Marinate!

Stingray shouts out a word of exhortation to Marinate in the presence of the Holy Spirit for help in overcoming the iniquity that surfaces on our path to Holiness.
Sometimes we need to step back and remember it's not 'how much' stuff we dump in our path, but it's how much stuff we absorb!

Blessings as you overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of your testimony!

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Potter and the Clay

We hear: "He is the potter, we are the clay" (Is 64:8) in the scriptures, but the beauty of a parable is that we are drawn to step into another's shoes to liken our own situation. So as you think of Him as a potter…. place yourself in His shoes…


Let's dig into a very valuable study based on the reflection of a Potter and of the process that a vessel goes through…


We first take a piece of clay and pound on it to get out any air. I liken this as the fact that salvation is offered to every man and woman. We are all offered a choice. We are all put in a pounding place where we must choose light or darkness.


Under those tough times we are proven what we are made of.


Luke 6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”


Then we throw the lump of clay down onto the wheel. Within your mind you've already decided what type of vessel you are going to make. Let's look in our cabinets…. we have plates, bowls of various types, platters, sugar, creamer etc. If we are making a set for ourselves, we will make what we will use. Each have a specific purpose in our place setting and we will make enough to fit our family size.


God purposes us individually … He foreordains what part of the 'place setting' we are to be… but He doesn't make junk. He doesn't sit there and say… "Now I need a broken dish just so I can throw it away". No, let's step into a potter's shoes.


Did you know that if you don't beat the air out of clay it can explode in the kiln?


"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)


Did you know that contaminants in the clay can cause the same to occur? If you have a little rock (contaminant) in a bowl you are spinning on the wheel, it can collapse the whole thing as it catches in your hand and creates a perforating score that then collapses the whole piece.


As we are conforming to Christ Jesus, we are co-laborers in the Kingdom. He created us all good with a purpose, but it is us that must keep out the contaminants of sin… it is us that must take the full gospel… not only bits and pieces.. it is us that must bear good fruit in the 'try times' of purification.


After the vessel is created it must dry and become greenware because there must be no moisture in the firing process because moisture is also an agent that can cause pottery to explode. You can have a kiln full of many beautiful pieces, but one with moisture in it can act as a grenade destroying the whole batch. What is that moisture like? It's like pride because it makes things swell. We can really relate to this one, in that one individual can have the power to destroy the faith of many, or to lead many astray.


But let's get back to this greenware stage…. greenware is very fragile. Does it look finished? Well, maybe from a distance, but is it usable? NO. It will melt if water is reintroduced to it. It must be fired.


After firing it becomes bisque. Is it usable then? To some extent, but it won't hold liquid, but for a short time, because it's too porous. It must be glazed and then fired again.


Are you seeing the parable of the sower in this analogy? Some only go so far with the 'Word' they hear.


It's the same with pottery… He gives us a place in advance, but we have a part in making it. I like song from Eli… it's from the 90's called 'The Lumber Song', in it, it focuses on the concept of how we lay up our treasures in heaven.


song excerpt:

Passed a mansion made of stone

But with each new house he's shown

They get smaller by degrees

Stopped in front of a two room shack

Pete said hope you're happy with that

Man said: "How can this be?"

Pete said:


Chorus:

That's all the lumber--that's all the lumber

that's all the lumber you sent

Looks like the builder--man he's got your number

That's all the lumber you sent


That's all the lumber you sent! It's the same with our hand in pottery… He's already determined the vessel… but like the Lumber song… are we choosing the right clay? (*side note: A different clay could be likened to a different doctrine... in the end however, it's our HEART, and if we are FOR or Against Jesus.)

Are we keeping out impurities? (Sin) Are we going the distance? (Empowered in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit)


So let me recap and flesh out the Parable nature of this "Potter and the Clay"….


On the hard surface:

We must first choose light or darkness. Pounding is inevitable as we are amidst an unseen battle for our souls.


