Scripture:

1 Chronicles 13:14

The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

"Your Presence" 

Here is kind of an interesting story; there is an incident early in this chapter where a man named Uzza reached out to hold the ark when the oxen stumbled, and because only the priests were allowed to touch the ark, and at that with very specific instructions, with reverence, as it is Holy.   I think as a church we must get back to the place where we understand the Holiness of God and we hold Him in reverence.  Here the Lord struck down Uzza because he touched the ark, and David decided to leave it at the house of Obed-Edom.   Imagine that scene: the King of Israel knocks on your door, "Mr Obed, I would like to leave the ark at your house for a bit."   Obed must have been like, "What? Ok!"   What you should catch is what happened here: it says that Obed-Edom and all that he had was blessed.   What the presence of the Lord brings into our lives is blessing. When the Lord is with you, "YOU ARE BLESSED!"   The Lord was with Joseph, and everything in Potiphar's house was blessed. When you carry the "PRESENCE" of God, you will experience blessing (1 Corinthians 3:16); you will experience freedom.

The application here is to walk in reverence, to seek the presence of God in all that we do, to live our lives as though God were living in our house, as the presence lived in the house of Obed-Edom.  Think about it, if He lived in one of your rooms, watched TV with you, ate at your table, did life with you in your home, you would be different, right, not only would you change by the words He shared, the peace that He brings, the power, the strength, all of those things would affect you, but you would be different because His presence would change you, transform you.   Well, if you live in 1 Corinthians 3:13, then He lives in you; you are His temple; you should begin to walk and be blessed like Obed-Edom.

Lord, I pray that we would live with reverence and in awe of your presence, that we would live differently because of your presence, live differently because of your transformative power in our lives, that our lives and those around us would be blessed because of you, that we would have favor in all that we do and like Joseph that we would walk different, talk different, that we would avoid evil at all cost, that we would step into the plans you have for us today, in Jesus name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 107:1-2

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

"Say So"

Hebrew ("hesed") Steadfast Love,  actionable love—mercy and kindness shown freely, without obligation, even to those who are unfaithful. 

We have a reason to praise, a reason to testify, the Psalmist says we should "SAY SO!"  His love is dependable, it is enduring, it is agape, it is unconditional, selfless, sacrificial, and unending, in fact Paul in Romans reminds us that nothing can separate us from the Love of God.    If that was all we had to rejoice about, it would be enough.   But you and I have a story of "redemption" the Lord saved us, He sent His Son to die in our place, we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, and that is something to tell of, to "say so!" 

"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so."  The application here is to testify, to share of the good work of God with others that they hear of His wondrous works and glorify His name, that they may know redemption. 

Your testimony may be the key to someone else's prison. 

Lord, I thank you, I praise you for all you do for me and your faithfulness, your steadfast, unfailing love for me, that you redeemed me from the pit, that you saved me, and I am saved. When I was powerless, you were powerful, when I was lost, you found me, when I was broken you put me back together.   I will praise you all the days of my life, in the morning when I rise, in the evening when I lie down, you are worthy of praise, worthy to "say so."   In Jesus' name, amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!

"Unity"

I love that David uses the word 'brethren,'  NRSV uses the word "kindred" to represent family, to remind us that it is our common faith, our walk with Jesus that unites us, that causes us to speak the same language. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 4 says, "Two are better than one."    Life gets better when we do it together; our walk with Christ gets better when we do it in the body of Christ.  

Imagine this, your body if your legs didn't walk in unity, if each of them operated independently, each would go its own way, that would be a disaster.  In fact, you would never get anywhere, the same is if we try to do life on our own.   This is why the church is a vital part of our lives, our growth; it is the place where we find commonality in Christ, where we unify in our language, our walk, our talk.

Walk in Unity with Christ, walk in Unity with other Believers, do life in community.    This changes everything; it provides strength. Solomon says we have more strength, it brings wisdom because the bible says there is wisdom in the multitude of counsel.   Solomon said we are not easily overcome, and that in itself is a good reason to walk in unity with other believers.

Lord, it is one of our strengths, unity, when we walk in harmony with our brothers in Christ, teach us to grow in community to become stronger in community.   Remind us that we are the family of God, working together for the Kingdom, transforming our motives, our work, making us stronger, wiser, better because of you, and unite us in Christ, Amen!

Scripture:

1 Chronicles 10:13

13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.

Unfaithfulness and disobedience lead to death; in the case of Adam and Eve, their disobedience led to spiritual death and separation from God and His plan for them.   You have to wonder like I do, why anyone would stray from the presence of God, why they would let their desires, the rebelliousness, drag them away, why did Adam and Eve, why did Saul, if in His presence there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17), if in His word there is life (Psalm 119:93) then why choose your way, your direction.   

There is a way that seems right to a man, and its end is death. ~Proverbs 14:12  

Not to quote Forest Frank, but we should always decide "Your way is better!" Your way is better, God, your ways bring life, direction, purpose for my life.

To seek the Lord, to be faithful to Him, to be obedient to His leading.  Jesus said if you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15).   

Lord, that we would "CHOOSE" you, that we choose your "WAY," that we would be "OBEDIENT" to your leading, and as a result our lives would be full, as a result we would be blessed, that we would find our lives.  That as we die to ourselves, and become reliant on you, you promised that we would find life, let us live in that space Lord, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 81:7

You called in trouble, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

'Sempre Fidelis' 

The Lord is reminding you and me that He is Sempre   Fidelis, "always faithful."   While it seems a little cryptic: "The secret place of thunder, the waters of Meribah."  Get this, the secret place of thunder is Mount Sinai, where the Lord spoke to Moses and gave the 10 commandments, and the waters of Meribah were the place where the people cried out for water, and Moses struck the rock and water came forth.

These are reminders that even in times of testing, where our faith is being tested, God is still faithful, that He still answers us, and He still delivers us from our troubles. 

So today if you are in a place where you are asking God, "Where are you?"   You can know that He has not abandoned you, or left you. He is faithful, He is still speaking, just cry out to Him, He still delivers, trust Him, in your time of testing, may the Lord find you full of faith.

Don't let your situation distract you from the presence of God in your life, don't let it convince you that you have been abandoned. Remember that He still provides, He still speaks, He still delivers. 

Lord, thank you that you still answer prayers, you hear our cries, and in our trouble you rescue us, in our struggles you answer us, in our need you meet us, thank you Lord that you are "Always Faithful," Sempre Fidelis and that you never change, or waiver, I pray that we would not lose hope, that we would always seek you, always trust your timing, in Jesus' name, Amen!