Bible Study: Stand Your Ground 04.09.10

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Today is Friday April 09, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of I Samuel, chapters 25-27. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-april-9

Title: Bible Study: Stand Your Ground
As Christians we are not to be get involved with people who live in the world. There are times in our lives when we may have allowed ourselves to become friends with or marry someone who is of the world, maybe we were in the world at the time ourselves. Regardless of how we ended up with worldly people in our lives, it is important that we stand our ground as Christians and seek God's wisdom and guidance in all that we do, even if it means that family and friends despise you for it. When we stand our ground during circumstances like these, one of two things can happen, it can either bring the person or people to God themselves or God will remove them from our lives.

Abigail was a smart, beautiful woman who was married to a rich, cruel man named, Nabal, which actually means fool. Nabal had only one interest in life and that was to be rich. Now, David heard that Nabal was out shearing sheep in the wilderness and since he knew him he sought his help to feed the six hundred hungry men that were with him. “Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.” - I Samuel 25:3-10. Now, Nabal pretended that he did not know David, but it was David that helped drive the Philistines away and the reason why he was as prosperous as he was, even the shepherd's of Nabal's flock knew how good David and his men were to them, yet he refused to help him. All too often when people prosper, and this can happen to many Christians as well, they get so caught up in their wealth that they forget who helped them become so prosperous. Truthfully, they do not forget, they just do not want to help as they become consumed with greed.

After Nabal rejected David's request he became very angry and wanted vengeance, he and his men were headed for the town to destroy everyone and everything in it. When Abigail got word of the way her husband treated David, she bravely confronted him, but also brought provisions for him and his men. “Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.” - I Samuel 25:18-23. The gift that Abigail sent was an atonement for Nabal's behavior and her humbleness and submissiveness was able to give David a chance to think about what he was about to do. She did not excuse her husband, but depended on the grace of God to soften David's heart and reason with him before he took away innocent lives, reminding him that he was above someone as foolish as Nabal. It is important that we do to react out of anger, we can destroy our lives if we do things before we think about them.

Abigail proved that even though she was married to a worldly, cruel man that as long as she stood strong in her faith in God that He will stand strong on His Word and take care of her. Shortly after David left Nabal died and David took Abigail to be his wife. “And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail hasted, and arose and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.” - I Samuel 25:39-42. David gave thanks to God for keeping him from taking vengeance on Nabal himself and for taking care of it for him. Abigail felt it a honor to become David's wife and accepted quickly. God will always blesses those who put Him first, despite the circumstances we face. The amazing thing about God is that He allows us to make our own decisions and when we mess up He is faithful and just to forgive us and help us get our of the mess. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - I John 1:9.Praise God!

It is time to stand our ground for God, we may live with a worldly family or have married the wrong person, but everything happens for a reason and God uses every circumstance we get ourselves into for the good. Anyone who calls on Him will get the help they need, whether He brings them to know Jesus or takes them out of our lives, He will take care of all who come to Him. “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - I Thessalonians 5:14-23. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have a wonderful and blessed weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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