This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. The word ‘’CONTROL” popped into my spirit as I sat down to begin my personal time and it reminded me of some things I learned over time. May the message be a blessing to someone.
Today’s Prayer
Father, what a blessing to read Your Word and learn what You think. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity…” (Jeremiah 29:11-14). I know you were speaking to Jeremiah and the nation of Israel in this Old Testament passage; however, I believe You also mean it for us today. I believe that You have thoughts of peace and not of evil for us. I believe You have plans for us and a special future and know You have given us hope. I know that when we call upon You and pray to You, You will listen. I know that when we search for You, we find You for You are always there for us. I know that You, and only You, have the power to bring us out of captivity of sin. I thank You, our Father in heaven, for Your love and Your plans and the future we have in You. Thank You for Jesus, our Savior, for without Him, we are nothing; lost and alone. With love in His name we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
The Dangers of Over control
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king. – 1 Samuel 15:23
A friend of mine who is a pilot once told me that whenever a plane goes out of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands off the controls and the plane will right itself. This goes against our natural inclination to control and manipulate in order to bring things back under control. It’s scary to be out of control. Or is it?
The bible tells us in first Samuel that Saul was a man out of control. He was losing control of his kingdom to David. He was losing the favor of God and the people. It began as compromises. Eventually he was given a final test to obey the voice of God fully. He was instructed to kill the Amalekites completely; but he failed to follow through. The prophet Samuel delivered a hard word to King Saul, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king” (see 1 Samuel 15:26). Saul obeyed partially, but not fully. It was partial obedience that led to his removal as king of Israel and his calling from God. But why did Saul do such a thing? “I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them” (1 Samuel 15:24). Saul’s fear and insecurity made him more afraid of the people and what they thought than of God. At the core of Saul’s disobedience was fear of losing control. That fear of losing control led to partial obedience and the loss of his reign as king.
How many of us are in danger of losing God’s blessing due to partial obedience? How many of us have such a need to control people and circumstances that we fail to fully walk in obedience to God’s voice in our lives?
Saul provides a great lesson for us as believers. The need to over control things around us can prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today, take an inventory of your control quotient. Ask God if you are being fully obedient to what He has called you to do this day, and avoid being put on the shelf for disobedience.
“To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).
Quote of the Day
When we learn to say a deep, passionate yes to the things that really matter… then peace begins to settle onto our lives like golden sunlight sifting to a forest floor.
Thomas Kinkade
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REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
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James H. Taylor Sr. – Kankakee City News has published my Daily meal message for a decade.