Good morning everyone. The Lord has been really dealing with me for a while about control issues. He has really putting me in situations which require extreme control and understanding authority, so today we are going to feast on control and how much is needed in any situation.
Today’s Prayer
Good morning, Father! Thank you for this day. Thank you for times when we can step back and reflect. We realize that through the years, we have developed habits that are irritating to You…and to our families too. Please help us change that. We only want to have good habits. We pray that all of us will be a blessing to you, to our families, to our friends, and everyone we meet. Please forgive us for our sins and failures, for the times we have not been kind to our families, for those annoying little habits. We commit to You today, that with Your help, we will change for the better. We praise and worship You, Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
The Dangers of Over control
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king. – 1 Samuel 15:23
A close friend of mine who is a pilot once told me that whenever a plane goes out of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands off the controls and the plane will right itself. This goes against our natural tendency to control and manipulate in order to bring things back under control. It is scary to be out of control. Or is it?
The bible tells us in 1Samuel that Saul was a man out of control. He was losing control of his kingdom to David. He was losing the favor of God and the people. It began as compromises. Eventually he was given a final test to obey the voice of God fully. He was instructed to kill the Amalekites completely; but he failed to follow through. The prophet Samuel delivered a hard word to King Saul, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king” (see 1 Sam. 15:26). Saul obeyed partially, but not fully. It was partial obedience that led to his removal as king of Israel and his calling from God. But why did Saul do such a thing? “I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them” (1 Sam. 15:24). Saul’s fear and insecurity made him more afraid of the people and what they thought than of God. At the core of Saul’s disobedience was fear of losing control. That fear of losing control led to partial obedience and the loss of his reign as king.
How many of us are in danger of losing God’s blessing due to partial obedience? How many of us have such a need to control people and circumstances that we fail to fully walk in obedience to God’s voice in our lives? Saul’s downfall provides a great lesson for us as believers. The need to over control things around us can prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today, take an inventory of your control quotient.
Ask God if you are being fully obedient to what He has called you to do this day, and avoid being put on the shelf for disobedience. “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22).
Quote of the Day
[The natural life] knows that if the spiritual life gets hold of it, all its self-centeredness< and self-will are going to be killed and it is ready to fight tooth and nail to avoid that. (Clive Staples) C. S. Lewis WITH HOPE AND FAITH; follow us on the foundation community site: http://facebook.com/gckrshhfops
Rev. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION