ON WHOM DO WE RELY?

1Samuel chapters 11 and 12 speak of the Israelites going to war with the Ammonites because of a group of non-compliant defiant fools.

Samuel was king but some of the people didn't like that. Grumbling, they went off trying to make an alliance against Samuel with the Ammonites. The Ammonites were more than willing - if only the Israeli traitors would allow the Ammonites to gouge out all of their right eyes and make them slaves. Hey great deal, yeah? Sign me up! So the pack leaders of these rabble-rousers got a little nervous saying,  hold up there for a minute while we go see if we can get some back up from these same people we turned our backs on to see if they'll protect us. If they'll fight for us, we're not taking the deal. Otherwise, we'll do whatever you ask (because we don't really have a choice now do we?)

I don't know about you, but I think these people were stupider than the Three Stooges.

The good news for them was when they went looking for help, they got it. Before Saul became paranoid and insanely jealous later in life, he was nothing if not persuasive, a great leader and courageous warrior. All Israel fought a mighty battle and defeated the Ammonites hands down.

Then the trouble-makers wanted Saul for a king. Their wish was granted. In verses 12-15 Samuel warned them severely, "...when the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your King. Now therefore, here is the king you have chosen , whom you have desired. Take note, the LORD has set a king over you. If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey his voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God. However, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as against your fathers.

I used to think the Old Testament was irrelevant to the world we live in today. After all, what do our technologically advanced societies have in common with early life on planet earth when every single thing had to be manually done? Even the most primitive communities in the world today have been invaded by technology. But that's not the focus of our topic today.

There's always been a battle between good and evil. Disobedience. Defiance. Opposition. Sometimes it's pretty hard to tell who's on whose side. But since the day Eve took the first bite and handed the forbidden fruit to Adam, they made Satan their king. They chose to listen to his alluring voice over the LORD's Holy voice.

In this country we elect a new president every four years. He's our "king." Things really haven't changed much in the last few thousand years. You see, technology or no, to think any man or woman can save us is ridiculous and deadly. It is in fact sinful. We've failed ourselves. We've sinned. We need to repent!

2 Chron. 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Is it happening anywhere in the world? It is. But not enough, and not all at once. You'd think with all this technology we could rally the masses around the world to get on board with a plan of action and make a change. Why the heck not? Sin. Laziness. Sloth. Ignorance. Defiance. Opposition.

Thankfully, God's ways are not our ways. God is not a temporal being. God being Omnipresent by nature is not bound by time and space as we are. For instance, if there's a unified prayer meeting in Denver, Colorado at 8:30 PM on a Tuesday evening while it's 7:30 AM in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India, in God's realm there is no eleven hour gap in time. When our family in Christ pray with us in one accord, whether on the same day/time in the same room together, or at different times across the globe, God hears and receives our unified prayers as a sweet aroma. Our faithfulness in prayer and action cause His blessings to flow.

Joshua 24:15 As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Let's pray.

O LORD, LORD our God most high and lifted up! We worship You, we adore You, we fall to our knees before You in humble submission. We confess Father that we have fallen so far from you, that we have turned to men for leadership, made them kings. Whether pastors or church leaders, or presidents or kings. You O LORD are King of Kings, our only King, ruler of all men and things in heaven and earth. Forgive us our sins and cleanse our hearts Jesus. Thank You for bearing our sins on the cross at Calvary. Grant us strength to keep our eyes lifted to You, keep our minds clear to call up Your word whenever needed, let us remember to take our stand against the devil's schemes, having first donned the armor You've graciously provided (Eph. 6:10-20.) Teach us Your ways LORD for Your path is straight and safe. Guide us in Your paths of righteousness for Your names sake. Take away our idols when we can't let go. Would we be obedient to Your every prompt of the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost