Saul: Losing Self-Respect and a Kingdom - Part 2

Saul, the first king of Israel was chosen for a significant role in history, but because of poor personal choices, he failed to fulfill the destiny God intended. He often acted impulsively, blatantly demonstrating disregard for following God’s plan. He became dangerously jealous. Jealousy led to loss of self-respect, impaired insight and good judgement.

Saul wanted to please his army and would yield to their demands, threats and values. In doing so, he set himself at odds with God, his highest authority, and with Samuel, God’s prophet for the nation. This conflict set him on a downward spiral toward failure and self-destruction.

On one occasion Saul was given specific orders to follow in battle. He obeyed partially but then tried to justify his failure to follow through completely. This behavior eventually led God to reject him and his descendants as leaders of the nation. Endurance is equated with patience and tolerance for what you know to be God’s plan.  

Rising Above Character Weaknesses - Part 2

Although the U.S. presidential election is over, news organizations and others will continue searching for information to debunk the new president’s power to govern. False information becomes as powerful as truth when information services engage in a feeding frenzy to inundate consumers. This indicates that strengths and weaknesses exist in each person and will influence personal choices.

Pointing out weaknesses in others comes easier than owning them in ourselves. The most difficult course I took in graduate school required me to identify my weaknesses and share them with appropriate fellow classmates. I was surprised by the respect I gained for others who openly identified their weaknesses.

You’re aware of the Greek caption, “Know Thyself". 1 Corinthians 11:28 encourages believers to examine themselves before taking communion. It's important to recognize unconfessed sin and to resolve differences with others. This brings honor to Christ and the church for which he suffered and died. Consider this truth and take appropriate action.  

Examine Your Choices: Consider the Cost - Part 2

When Joshua challenged the Hebrew people to be committed to serving God, he knew it would require a thorough self-examination of their loyalty, which previously had been questionable. Successful businesses maintain precise inventories to retain profitable items while discontinuing those that do not justify their existence.

Plato, the Greek philosopher who lived four hundred years before Christ, wrote, "The unexamined life is not worth living," which means growth and maturity do not happen incidentally. Businesses give employees personal evaluations to determine their progress, but self-examination is just as important.

A lesson from Balaam’s life in Numbers 23 has to do with failure to do a self-inventory. When needed changes are avoided or side-stepped, a self-made crisis may not be preventable. God closely examines us, as David realized in Psalm 17:3. "You probe my heart and examine me." Thank God he does this so we can choose to remain close to his heart and purpose.  

Milestones of Commitment: Don't Turn Back! - Part 2

Have you ever been lost? I mean really lost where it was difficult to find your way? Now we have GPS to tell us exactly where we are in addition to how far we are from our destination. Even with the best technology to help make a course correction, we’re still subject to bad choices.

There are many ways to get lost when distractions are so prevalent. Entertainment news presented a young actress who became addicted to drugs and alcohol as a teenager and remained so until her mid-twenties. She essentially lost touch with herself, her family, and the talents God had given her. Taking that wrong turn was a personal choice.

This young woman reached a positive milestone when she chose sobriety and committed to staying that way. Choosing righteousness over evil set her free from habits that had kept her bound up in sin. Committing your life to Christ without reservations is a milestone that endures for eternity. It means choosing a God-centered pathway for your life.