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I Will Not Put Forth My Hand Against the Lord’s Anointed
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. – 1 Samuel 24:4
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.– 1 Samuel 24:9-10
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. – 1 Samuel 24:13-15
Here we have two men that the Lord has anointed. One follows the Lord and one follows his insecurities. One seeks to kill the one he sees as his rival. One honors because in his heart of heart he loves even the one who seeks his life. The Lord’s anointing does not mean everything always goes as God desires and has planned. How much more could these two men have done had they both honored the anointings of God? How much more could we do? There is enough anointing to go around. King Saul could have been used mightily of God but instead he took the anointing of God and laid it aside to take up insecurities and fear. He bought into the schemes of the enemy. David was anointed to be king and he wasn’t in such a hurry or so insecure about what God had for his life that he would destroy another to get there.
Help us, Lord, to learn the lessons of King Saul and David. Help us, Jesus, to follow You and You alone, knowing that You can use us mightily when we keep our eyes, ears, and hearts on You; when we honor those You have anointed; when we realize we are each one called by God to do a work and so my anointing is not a threat to Yours. Help us not to set ourselves up as rivals today, Father. Lord help me not to fall for the schemes of the enemy in this way. Help me to see when I have, confess it, and repent of it. Help me trust Your plan for my life, realizing that the anointing of others is part of Your plan even for my life as my anointing is a part of theirs. Help us all to LOVE each other today so that honor would come naturally. I ask this all in Jesus’ holy and precious Name. Amen! Amen!
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Ye Believe Not Because Ye are Not of My Sheep
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. – John 10:22-30
He told them plainly. They still didn’t believe.
Many Good Works Have I Shewed from My Father, for Which Do Ye Stone Me?
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. – John 10:31-38
All Things John Speak of This Man Were True
Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there. – John 10:39-42
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I Will Pay My Vows Unto the Lord
What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. – Psalm 116:12-14
Precious In the Sight of the Lord
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. – Psalm 116:15
This verse is quoted at funerals and when people are at death’s door. We believe it for the moments of grief but then how often do forget that death is precious when we are face with it again? This is a verse I need to sow into my heart.
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A Man of Understanding
Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. – Proverbs 15:21