On the wheel:

To some there are too many contaminants in the clay so that a vessel cannot even be formed, which is likened to rejecting God. But, some go on and make it off the wheel.


Greenware:

To some they have the appearance of being a vessel; or we could say an appearance of 'goodness' or ‘godliness, but explode in the kiln because they didn't follow the instructions [Jesus is the only door]. Remember that greenware is brittle… I've got this fun little piece my son made in preschool where they pressed toy dinosaurs into it to get an idea of how fossils were made. A little straggler piece broke off very easily. If I put the whole thing in water the clay will soften and he can do the whole thing over again. Greenware is where a lot of the 'church' is… the appearance of ‘godliness’, but when taken under a faucet… just like in the parable of the sower, greenware is like all the seeds that fell everywhere but on the good soil.


Fun Fact: The finest porcelain wares do not need glazing to render them

impermeable to liquids, but glaze makes them resistant to dirt and staining... How far will the Bride go in adornment?


Bisque:

And others retain their shape, but only have limited usage. They've went through some fire, they are solid… they aren't going to melt. This is likened to receiving Jesus as Lord, but not being Baptized in the Holy Spirit… we must receive the 2nd baptism, if we want to be fully useful in the Kingdom of God!


Jhn 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being ((ie. belly)) will flow rivers of living water.' "


Glazing:

But the ones that are glazed are not only beautiful; tried through the fire several times, but are also true vessels to be set at places of honor at the banquet. With the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, these are able to carry rivers of His life.

The finest porcelain may not 'need' glazing to hold liquids, but it is the glaze that adds that touch of beauty to adorn the finest of tables.


There are many rooms in His Father's house (in OUR Father’s house). Only Bisque and Glazed items are fit for use at all. As we lay up our treasure in heaven, do we have a meager dwelling with cupboards of Bisque or are we producing fine glazed porcelain in palaces of honor in His kingdom? We all need to examine and contemplate, "Am I being used to my full potential? Am I on the path to conforming to the vessel that He has created me to be?"

www.hearingGod.tv

Salvation and the Wedding Garment

I had a person ask me a very frank question…

"I can't reconcile salvation with the wedding garment. Is there such a thing as eternal security?"


Matthew 7:21-23a begins to churn in the brain and we begin to become worried, "Am I even saved?"

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you..'"


If this is you, let's put this issue to rest!


Truly, this one of those mental battles that everyone deals with at one time or another in their Christian walk. But I assure you that you can know that you are saved and on the right path if you have an active relationship with Jesus; whom gives us many parables in the bible to help flesh out the path set before us.


The wedding garment is our conforming to christ.... our diligence to being holy and righteous. All day long we can say this or that.... but if we do not move past being a 'hearer' only....into being a 'doer' as well... we are not putting on the attire we need for the banquet. The wedding garment is tied into the condition of our heart.


And this is easy to understand if we also turn it into a parable....

John says, "Will you marry me, Martha?"

"Yes John," she says and she slips the ring onto her finger.

She has the appearance of betrothal doesn't she?-- But Martha continues to act as though she is single...she meets other guys at the coffee house etc. She shows no respect for the commitment she's made.


God has told us everything we need to know....He's given us everything.... His Spirit in our hearts to convict us as well.... there's really no excuse.


So let's fast forward to the wedding day.... will John take Martha's hand? Will she even remember to show up? The commitment was made, but she didn't honor it by changing her lifestyle to fit it. The groom will not marry a whore.... He cannot look upon her. Traditionally, an engagement lasts 6 months…..in all that time, she did not get ready....she did not change!


Martha would honor John by going beyond wearing the ring (claiming salvation) into behaving as a bride... but as it stands now….we need to start at Matthew 7:20 for the full context:

"So then, you will know them by their fruits."


To begin to conform to His image we must understand and trust what the Lord says about Salvation within the Holy Scriptures. The Word is our measuring rod.

