.  His thoughts about David will be twisted by suspicion.  In Saul we see the exact opposite of what God calls us to:

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

In other words, as God’s people we are called to believe the best about people. I have found this principle to be life changing in every relationship in my life.  When someone does or says something that I don’t like I can do one of two things:

I can assume the worst:  That they don’t like me, that they are trying to hurt me, that they have an agenda against me.

Or, I can assume the best:  Perhaps I misunderstood them, perhaps what they said didn’t come out the way they meant it, or perhaps they were just having a bad day!

See when I believe the worst about a person or a situation, I start taking everything they say or do personal.  I start wondering what else they may have said about me.  Before too long, I have convicted and condemned that person in my mind.  And of course, once I’ve convicted them of the crime, the next logical step is the punishment. My thoughts can very easily lead to negative actions against them.

But if I am willing to be obedient to Gods word, and believe the best about that person, the complete opposite happens.  I don’t worry about what else they might be saying, or what they really think about me.  I don’t take what they say or do personal. I give grace. My thoughts still lead to actions, but they are positive actions!

So next time someone says or does something that upsets you, consider 1 Cor 13, and ask the God to help you believe the best about that person!

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Rally in the Valley

This Sunday we are going to explore what could be said to be the most famous battle ever fought:  David & Goliath.  It’s the quintessential story of good vs evil, of the weak vs the strong, the story of the victory of the underdog. It’s the Old Testament version of Rocky!

Something that really intrigues me about this account is the aspect of God’s plan, linked together with David’s obedience, empowered by David’s faith and God’s Spirit working in David, produced a result that absolutely no one was expecting. No one, that is, except God!

See sometimes it seems that we’re all alone in our endeavor.  No one is for us, and no one is willing to go into the battle with us. But saints, we are NOT alone.  God is for us, and He will empower us if we will step out in faith to what He has called us to.  Even slaying giants!

Join us Sunday, for 1 Samuel 17, Rally in the Valley!

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Does the bible have application for us today?

Edmund Allenby, the "bloody bull"

Last week we learned about how Jonathan used a unique rock formation to his advantage in gaining an upper hand against the Philistines, even though he was on lower ground. God was working supernaturally, through the natural.  God wins the same kind of victories today. In fact, one military man read this account and used Jonathan’s exact strategy to win an important battle. Here is the story from Major Vivian Gilbert, a British Army Officer

 -------------------

In the First World War a brigade major in Allenby’s army in Palestine was on one occasion searching his Bible with the light of a candle, looking for a certain name. His brigade had received orders to take a village that stood on a rocky prominence on the other side of a deep valley. It was called Michmash and the name seemed somehow familiar. Eventually he found it in 1 Samuel 13 and read there: 

“And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.” 

It then went on to tell how Jonathan and his armour-bearer crossed over during the night “to the Philistines’ garrison” on the other side, and how they passed two sharp rocks: “there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other Seneh.” They clambered up the cliff and overpowered the garrison, “within as it were a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plough.” The main body of the enemy awakened by the melee thought they were surrounded by Saul’s troops and “melted away and they went on beating down one another.” Thereupon Saul attacked with his whole force and beat the enemy. “So the Lord saved Israel that day.”

The brigade major reflected that there must still be this narrow passage through the rocks, between two spurs, and at the end of it the “half acre of land.” He woke the commander and there read the passage through together once more. Patrols were sent out. They found the pass, which was thinly held by the Turks, and which led past two jagged rocks - obviously Bozez and Seneh. Up on top, beside Michmash, they could see by the light of the moon a small flat field. The brigadier altered his plan of attack. Instead of deploying the whole brigade he sent one company through the pass under cover of darkness. The few Turks whom they met were overpowered without a sound, the cliffs were scaled, and shortly before daybreak the company had taken up a position on “the half acre of land.”

The Turks woke up and took to their heels in disorder since they thought they were being surrounded by Allenby’s army. They were all killed or taken prisoner. And so, after thousands of years British troops successfully copied the tactics of Saul and Jonathan. (Keller, The Bible As History, pages 179-180)

------------------

Does the bible have application for us today?  Just ask Allenby!

Fearless - follow up

Last week we looked at 1 Samuel 14, and how Jonathan was a man that was fearless and full of faith!  We learned four great truths from the scriptures last week:

Lesson #1 - Sometimes we have to step out in faith

We can sit around and hope God raises up someone to go into the Philistine camp…

Or we can stand up and say “here I am God, I’m ready, use me”

Lesson #2 - When we step out into God’s plan, God will meet us there.

We can say “Oh look, God is working over there, that is just so awesome…”  as we sit under our tree.

