Blog - Latest Posts
Crestwood Church Blog
Who did it?
So David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.” So David and his troops went ... and defeated the Philistines there. “God did it!” David exclaimed. 1 Chronicles 14:10-11We live in a thankless society, which is exaggerated by many wanting to take all
the credit for the achievements that have been made. Look at the way footballers
celebrate and movie stars strut their stuff on the red carpets.
Are we as God’s people any different? We need to be.I am not saying that we shouldn’t encourage each other, after all the bible would endorse this, but are we out, looking for the accolades, when the real glory and credit should go to God.
David stood against a mighty enemy, the Philistines and defeated them. David and his army physically beat them and yet David declares “God did it”.
Here lies a simple and yet profound lesson for us today. We may be called to fight the battles in the physical, but the battles are always won in the spiritual realm.If David had not enquired of God whether to fight or not, then the battle would
have been carried out in his own strength and not with the might of the Lord.The bible says “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12
Davidwould have been defeated and today we are often defeated, because we try and fight our battles in our own realm. If we want to see more battles won, we need to fight with the Lord as our commander and not as our medic, (to pick up the pieces after the battle).Each time giving him the glory, and enjoying the strength and might of a Holy God. Our battles to day come in different guises and forms, but whatever way they come, lets ask the Father, how to win.
At the battle of Trafalgar, history would tell us that Nelson didn’t
win, even though it was his ships that won the victory (no pun intended). It was
Lord Byron’s plan over many years that had built the British Navy to be the
force that it was. Without Byron, Nelson would have been defeated.God has made all the plans for the victories in our lives, we just need to ask him for the battle plans.
Separated by the Rock
since that time, the place where David was camped has been called
the Rock of Escape 1 Sam 23:27
When we were younger the fear of been caught by the class bully, was always a real fear for many of the guys at schools and may even have been true of some of the girls. In the chase when you are near capture someone or something happens that changes the situation, it may be a teacher or a parent or something else. But at that moment, you are assured of safety.
In this chapter of 1 Samuel, David is being chased by a king and his personal army. Capture would have led to certain death.
Then Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the
other side of the mountain.1 Samuel 23:26 NKJV
For David the place of safety was in the middle of a wilderness, but it was here that he won the battle.
So many times the battles of our Christian life are fought and won in the desert, it is here when we are open prey to the enemy, but it is here also where God can become so real.
When life is all rosy and going in the way we expect it, God can become less important, but in the wilderness, often we have only God to cry out to.
The rock was more than a rock, more like a mountain and it was this rock that he was able to hide behind. The enemy was still there, but shielded from view, a few 100 metres was all that separated David from Saul, but it was what was in between that made the difference.
When we realise what is in between, we can have assurance and confidence of a bright tomorrow.
Our rock of escape is not a physical mountain, more than that, it is a tangible God who has rescued us from the valley experiences of this world. No wonder David could sing “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.” Don’t forget to sing about our Rock; what a mighty God we serve.
Labels: David, protection, Rock, victory
The Greatest Freedom
What if the Lord had not been on our side? Let all Israel repeat: What if the
Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us? They would have
swallowed us alive in their burning anger. The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
Yes, the raging waters of their fury would have overwhelmed our very lives.
Praise the Lord,
who did not let their teeth tear us apart! We escaped like a bird from a
hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free! Our help is from the
Lord...Psalm 124
And yet, the reality is, not knowing Christ is to be caught in a trap far greater than the hands of Palestinian extremists. It is to be caught and imprisoned with the great imprisioner, Satan. Where in our own strength there is no hope.
As believers we have little understanding of what the future holds for those who cling onto their own lives and fail to hand over the keys of it to Christ, and as a result we have only a small understanding of what we are saved from in the first place.
Christ has come and torn down the walls of separation and has rescued us as a bird out of a trap, without him we are swallowed up, we are beaten.
How we feel in this world, may seem hard to handle at times, but when we realise what Christ has done in setting us free we should rejoice and praise him with all that we have.
In the past when as a nation we have won victories in war over our enemies there is mass celebration, there will be celebrations in the Johnston house this week, there will celebration when people are released from prisons, there will be celebrations of freedoms of different kinds right across the globe. And yet at times the people of God fail to get excited about the victories that are already theirs in Christ.
We often hear, "but to get excited outwardly is just not a part of our character, we’re British," lets put aside our “Britishness” and be Children of God first and foremost and celebrate more enthusiastically when we join together what we are free from...sin, death.
And what that freedom has bought us...union with the Almighty God, for eternity.
Children and Heirs with Christ...Halleluiah for all that Christ has done.
Archives
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- May 2008
- June 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
- September 2008
- October 2008
- November 2008
