Division of Spiritual Life, Babcock University

28/09/2020

*Never Justify Your Wrong Actions!*
By Pastor Ajila O.O.
1Samuel 13:12 (KJV)
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

Saul, having justified himself made it clear that he forced himself to offer the burnt offering, as if there were no other options. Let’s set the record straight here. You are never forced to do the wrong thing. You can be tempted, and the temptation may be strong, but you are never compelled to sin. You choose to sin. Saul thought he could seek the Lord’s favor through an act of disobedience. But you can never please God by disobeying his word. Here’s a great principle to hold on to: *It’s not the will of God if it goes against the Word of God.*

Proverbs 21:2 says, *“All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.”* We are so good at justifying ourselves and our sin. Jesus said to the Pharisees of his time, *“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts.”*
(Luke 16:15) Notice the emphasis in both of these verses about justifying yourself is that God looks at your heart, God weighs your heart, God knows your heart. It’s a heart problem, and this will become an important part of Samuel’s response to Saul’s justification.

My dear friend, when you’ve done something wrong, don’t add to your sin by trying to justify it as well. When you’ve done wrong, it’s time to confess, time to own up to your sin, time to take responsibility for your actions. Don’t try to justify your wrong actions instead. 1John 1:9 says, *If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.*

May we confess our sins and trust God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Have a Blessed Monday.

*Prayer:* Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
(Psalms 51:1-3)
28/09/2020

12/09/2020

*Remember Your History!*
1Samuel 12:8-11 (KJV)
When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

Another step that Samuel gives in order to finish well is to *always remember your history.* This simply means that you remember where you are coming from. Remember how the Lord had led you in the past and how he has been faithful till today. Samuel not only walked before men, made himself accountable to the people, made peace with everyone, maintained a good conscience before God and man, reminded the people of God's goodness in their lives, reasoned with the Lord always, he also reminded them of their history.

Let me remind you all, says Samuel, of all the righteous acts of the Lord God. You and your fathers have much to be grateful for. From the earliest days God preserved your family – the family of Jacob – by sending Joseph ahead into Egypt. Then when the nation was oppressed after 4 centuries in Egypt, Jehovah heard your cries for relief. Then He raised up Moses and Aaron and brought deliverance from that terrible bo***ge through them and their courageous ministry before Pharaoh.

It was the same during the period of the judges. Those cycles of rebellion, oppression by enemies, cries for help to God and then deliverance through God's appointed judges. The Lord God sent these judges to rescue His people even though they had rebelled. He sent Jerubbaal – Gideon; Bedan – whom most commentators think was another name for Barak; there was Jephthah and finally Samuel. Whomever was needed – God sent.

Samuel emphasises Jehovah’s righteous acts in the past because Israel was now in danger of forgetting the past. Samuel proceeds to give the people a history lesson. He rehearses for them the cycle of sin, slavery, repentance, and deliverance that have marked their people from the very beginning. The people of Israel kept sinning against God, but whenever they repented and cried out to him, God in his goodness always delivered them.

When you tell of God’s goodness to those in the Bible, you give testimony that God has always been loving, caring and forgiving. Paul tells us in Romans 15:4: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
(Romans 15:4) Do you want to give testimony to God’s goodness? Then tell of God’s personal goodness to you. And then also tell of God’s goodness to those in the Bible.

E. G White in Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White, p. 204 puts it this way, *In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what God has wrought, I am filled with astonishment, and with confidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past.*

May we never forget our history especially how the Lord has led us in the past. Have a Blessed Sabbath.

*Prayer:* Dear Lord, as I work towards finishing well, please help me to have confidence in you more because of your faithfulness in the past.
12/09/2020

12/09/2020

03/09/2020

*Let Us Go To Gilgal! (2)*

1Samuel 11:14 (KJV)
Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

Joshua 5:8-12 says, And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. *And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.* And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Reading from the passage, you'll realize that Gilgal represents the rolling away of the reproach of Egypt (the past). They were no longer slaves and wanderers. They were now possessors. Gilgal is also a place of covenant renewal. Here they kept the Passover for the first time in the promised land.

Gilgal represents a place of fruitfulness because there was no more manna. The people began to eat of the fruit of the land. No more heartbreak over eating the same food for 40 years, day after day. No more wilderness journeying and dependence on Manna; No more disgrace of their inability to provide for themselves. They could provide for themselves now, because they ate the produce of Canaan that year.