Or we can get up and get involved in what God is doing!

Lesson #3 - The enemy is not as tough as we think.

We can look at our circumstances, our situation, and think “I can’t be used by God right now, because I have too many problems”, “or I’m too busy,” or “it’s too big for me to handle,” or “it won’t work…”

Or we can get up and face our Philistines in the power of the Living God!

Lesson #4 - Our faith encourages others

There may be people around you that are too afraid to move, paralyzed by their situations, sitting in fear, perhaps even walked away from God altogether.

Saints, when those people see you step out, fearless and full of faith, it will give them the courage to get up, and get back into the fight!

So, where are you today with the Lord?   

Are you like Saul, sitting in the shade of your Pomegranate tree, wondering what to do next?

 Or are you like Jonathan, looking out at the world around you, and thinking “I’m going to step out in faith, and see what God might do through me?”

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Life after Failure - 1 Sam 12

Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
– 1 Sam 12:20

Choices.  We’ve been talking about them a lot recently.  Specifically how our enemy, the devil, will attempt to connive or intimidate us into making a bad choice. Satan will use every trick in his little book of tricks to cause us to make a choice that will bring pain and affliction into our lives, and then he’ll use that choice against us and tell us what a failure we are as Christians.  (Man, I hate that guy!)   

Then last week we looked at the rescue of Jabesh Gilead, and how that is a picture of how God is willing and able to come to our rescue when we call upon His name, even after a bad choice.  An awesome truth for sure!  One of the promises we learned was from Lamentations:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” – Lam 3:22-24

(Interestingly, Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah as he lamented the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; God’s punishment upon Israel for their disobedience)

But what about those choices we make that we cannot undo? Some things just cannot be ‘undone.’ There is no delete button in life.  What happens in the aftermath of a wrong choice that sets in motion permanent changes in our life that we cannot undo?  Is there life after failure?

1 Samuel chapter 12 gives us hope in that situation.  Not a fairy-tale hope that time will be erased, and our life restored to be exactly the way it was before; but hope that God will once again move and work in our lives.  Hope that He will form new lives for us that can be a blessing to us and to others.  New lives where we can live for Him and enjoy the blessing and peace that only God can give to us.

We may not be able to erase the mistakes of our past, and we may have to live in the reality of that choice for the rest of our life on earth.  That husband or wife may never return.  That person we wronged may never forgive us.  But if we will turn to the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all of our hearts, He will give us new life that will glorify Him.  I don't know about you, but that is a promise that gives me hope!

Join us Sunday for “Life after failure”

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

God is Able! 1 Samuel 11

Last week we looked at the situation in Jabesh, and how in that scenario there are pictures of how Satan will use certain tactics to destroy us: 

• He looks for weakness
• He asks permission to work in our lives
• He’ll try and intimidate us

And we learned that if we let our guard down, and allow him access into our life, and cave in to his intimidation, the result is always the same: He brings pain and affliction into our lives, and he uses that to humiliate us and exalt himself over us. A tough place to be no matter how you slice it!

But that is not where we have to stay… we serve a gracious God, and a mighty God, a God that is always willing and able (note the song connection!) to step in on our behalf and SAVE US!  One of the songs we’ll sing this Sunday says it all:

God is able / He will never fail

He is Almighty God

Greater than all we seek / Greater than all we ask

He has done great things

Lifted up He / defeated the grave

Raised to life / our God is able

In His Name / we overcome

For the Lord our God is able

God is with us / God is on our side

He will make a way

Far above all we know / Far above all we hope

He has done great things

God is with us / He will go before

He will never leave us / He will never leave us

God is for us / He has open arms

He will never fail us / He will never fail us

(God is Able, Hillsong United)

In other words, no matter what situation we get ourselves into, no matter how far from God we run, no matter how deep the hole, God is able and willing:

To restore marriages…

To break the bonds of addictions…

To heal the broken hearted…

To heal the sick…

He is with us…

He is for us…

He will never leave us…

His arms are always open wide, ready to receive us!

Join us Sunday morning, 9 & 11, as we walk through 1 Samuel 11, God is Able!

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Cost of Compromise

In 1 Samuel 11 we come to an interesting little side drama.  The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had settled on the east side of the Jordan River 350 years earlier (Joshua 1).  This location left them at risk militarily, as they were somewhat separated from the other tribes. Sure enough, right after Saul becomes king, an Ammonite king by the name of Nahash, sets a siege against the city of Jabesh Gilead.  The people of Jabesh, not wanting to die, decided to make a deal. A compromise. They sent a message to Nahash, saying “We’ll serve you as slaves if you will let us live.” Nahash’s response was quick and to the point, “No problem, you can be my slaves, and I’ll let you live.  Oh, and you have to let me poke out the right eye of all your men.” Wow.  I doubt that was what the men of Jabesh had hoped for.

