1 Samuel 18:5-30. 1 Samuel 19:1-24
'It happened ... that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul ...' (18.10).
Confusing, isn't it? God sending a demon to upset Saul! What's going on?
Well, it's a manner of speaking. We find an answer in two parallel passages that describe an incident in the life of David. They are 2 Samuel 24:1 (God makes David take a census) and 1 Chronicles 21:1 (Satan makes David take a census). The verses following each of these references make it clear that they relate to the same incident.
For me the explanation is simple: taking a census was an unnecessary vanity on David's part; why bother to find out how strong his army was when he was supposed to trust God for protection and victory? Surely he had learned that much already?
Father God wants to teach His beloved child, David, a lesson; temporarily removing His protection from around David allows the ever-present Satan an opportunity to attack! So, however we describe the incident, the end result is the same: David is punished.
I also see this as proof of God's protecting power around Believers. Our Father God allows trials for our good (1 Corinthians 10:13). By trusting Him throughout them, we will become stronger Believers through seeing how God rescues us from every evil.
John 8:31-59
Jesus said to those who believed him, If you obey my teachings then you are truly my disciples; and you shall know the truth, and it shall make you free. (vv.31,32).
In John 14:6 John writes that Jesus called Himself 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life'. It is a way of saying that there is no other way to God the Father, a message drummed into His disciples by the Father Himself Who said,'This is my beloved Son; listen to Him!' (Matthew 17:5). Now we have Jesus confirming that we need to believe on Him, obey His teachings and then only are we His disciples. Those Christians who do not obey all His teachings are not, by those criteria, His disciples.
Psalm 112:1-10
'Surely... the righteous shall be remembered forever' (v.6).
We know that at the Judgment the books in which details of our earthly lives have been recorded will be scrutinized. Fortunately for Believers, the sins they committed on earth will have been expunged from the record by God. Great! But that's not all! The verse says that Believers (I'm using writers' liberty here, but it is still correct!) will be remembered forever. For what? Well, if only our bad deeds are forgotten, then we can only be remembered.
Thank You for Your kindness, Lord!
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