If you begin to dig in and study, you begin to note a theme that 'we are not perfect and His sacrifice has redeemed us'. If we are examining ourselves --learning the Word and what it is to become the likeness of Jesus.... we are getting ready. What Jesus did is the free gift... but we show our love and commitment by honoring Him through our life. We begin to not only recognize that we need a Savior, but clearly, we must be born again. Have you assumed that in receiving Jesus as Lord that you have automatically received the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

No, you have to ask.

I would like to encourage you to watch Derek Prince's teaching on Receiving the Holy Spirit in it's entirety so that you can clearly see what the scriptures say.


But you say…. "What about if Martha tries and tries, but she just didn't try hard enough, she just wasn't as attentive as she could have been, and she never got completely cleaned up in time?"


As a believer it is healthy to be concerned by our sin, but not in by being overwhelmed by our shortcomings. As we know, they are many! We cannot beat ourselves up over the lifelong process-- we are not perfect.


In the example I've given, it clearly shows that Martha has NOT given John her heart and exhibits that by her bad fruit.


So to further this, 'what is commitment' theme, let me share about being married....

I can say that over and over my spouse and I have issues that arise... we disappoint each other... are not thoughtful at times.... we are not perfect....but we ALWAYS reconcile.... always forgive and pick right back up where we've left off. With Jesus, mind you... he is ever faithful .... it is us that must humble ourselves and return to pick back up where we've deviated the path.


With my marriage, though little struggles happen, we never go so far as to abandon our covenant in unfaithfulness, or abandon our children.... we do not deliberately hurt each other.... to do so would be bearing 'bad fruit'... that would compare to Martha's whoredom. That kind of fruit would prove a heart that has not changed... not committed... does not truly love.


In Spiderman 3…. Spiderman makes a very bad decision. He encourages the girl at the rally to kiss him because the crowd is shouting 'kiss her' oblivious that, 'that kiss' was only for him and Mary Jane. There is no amount of saying, "She's just a girl in my class."(like he had done in a previous movie) They were dating and he crossed a line that damaged their relationship.

Later, he repented and relationship was restored.... but what we need to be wary of is either not repenting and/or not changing. If he'd continue to do stunts like this, Mary Jane would see the fruit that, he was all talk & didn't really love her.... this goes the same with God.


We do 'screw up'.... look at the life of David whom had 'a heart after God' [Acts 13:22]…. he made some really bad mistakes, but he repented and then did not fall and do those same big sins again. To really appreciate what it is to screw up big but then have a heart after God, check out Psalm 51. It is David's very cry and return to the Lord from a bout of grievous sins including covetousness, adultery, deceit and murder.


Psa 51:11-12 "Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit."


God used the Prophet Nathan to speak a PaRaBle to David to open his eyes to the inevitable drift and rift that blinding sin had caused in his relationship with Father God.


However, those sins still carried the responsibility for transgressing.


2Sa 12:10a “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house…"


We are warned in advance not stray in the first place! This is the fair and Just God we serve, else people would be more prone to willfully sin knowing a magic pill would take all the bad away as soon as they repent.


Galatians 6:7 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”


Past bad choices still bear a harvest time. Though we are forgiven we can't expect what we've sown to disappear....no, what we sow, we shall still reap.... but we can be forgiven and on the path to a pure, clean wedding day. Ask any newly born again Christian in a jail cell! Now that's HOPE!


Don't doubt your salvation because you're in a rough place that you created. God WILL work all things to the good on your behalf...


Rom 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."


...but like David we need to 'man up'… clinging to His mercy, but accepting the rippling consequences that sin has in this life.


