Prayer: Father, help me to look up in my search for Truth. Help me to look to You as the source of all Wisdom. Help me to reach out to You first as my Maker. Amen.
Reading: Isaiah 22 key: vs. 11 “You even made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool—but you did not look to the Maker, or consider the One who planned it long before.” TLV
Attention: When I read today’s key verse, I immediately thought of two men in the Bible who wished that they could have a do over.
In the book of Joshua, we find a record of the battles which Bnei-Yisrael fought against the inhabitants of the land which Adonai promised them. He did not just hand them the land and tell them to walk in and set up house making. They were to possess the land and drive the current squatters off the land. They did well in their first battle against the city of Jericho. They listened to the directives which Adonai gave them, they did accordingly and the victory was theirs.
On their second campaign against Ai (not artificial intelligence), they were a bit overconfident, sent spies who underestimated the enemy, and they took it on the chin. Joshua laments the defeat and tries to blame it on Adonai only to have Adonai tell him, it was sin which caused their defeat. A few among them had taken things under the ban of God, which they were not to take. Adonai exposes the tribe responsible, and Joshua and “all Israel” stoned those responsible and burned them with fire (Joshua 7).
With sin removed from the camp, the nation of Israel under Joshua’s command never saw defeat again.
In 1 Samuel 28, King Saul is facing battle with the Philistine forces. The prophet/priest Samuel has died, and Saul needs counsel as “Adonai did not answer (Sauls inquiries) neither by dreams nor by Urim or prophets” (vs. 6). So, he consults a medium, a witch, who conjures up Samuel. Samuel’s response to Saul, “Adonai has torn the kingship out of your hand and has given it to another fellow, to David. Since you did not obey the voice of Adonai and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so Adonai has done this to you today. Moreover, Adonai will also give the Israelites who are with you into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me! Yes, Adonai will give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines” (vs. 17b-19).
Saul would not wait any longer for Adonai. He perceived that his emergency was greater than Adonai, so he consults and agent of Satan.
My friends when we do not seek God only, exclusively, we set ourselves up for failure. For King Saul, it cost him and his sons their lives. For Samuel declared to Saul, “Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me!” Failure to comply cost Achan and his family their lives too. Disobedience is costly.
To not seek God’s counsel is to bring God’s wrath. To not seek Him only, may bring God’s judgment. It is your choice. Choose wisely.
Action: I choose to seek God’s wisdom and counsel only.
Yield: I choose to serve the living God only.
Engage: I choose to engage with the power of the Holy Spirit in serving God only.
Relationship: I choose to live in intimate relationship with the supreme God Adonai my Maker.
Prayer: Father, it boggles my mind that I should ever seek anyone’s counsel above Your counsel. Your ways are Higher than mine. Amen.
Memory Verse: Isaiah 55:8-9 ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “For as the heavens are higher than earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” TLV
Music Video: Matthew West—The God Who Stays https://youtu.be/3EeEoWyDAug?si=A_ux7hml6CnXXQpN
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”