David, before he was King, was needlessly chased by King Saul out of a jealous rage. After David killed the Philistines in 1 Samuel 18, the women of the city celebrated proclaiming that “Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.” This is what triggered Saul’s temper. The thought of a shepherd boy outdoing the “King of Israel” was too much to bear. Saul knew he was rejected from remaining King over Israel due to his poor leadership and disobedience; it was only a matter of time until he would be dethroned. For these reasons, he lashed out at David in fury in an attempt to kill him and to thwart David from becoming the next King.
During Saul’s pursuit, he grew weary and found a cave to rest in; the same cave that David was resting in (1 Samuel 24). When Saul fell asleep, David’s men persuaded him to take Saul’s life. “The Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thing enemy into thine hand.” But David would not think of laying his hand on God’s anointed. (David did, however, cut a piece of Saul’s garment as evidence of his proximity and ability to end his life). The thought of taking advantage of the King while he was sleeping, let alone killing the King, was far from David’s heart. Beware of what your friends may say. Beware of whether you are walking in the spirit or not. Seek to have a pure heart.
Beware of Your Friends
Your friends may try to persuade you with God’s word to do something that you know the Holy Spirit is preventing you from doing. Listen to God’s Spirit. Just because there is a biblical reference does not make it ok do to. “All things are lawful unto me, but not all things are expedient.” (I Cor 6:12) How many of us, in this example, would have listened to our friends? How many of us would have taken the easy road of victory over the honorable road of conviction and integrity? One whack with his sword and Saul’s head would fall as Goliath’s. The kingdom of Saul would be over and David’s fugitive-like, nomadic scurrying could finally end. But – but what about integrity? What about having the purity to do the right thing when nobody is watching.
David’s actions were calculated. He did not have any malice in his heart towards Saul at all. To kill someone, you must train your heart to do so ahead of time. David trained his heart to love his enemy.
Saul had nothing but malice in his heart towards David. He killed David several times in his heart already. What are we training our heart to do?
Beware of Walking in the Flesh
Are you walking in the Spirit? If not, you are walking in the flesh. Do you have clarity to what God is telling you to do? There are so many distractions in today’s world; we must have unambiguity every hour. How can we expect to hear him and walk with him when we are listening to ungodly counsel (Ps 1). Our minds are clouded enough with having to provide for our family; willingly filling our minds with mind-numbing and fleshly entertainment drives our thoughts further from the throne. What will a man give in exchange for his own soul? Rather, what will a man give up in exchange for preserving his spiritual vitality? Enough with the carnal TV watching and hypnotic, idiotic, online gaming. These flesh-feeding hog troughs do nothing but hinder holiness, satiate self, inflate our egos, and undermine our ability to carry our God-given cross. “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me,” said our Lord. But we indulge ourselves, forsake the cross, and follow the world. It is no wonder the world is in such sorry shape; the “church” is spiritually anemic.
We must leverage the fruit of the Spirit, self control, and focus our attention to the Word of God. We must have daily and continual communion with God. Romans 8:13-14 says it well:
13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Seek to Have a Pure Heart
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” Psalm 24
God desires that we have hearts like this. So many attempt to bring “vain oblations, incense,” and sacrifices; they are all as iniquity to God. He said it well in Isaiah 1:16: “wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.” It is all well and good to fellowship and fast; to give sacrifices of time and offerings of our resources. But God wants our heart. As a lukewarm, backslidden church, we lead with pithy, bastardized “faith.” Our faith has no spiritual substance to it. It is merely a façade; a statement or belief that is spoken and not heart-felt. “With our mouths we draw near to God but our hearts are far from Him.” “Faith without works is dead” is barely reflected on these days and since the 1530’s, James is still considered the epistle of straw.
How do we secure a pure heart? Being that our hearts are translucent before a thrice holy God, it is incumbent of us to fall at his feet and beg for mercy. “The pure in heart shall see God.” When we ask for forgiveness; when we truly humble ourselves before Him, he will forgive us and reveal himself to us. “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) When we repent from all known sin, and turn our hearts to Him, His Word, and His presence, He will flood our hearts with purity. He will deluge our hearts with love, joy, and peace. We will no longer seek to medicate ourselves on what the world has to offer. Our hearts will be whole and holy. Our desires will be His desires. Greed, selfishness, unforgiveness, bitterness, carnality, fear, etc – it all bows before the Glory of God.
Titus 2 sums up true faith. Friend – seek him with your whole heart today. Stop faking it – God sees right through you.
11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
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