Gilgal reminds us that God rolls away our disgrace, humiliation, guilt, past failures, disasters, mistakes. Gilgal reminds us that we can start a new life. Gilgal is now also a place to establish the king.

Come, let us go to Gilgal. We have wandered away from our purpose; We have not possessed the land; We have not kept our covenant with God; We have lost our vision; We have forgotten that God is on our side.

It is time to cut away the flesh; It is time to become vulnerable so that God may be strong; It is time to get healed before you begin the days of warfare; It is time to roll away the reproach of the past; It is time to renew our commitment to God; It is time to be fruitful for God; It is time to make Jesus Christ King and Lord in our lives. This is where God wants you to camp today: in Gilgal. Come, let us go to Gilgal.

May we trust God to take us safely to Gilgal. Have a Blessed Thursday.

*Prayer:* Dear Lord, as we prepare to enter Heavenly Canaan, help us to enjoy the blessings of Gilgal.
03/09/2020

26/08/2020

*Why Are You Weeping?*

1Samuel 11:4-5 (KJV)
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

The world is full of pain and suffering and as a result people are wailing and lamenting. What is it that is making you weep? What are the things that are constantly bringing tears on your face? Is it the intimidation and humiliation of people? Is it your need of something? Whatever it is that is causing you to weep, just as God asked Hagar (Genesis 21:17), and Saul asked the people of Jabesh Gilead Jesus is asking you this morning, *Why are you weeping?*

Nahash was done threatening the people of Jabesh Gilead. He humiliated them and let the messengers go because, he was confident of Israel's disunity, and figured they would be unable to find anyone to save them. Secondly, by allowing the messengers to go through all Israel, he was making his name big and his reputation fearsome throughout the whole nation.

As the messengers spread out over all Israel, they came to Gibeah, Saul's home city. Upon hearing of the plight of Jabesh Gilead, all the people lifted up their voices and wept. This was exactly the reaction Nahash was hoping for!

Saul was out plowing when the message came. He’s king, but he’s still not sure exactly what he’s supposed to be doing yet. That’s okay, it's a sign of humility. God will guide him, just like God will guide you when you commit to serving him. But when he comes in and finds everyone weeping, he immediately throws himself into the mix. He asked the question, why is everyone weeping?

Jesus is in our midst this morning asking you, why are you weeping? He identifies with your need and He's willing to come to your aid. I'm here to remind you this morning that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.

May we trust God to wipe away our tears. Have a Blessed Wednesday.

*Prayer:* Dear Lord, may my tears be tears of joy and happiness and not of pain and suffering.
26/08/2020

22/08/2020

18/08/2020

09/08/2020

*God Called You, Not Man!*
With Pastor Ajike
1Samuel 10:1 (KJV)
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

What is your position in life? What role are you playing at the moment? Do you feel qualified for that position or do you feel inferior? How are you doing with the role you are playing? Are you playing your role well with all your heart or are you doing it just to fulfill all righteousness? I just want to remind you this morning that it is God who has called you, anointed you, and made you captain over His inheritance, of which you will be accountable for.

1 John 2:27 says, But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. God has called us from somewhere, anointed us and made us captain over His inheritance.

We have been called from labor to rest (Matt. 11:28); Called from death to life (1 John 3:14); Called from bo***ge to liberty (Gal 5:13); Called out of darkness into light (1 Pet. 2:9); Called from bo***ge to peace (1 Cor. 7:15;

Now we have been called to the fellowship of His Son (1 Cor. 1:9); We are made sons of God (John 1:12); We are made the children of God (Gal. 3:26); We are made the servants of God (Matt. 25:21); We are made God's saints (Col. 1:1); We are made God's witnesses (I Thess. 2:10); We are made workers together with God (2 Cor. 6:1); We are called to a high calling (Phil. 3:14); We are called to a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9); We are called to a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1). Whatever position you have been called to, remember it's a holy and heavenly calling. Don't ever feel inferior about your position in life. God has placed you there for a reason.

In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. "Your Majesty," said Prior Richard, "do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king." "I understand," said Henry. "The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you." "Then I will tell you what to do," said Prior Richard. "Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you." When King Henry died, a statement was written: "The King learned to rule by being obedient." When we are tired of our roles and responsibilities, it helps us to remember God has planted us in a certain place and told us to be a good leader or accountant or teacher or mother or father. Christ expects us to be faithful where he puts us, and when he returns, we'll rule together with him.

May we understand God's calling in our life and remain faithful to it. Have a Blessed Sunday.

*Prayer:* Help me Lord to be faithful to your calling in my life.
09/08/2020