[2Sa 12:22-23 "He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.' But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." ]


As you know… our sins welcome attack from the accuser of the brethren. Learn something from David though… throughout the Psalms he often sings the Praise-- the character-- the attributes of God, and later Jesus quotes the truth about God as well. If you've made some big screw-ups, of course the enemy will try to rob you of your free gift of salvation. Ironic that oftentimes the first place we should be looking in overcoming-- taking any thoughts captive that oppose the truth and simplicity of salvation-- is the last thing on our minds. In this life we don't deal with flesh however. If we care about offending God, we are on the right track, but if we beat ourselves up about it guess who oppresses and robs and steals etc. See the real enemy….bind any spirits of doubt and loose our tongue like David--- like Jesus to speak the Truth of God, the Faithfulness of God to His promises-- our effective sword in the spirit.


We do mess up at times but our path must contain forward motion. By our fruits we are known [Mat 7:16, Mat 7:20]. As a professing believer in Jesus we must be a doer and not a hearer only [Jam 1:23-26]. It is true that we cannot blame everything upon the devil because of our other enemy… 'our flesh'.


Our flesh must be made our 'slave' [1 Corinthians 9:25-27].


Have you ever looked at a memory chip before? If you look at the strips of metal on one in your camera you see evidence of a worn path. There are habits, there are people that are bad influences that we might have soul ties with… we might have negative expectations, soul wounds, forgiveness to be displayed… let's face it… when we really lay out our wedding garment and scrutinize we must realize that part of our walk is a process and we cannot expect it to happen overnight. God will in-fact, use this process of purification to prove us.


Hbr 12:6 "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."


Again, we cannot allow the enemy to come in and condemn us, but it is our responsibility to press into God as we wage war with the flesh, so that we can conform to the wedding attire that will be proper at the banquet.


An example:

If I speak an offensive expletive, it is not good.... it's something i need to work on in being holy and it takes time... but I have not rejected God by doing so. I feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.... I may still curse, but OVER TIME, I do so less and less because it is my desire to please the Lord and be Holy. I may have to choose to keep away from people that harbor an environment where filthy talk is welcomed.


Conversely, let me show an example of outright rejecting God... let's say a Christian KNOWS that Islam is a false religion, but a cute girl has invited this guy to an Islamic function known to honor allah...and the guy accepts only because he wants to date the girl. See the difference between these examples? The second ignores the prior covenant entirely-- is willing to abandon God's commands of not having anything to do with foreign Gods. It is true that he can repent and 'about-face', but It's likened to that 'Mary Jane kiss', it needs to happen quickly, not something that keeps going and going, because like Nathan having to give David a parable, continued sin deafens our ears to the voice of God.


Romans 1:28, 32

"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper..."


"...and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."


When it comes down to it, we can see that 'salvation' is simple, --believe what God says about it. Then grow in relationship by reading the Word of God and seeking more than a 'honk if you love Jesus' bumper sticker on your car. No, in a committed relationship, you don't just 'look' like you know Him… you take Him with you!

www.hearingGod.tv

Purity in the Bride

An excerpt from an older video... excerpting the 'good stuff'!
Have you ever had to hand wash an article of clothing before? Now c'mon, you don't just put soap on there & wring it together one time & rinse. No. If you've done this before you know this is a process...a rinse, repeat, maybe some soaking in between... but you do it til' the spots are gone or you have to throw out the garment or use it as a rag because else the haze of that spot would be embarrassing. Are you listening here?
Without spot or wrinkle. Are we looking forward to getting out that spot?
You better look forward to it...

"Whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." -Hebrews 12:6

Did you know that is our wedding garment and you have 2 choices.... get out that spot or throw the garment away. But don't you know you're not going to be able to just pick another one up at the store...nope, the store is closed. With each rinse and repeat....with Joy....we should be exclaiming....see, look here, you can't see it so much, it's going away---get out the soap and enthusiastically wash it again...

Didn't you know Jesus is an environmentalist? He doesn't like to throw anything away. Everything in His plan has purpose-- even those seeming bad or hard times. As the sun is setting & the light is fading...Oh, look here....I can still see this spot when I hold it at an angle, let's get out that soap again.... we'll get it this time. We have to get it out before all the light is gone and then I won't be able to tell anymore.... the garment has to be spotless and then dry overnight...

