S: Psalm 141:3,5 "Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it."
O: David was saying that he needed God's help in regard to what he said. In verse 5, he says that if godly people admonish him, he should accept it. This will be like a balm, "soothing medicine" to help him to heal.
A: I need God to take control of and guard my lips. Oh how I need to be corrected. May I find this as soothing medicine. This is actually kindness, not harm, may I accept it and not reject it.
P: Jesus, how I needed these verses today. I have been admonished by the godly recently and it was good medicine for my soul. It will bring healing. It is good, it is a kind thing for someone to do to me. I thank you for the truth in your Word that keeps me on the highway and tells me when I get off. Would you Jesus take control of what I say and guard my lips. I praise you this morning, in Jesus name Amen
SCRIPTURE "Judges 1:19-21 (AMP) 19 The Lord was with Judah, and [Judah] drove out the inhabitants of the hill country, but he could not drive out those inhabiting the [difficult] valley basin because they had chariots of iron. 21 But the Benjamites did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; the Jebusites dwell with the Benjamites in Jerusalem to this day. Judges 1:27-30 (AMP) 27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or of Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their villages, but the Canaanites remained in that land. 28 When Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not utterly drive them out. 29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them. 30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them and were put to forced labor. Judges 1:32-34 (AMP) 32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. 33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh or of Beth-anath, but dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them. 34 The Amorites forced the Danites back into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down into the plain; "
OBSERVATION 1. The Israelites start off well. They ask God who should go up against the enemy first. God says Judah. God gives them victory. 2. Each succeeding tribe has less victory. A recurring theme: Neither did (tribe name) drive out the inhabitants, but these pagans dwell among them. 3. Asher and Naphtali are so ineffective, that they are listed as dwelling among the pagans (less dominant, in minority). 4. Dan is listed as being so ineffective... that the pagans forced them into the hill country. 5. Three countries are not listed at all. 6. The tolerance they had for "living with pagans" was a direct violation of what God had commanded
APPLICATION I too have a tolerance for the enemy (sin) in my own life. I tell myself that I cannot fight sin on several fronts at once, and so I get comfortable with less than absolute obedience. I tell myself that I'm experiencing more victory than other Christians (in some areas) and therefore my pet sins are not sins by weaknesses. Or sometimes that the sins are so ingrained in my personality that I cannot gain victory over them. But God is saying... fight, I will be with you. I need to pray about this today, and renew my commitment to absolute obedience to the Lord. I cannot in the flesh eradicate sin, but I can obey God 100% in this moment of time, and life is made up of millions of moments.
Prayer Lord, I know that you want obedience more than sacrifice. I want 100% victory. Lord change my heart. Help me to obey you moment by moment today. Help me to call sin, sin. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Amen
Title: Soothing Medicine
ReplyDeleteMentor: David
S: Psalm 141:3,5 "Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it."
O: David was saying that he needed God's help in regard to what he said. In verse 5, he says that if godly people admonish him, he should accept it. This will be like a balm, "soothing medicine" to help him to heal.
A: I need God to take control of and guard my lips. Oh how I need to be corrected. May I find this as soothing medicine. This is actually kindness, not harm, may I accept it and not reject it.
P: Jesus, how I needed these verses today. I have been admonished by the godly recently and it was good medicine for my soul. It will bring healing. It is good, it is a kind thing for someone to do to me. I thank you for the truth in your Word that keeps me on the highway and tells me when I get off. Would you Jesus take control of what I say and guard my lips. I praise you this morning, in Jesus name Amen
SCRIPTURE
ReplyDelete"Judges 1:19-21 (AMP)
19 The Lord was with Judah, and [Judah] drove out the inhabitants of the hill country, but he could not drive out those inhabiting the [difficult] valley basin because they had chariots of iron.
21 But the Benjamites did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; the Jebusites dwell with the Benjamites in Jerusalem to this day. Judges 1:27-30 (AMP)
27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or of Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their villages, but the Canaanites remained in that land.
28 When Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not utterly drive them out.
29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them and were put to forced labor. Judges 1:32-34 (AMP)
32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.
33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh or of Beth-anath, but dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.
34 The Amorites forced the Danites back into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down into the plain; "
OBSERVATION
1. The Israelites start off well. They ask God who should go up against the enemy first. God says Judah. God gives them victory. 2. Each succeeding tribe has less victory. A recurring theme: Neither did (tribe name) drive out the inhabitants, but these pagans dwell among them. 3. Asher and Naphtali are so ineffective, that they are listed as dwelling among the pagans (less dominant, in minority). 4. Dan is listed as being so ineffective... that the pagans forced them into the hill country. 5. Three countries are not listed at all. 6. The tolerance they had for "living with pagans" was a direct violation of what God had commanded
APPLICATION
I too have a tolerance for the enemy (sin) in my own life. I tell myself that I cannot fight sin on several fronts at once, and so I get comfortable with less than absolute obedience. I tell myself that I'm experiencing more victory than other Christians (in some areas) and therefore my pet sins are not sins by weaknesses. Or sometimes that the sins are so ingrained in my personality that I cannot gain victory over them. But God is saying... fight, I will be with you. I need to pray about this today, and renew my commitment to absolute obedience to the Lord. I cannot in the flesh eradicate sin, but I can obey God 100% in this moment of time, and life is made up of millions of moments.
Prayer
Lord, I know that you want obedience more than sacrifice. I want 100% victory. Lord change my heart. Help me to obey you moment by moment today. Help me to call sin, sin. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Amen