But this example makes me think of how important it is for us, God’s people, to never compromise with our enemy. Who is our enemy?  The world, the devil, and our flesh!

See we are faced with decisions every day of our lives. Some are big, some are small, but every decision has at least two paths. One is to do what is best and right in obedience to God and His word.  The other options are usually some form of compromise.  The God option often looks hard, and may affect something we want or desire.  The other options may seem easier, but may require us to compromise something in obedience to God and His word.  We may weigh those compromises, thinking “it won’t be that bad.”  Right. 

The fact of the matter is that there is always a price to pay for compromise. We may think it’s the ‘easier way’ but in fact that compromise will cost us more than we ever bargained for.  A pastor once told me “sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay.”  Word.

When faced with a decision it’s important to remember that God does have a better way, we just have to come to the place in our life that we are willing to trust Him for that better way.

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 11, “The Cost of Compromise”.

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

...and God gave him a new heart. 1 Sam 10:9

So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart. – 1 Sam 10:9

In 1 Samuel chapter 11 Saul is going to encounter the first test of his kingship, when Nahash the Ammonite comes to Jabesh Gilead, which was on the east side of the Jordan river.  (This area was where the tribe of Reuben and Gad had settled, sort of “the other side of the river”)

Now, some 400 years later, they need help – Nahash is telling them “hey, you submit to me, and by the way I’m gonna gouge out your right eye just for good measure!” So, yea these guys need some help, and so they send messengers out to find Saul. Saul better be ready for action.

Which is why I go back to 1 Sam 10:9, because as we noted last week:  before we can fulfill the call of God on our life, God has to give us a new heart! See, if this part of us does not belong to God, then God is hindered from being able to move powerfully in our life.  Sure, He can guide us to the right place at the right time through circumstances and lost donkeys, but that is not the same as having His power in our lives. 

…but if we will surrender our heart to God, allow Him to give us a new heart, then we are able to be powerfully moved by His Spirit.

…and if we are submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives, God is then able to work in a powerful and meaningful way in our lives.

…calling us to tasks that are beyond our comfort zone. 

…empowering us to do things that are beyond our ability. 

And that is where Saul is on this day, he is about to be called upon to do something he’s never done before, something he would not be able to do on his own, and as preparation, what does God do? God gave him another heart.

And what happens after that? He has an encounter with a two groups of men…

One group are carrying some interesting supplies: a sacrifice, some bread, and some wine.  (hmm what does that sound like?)

And another group is doing something also interesting: they are playing music, worshiping God, and prophesying, or speaking the things of the Lord.

Hmmm, a sacrifice, bread, wine, worship, moving of the Holy Spirit, what does that make me think of?

It makes me think of our communion service, coming up this Sunday at Calvary of Wilmington.  Don’t miss it!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Hiding

In 1 Samuel 10 we find Saul, having been chosen by God to be the first king of Israel, I would have to guess feeling a little bewildered.  I mean think about it:  One day he is out looking for some lost donkeys, and the next day the prophet Samuel is anointing him king of the nation. Things are happening fast! Saul is not only told he will be king, but Samuel also tells him some very specific and supernatural things that will happen to him on his way back home, then after seven days Samuel will come to him and give him further instruction.  Sure enough, everything that Samuel told Saul came to pass. 

Then comes the big day, when Samuel gathers all of the people to the town of Mizpah to present their new king. Of all the tribes of Israel, one man will be chosen.  The selection process begins: The tribe of Benjamin is selected, then the family of Matri, then from that family God singles out one man, Saul! But Saul is nowhere to be found, and when Samuel inquires to the Lord, God responds, “There he is, hiding among the equipment.” Not very king-like!

Why would Saul hide on what was surely the biggest day of his life?  

    Was it humility, not wanting the attention? 

    Was it self-doubt, not sure that he could live up to the challenge? 

    Or was it self-preservation, where Saul wasn’t really sure he wanted to follow this call of God on his life? 

Perhaps the bigger question is this:  What would Saul do when faced with the reality of God’s better plan for his life?  Would he embrace it, or would he run and hide from it?

Perhaps we should ask ourselves the same question. Since last week we discovered that God not only has a plan for our life, He has a plan that is better than anything that we could ever come up with, we now have a decision to make: Will we embrace Gods better plan, or will we run and hide from it?

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 10, “Hiding”

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay