What was his confidence based on?

“When they had come, he looked on Eliab [the eldest son] and said, Surely the Lord’s 

anointed is before Him.” 

1 Samuel 16:6

 

Samuel thought his job was a success when he saw Eliab.

We must remember Samuel was sent to anoint a king, so the person he would anoint

was not ordinary. He would have something that separated him from everyone else.

So when Samuel looked at Eliab’s physical appearance he was convinced he was the one.

He had the muscles, the height, the intelligence, and was well spoken.

What Samuel saw convinced him Eliab was the one but the Lord said something that made

him change his mind;

 

“But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, 

for I have rejected him. 

For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord 

looks on the heart.” 

1 Samuel 16:7

 

“Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature; for I have rejected him.” (emphasis mine)

 

I like to imagine that Eliab was the “Dwayne Johnson” of his time. He had everything a man would

want. He was a first born, an ultimate warrior, had the voice, and so on. Who wouldn’t want to be like him?

But the Lord rejected him!

The Lord only rejects those who reject Him (Matthew 10:33) so that’s what must have happened here.

Eliab trusted in himself. He didn’t need YAH.

His confidence was in himself. He didn’t look to YAH for help.

We can conclude that Eliab didn’t have a relationship with YAH.

 

There is a lesson we can take from this.

Where is your confidence? Are you depending on yourself, your resources, your education,

your upbringing?

Are those things stopping you from trusting the Lord.

The word is very clear about what YAH is looking at? He is not impressed with our show of strength.

He wants us to look to Him. He wants a relationship with us.

While Eliab was wrapped up in himself, David his brother was in the field getting closer to YAH.

His relationship with YAH was getting stronger and stronger.

He trusted the Lord completely. The Lord was his consuming passion night and day. He

communed with the Lord daily. He sang songs to Him.

 

The Lord called him a man after His own heart.

The Lord wants our hearts friends not our “strength”.

He is not impressed when we try to go at life on our own steam.

He wants to be first in our lives, not second.

He wants our hearts set on Him and nothing else.

 

ACT ON IT – Is the Lord first in your life?

What is stopping Him from being first?

 

Bless you friends

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

When You Are At Your End…..

O Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath, neither chasten me in Your hot displeasure. 
For your arrows have sunk into me and stick fast, and Your hand has come down upon me and pressed me sorely. Psalm 38:1,2

For my iniquities have gone over my head [like waves of a flood]; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me. Psalm 38:4

My heart throbs, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me. Psalm 38:10

My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my neighbors and my near ones stand afar off. Psalm 38:11

They also that seek and demand my life lay snares for me, and they that seek and require my hurt speak crafty and mischievous things; they meditate treachery and deceit all the day long. Psalm 38:12

In these verses we see King David at his end. He is in A LOT of trouble! I can relate with him but not to that extreme! I have been in that place where I been at my end, not knowing what do next. At a loss at what the answer is. We all have been there. That is a part of life we cannot ignore. Troubles will come. But this is my question, when you are at your end what will you do? What will you do?
Will you just give up or keep on hanging on? This is King David’s response when he was at his end:

For in You, O Lord, do I hope; You will answer, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15

King David had hope in God through the trouble that was happening. As he was at his end he looked to God. This was not the last time he would be at his end. There were several times where he thought he was finished but his hope was always in God. People were trying to kill him but his hope was in God!
His sins where to much for him but even in that, his hope was in God!
The people closest to him abandoned him but his hope was in God.

What situations are you facing? Hope in God. When you are at your end hope in God!
King David didn’t say, God might answer him. He said, “You will answer”!!!
We need to have that same confidence. You may be doubting if God will answer you just know, He will answer you!! We are nothing if we don’t have hope and faith in God.
Where would we be without our hope in God? What would we do without faith? Life is not worth living without hope and faith!!

When you are at your end hope in the Lord. When you are at your end, know the Lord will answer your prayers, He will pull you through!!! He will not leave you to die. He loves you too much…..

Rolain

Finding Peace In The Storm.

I believe a storm is either coming your way or you in a storm right now or one has just passed!! The crazy thing about this situation is, storms are vital for growth. If you are to become all God has for you then you need storms, we ALL need storms! We don’t pray for storms to come but we pray that we will learn what we are supposed to learn and see what we are supposed to see and grow from it. With that said, how are we supposed to carry ourselves in a storm? Storms will always come but how do we deal with them? Your attitude determines everything when you are in a storm. So it is important what kind of attitude you have. It will determine if you are victorious or if you fail.
Proverbs 15:15 says,
All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].
The word foreboding is an interesting word because it implies a feeling of coming evil. Predicting evil in your life is not being realistic and it is not God’s way. In fact that is the type of attitude that will stop your breakthrough in the midst of the storm. Anxious thoughts and forebodings are short circuiting your growth! The right attitude is key when you are in a storm.
King David is a great example of what your attitude should be like in the midst of a storm. In Psalm 57 we are given a lot of insight into King David’s attitude. This psalm was written when King David was fleeing from Saul and he was hiding in a cave!! He was in a really bad place. King Saul was trying to kill him and he was hiding in a cave! Here are a few things that I see:

– The first thing to note is King David doesn’t ask for the death of his enemy. He doesn’t complain and grumble about why he is where he is. Instead he looks to God. This is what he says,
Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, for my soul takes refuge and shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed. Psalms 57:1

Where are you focused during a storm? Are you panicking and fretting? God wants you to look to Him. He is the Lord over your storm. He is in control and I think King David knew that.

– The other thing to note is the way he spoke. In the midst of the storm, running away from Saul who was trying to kill him, hiding away in a dark cold cave he was speaking life over his situation!!! Speaking about God he says,
He will send from heaven and save me from the slanders and reproaches of him who would trample me down or swallow me up, and He will put him to shame.
Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! God will send forth His mercy and loving-kindness and His truth and faithfulness. Psalms 57:3

What is coming out of your mouth during the storm? King David spoke the answer, He spoke God!! Are you speaking more death by complaining and whining or are you speaking God into your situation?? That is something to think about.

– The next point is so important. King David praised God. There is something powerful when we praise God. King David was a worshiper and we need to learn to praise God when we are in a storm. Praising God puts things in the right perspective. Praising God will help you focus on the right thing, God!

Be exalted, O God,above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!
Psalms 57:5

In the midst of the storms of life we need to worship God. As we do that we magnify God in our lives. Our troubles will seem smaller against a Great and Mighty God because they are! God is bigger than any problem we will ever face!!

– The last thing I would like to highlight is where his heart is at. King David had his heart fixed on God and that needs to be the same for us. In the midst of the storm King David’s heart was fixed on God. It was not focused on what was happening around him but on God!

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident! I will sing and make melody. Psalms 57:7

Is your heart fixed on God? Have you made  decision to focus on God? It so hard to focus on God when everything is going crazy around you. I know, I have been there. We need to make a decision to focus on God. Like I said, our attitude in the midst of a storm determines everything!

God wants us to grow and become more like Him. Will you embrace the storms of life or run away from them? It’s your decision….

Rolain