No, the ones that are too proud & think they know it all think they'll just pick up another garment at the store--- whoops, that was wrong revelation, I'll just pick and choose one of the other flavors here in the cheese case.... but that's not how it's going to be, is it? You can't even buy oil this late... every man to his own lamp! Do you have your own relationship with Jesus?

How are you looking at the test, bride?


Revelation 7:14 ... "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

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Damn! God won't be Boxed! Part 3

I get so upset when I come across people that judge and condemn whole church people groups and call them 'of the devil', deceived or lost. True it may be that the head of that church is in a downward spiral with misguided ecumenism that invites the enemy in OR, a church that completely rejects the giftings of the spirit. The fact of the matter is, is that God is calling us all individually. He's calling us ALL out and all to go on higher in Him. He doesn't see the divisions.

Let me read a little of the good book to illustrate:
Mat 24:40-42 "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

And what about the scripture of the wheat and the tares? Everything is growing right alongside each other.

Can you see that only He can see into our hearts? He doesn't say this denomination is better then this other one. All He says is "good and faithful servant" or "away, I never knew you". It's either you pass or you fail on an individual basis. Does He distinguish between the Samaritan or the little child? Who are we to play judge? Shouldn't we be minding our own hearts... and perhaps trembling at that?

Who are we to decide his plan and purposes, His ways, His messengers, His moves? Why should we care if he pays those hired in the eleventh hour the same as those hired the first?

When we as individuals judge denominations or past moves of God etc. we #1. alienate ourselves from reaching people in those groups. I mean really... is anyone going to listen to you after you call them damned? Really? #2. It is true something might have gone bad and true we would never support such a thing in it's current state but what if at one time it wasn't bad.... if we blatantly damn the whole thing we void everything good that God had done within it. And what about the people that lacked the discernment to know when the tide had changed? Those people that had a taste of God doing that new thing in power, in demonstration. And now they too are damned and by this judgement their faith is ruined. Why would we want to do that when we can reach them by agreeing with the good and separating out the bad? Can we walk into a room and be a light? Jesus wants us to be a light, not an idiot blinding furnace that burns everything up in our wake. There are hungry people in all denominations and the lost as well... they are all seeking Him. He wants us to be sowers, waterers, that light... a sign that points the way to Him.

This inherent judgement... you know what I'm talking about. Everybody seems to be on the damning the catholics roadshow lately... or damn the charismatics... how about Toronto... how about Todd Bentley? The thing we need to realize is that when God breaks through to do a new thing, it is then attacked by the enemy until it is discredited or stopped.... or peters out. Or, it goes down because of unpurified flesh or when the next new thing wants to springboard from it, but man is too comfortable or fearful and won't go there. But how foolish are any of us to throw the baby out with the bath water?

With more given, more is required....if you wanna fly you have to cut off the sandbags.... and when they are not purified and snipped off... then that's when a minister or move of God goes down. God cannot be represented with a garment of stains. But the real question is, is can we ever learn from our mistakes???

Do you wonder why we have to keep starting all over again? We can't seem to Prove all things; and hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Can we take the good and build on it instead of throwing the entire thing out? Can we go back and discern that fresh new thing that God was doing from the point that it got tainted by the flesh?

And what about the people? Does anyone care about the souls involved here?

I want to speak to the broken and wounded here...Have you tasted God doing a new thing and the enemy jumped in and the flesh destroyed it? Do you suddenly feel a bullseye on your back? Is your faith in danger of shipwreck? Stand with me on the outside and see the enemy's strategy... see what is really going on and now see that Jesus, is the best mediator between God & man. Take that which was good and now build upon it, with your head held high, because you serve the King of Kings & Lord of Lords, the Messiah-- Jesus.

