April 16, 2006 - I Samuel 30-31 and Luke 13:23-35
I pray that you and your family will have a wonderful Easter celebration today! Our hearts should be full of awe at what the Lord Jesus accomplished as He rose from the grave. We should be forever thankful for His grace which was extended to us.
As we finish reading the book of I Samuel notice the ultimate contrast of David and Saul. David ends up recovering everything. Saul ends up losing everything. Why did it happen this way? David was not perfect, but he put his trust in God for his salvation and for his life. He sought the Lord in faith and followed His commands. Saul rejected God, even though He had blessed him to become king. He did not seek the Lord in faith, but he tried to do it all himself. I pray that we will all learn the lesson of David and Saul. There is no substitute for trusting the Lord. The blessings He bestows on those of faith are amazing, because of His great love. Easter is the perfect example of this. Jesus died for you and me, even though He had never sinned, so we could be forgiven. Then, He made the way for every person to come to Him by faith and receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life freely by His grace. What a blessing from a glorious Savior.
Luke 13 puts an exclamation point on this truth. Salvation comes through knowing Him, not by works. Few people find it, because few are willing to give up their lives to Him in faith and make Him Lord of their lives. There is nothing that Herod or anyone could have done to stop Him from going to the Cross and from rising again. However, there is nothing God would do to force anyone to receive Him, because He means for it to be our choice. Look at verse 34. Jesus yearned to see His people the Jews come to Him, but they were unwilling. How about you? Are you willing to come to Him as your Lord and Savior? He is willing to save you, if you are willing to lay down your life and place it at His feet in faith.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 1-2 and Luke 14:1-24.
As we finish reading the book of I Samuel notice the ultimate contrast of David and Saul. David ends up recovering everything. Saul ends up losing everything. Why did it happen this way? David was not perfect, but he put his trust in God for his salvation and for his life. He sought the Lord in faith and followed His commands. Saul rejected God, even though He had blessed him to become king. He did not seek the Lord in faith, but he tried to do it all himself. I pray that we will all learn the lesson of David and Saul. There is no substitute for trusting the Lord. The blessings He bestows on those of faith are amazing, because of His great love. Easter is the perfect example of this. Jesus died for you and me, even though He had never sinned, so we could be forgiven. Then, He made the way for every person to come to Him by faith and receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life freely by His grace. What a blessing from a glorious Savior.
Luke 13 puts an exclamation point on this truth. Salvation comes through knowing Him, not by works. Few people find it, because few are willing to give up their lives to Him in faith and make Him Lord of their lives. There is nothing that Herod or anyone could have done to stop Him from going to the Cross and from rising again. However, there is nothing God would do to force anyone to receive Him, because He means for it to be our choice. Look at verse 34. Jesus yearned to see His people the Jews come to Him, but they were unwilling. How about you? Are you willing to come to Him as your Lord and Savior? He is willing to save you, if you are willing to lay down your life and place it at His feet in faith.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 1-2 and Luke 14:1-24.