Right now I just want to pray for you... and for those of you (myself included) that have ever sat in judgement against our brothers and sisters in Christ... let us ask for forgiveness right now.

(prayer)

Ask God to build upon that foundation and to heal your wounds realizing that He is working all things to the good on your behalf.
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'Godliness' gone wrong...where is the heart at?

I got a strong visual once while listening to someone teach about iniquity.  While they likened iniquity to be like a deep root in the sea...I saw a storm over that sea & after it subsided, junk had bubbled up from that 'root' & migrated to the shoreline.  Then the shoreline was raked & all pretty...but then another storm, & up came the junk, only to be raked again, and again.  What needs to happen?  The person that is so talented with that rake needs to go out into the water (or go into the spirit) and get rid of that root.  Of course it's deep and hard to get to...but Jesus is already poised at the root beneath the surface...He's been waiting to see your 'thumb's up' beneath the water. 

This is yet another message about circumcising our hearts, and I'm going to read from first Samuel in a commentary style. The Lord had me pondering over Saul's disobedience one day, so I'll call this:

Saul, 'Godliness' gone wrong...where is the heart at?

In first Samuel 13 we see Saul boasting about defeating an encampment of Philistines, but then the Philistine army was so thick about them that Israelites where hiding all over the countryside & Saul's army was poised in Gigal shaking with fear. Saul was instructed to wait for Samuel's return, a set time of 7 days.

1 Samuel 13

8And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

9And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. (*pay attention here...he's looking at the natural and he's clinging to a ritual, not faith.)

10And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. (*Saul was found disobedient here in the 11th hour...if he just would have held out and trusted he would've been a good & faithful servant...let's read on...)

11And Samuel said, What hast thou done? (*I keep getting a picture of the huge plume of smoke from this sacrificial offering pinpointing & exposing the location of God's army and thinking this is just like how modern day "christians" think they are doing things for the kingdom, but they are really setting up persecution and painting a bad picture for all christians to all the nations that despise us)  And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

12Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.  (*Basically he's expecting the worse & bailing out.  Notice how he's putting this 'godly paste' over the whole situation--you could say a form of 'godliness' but denying the power thereof...)

13And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

(*Ouch!  This all really puts to mind those 'end-time' cheesy flicks...you've got the girl on the guillotine chopping block and at the last moment she renounces Jesus, because she doesn't want to die...then there's an earthquake & everybody runs away...but there she is, stuck in the guillotine & the latch jiggles & comes off & we know had she just shut her mouth and trusted she would've been in paradise...but she blew it all in the eleventh hour.)

Like I mentioned the iniquity scene earlier...let's go down to first samuel 15 and see what good ole' Saul tries to rake from the beach this time...

1 Samuel 15

*God says...

3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

*but then we skip down to the the results in vs. 10...

10Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,

11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

13And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. (*here we go applying the 'godly paste again'..)

15And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. (*what is this mindset of it's okay to do stuff because it's "for the Lord", when it goes contrary to what the LORD commanded?)

22And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

24And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

25Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

26And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. (*Samuel can see right through Saul's words...he can see his heart.  If we fast-forward, sure, David made tons of mistakes, but God showed us enough in the scriptures to reveal David's repentant heart)

27And as Samuel turned about to go away, he (Saul) laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

28And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.

35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

---------------------------------------------------------

God showed me that we can see in Saul...the called, but in david we see the 'chosen'.

One rakes the beach but the other has surrendered the root.  Both are loved, but to one is disappointment and the other is absolute joy and delight.

One fails in the eleventh hour because the focus is not straight ahead, believing all things and trusting all things.

I encourage you each to examine when the storms come in life...are you seeing a pattern?...are you raking the beach? 

When you are in the winepress or, in the storm, are you spending more time crying out to God, or are you running to other men asking for their prayers or their opinions of what to do?  I encourage you to get out there into the water and go heart to heart with the Lord.
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