SO MANY ROADS, BUT ONLY ONE WAY

The road you may be on may be rugged today,

but never give up on the way!

In the words of a song I love, we are all searching for a better way, some find it in the arms of the world and others just aimlessly roam. If you think that you will find it on the back roads, you’ll loose precious time while you stray….cause the truth is… there are so many roads…but there is only one way! Friend may I encourage you today to find that road and put the petal to the metal and never….never ….never turn back!

In 1 Sam. 30, it begIns with David and his men arriving at Ziklag their hometown. Instead of finding rest in their homes and joy with their families as they expected, they found their hometown burned, plundered and their wives and children taken captive by the Amalekites. They were so distraught by this discovery that these warriors wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep, the scripture says. They were already exhausted from their journey. Now they were heartbroken because everyone and everything they loved and valued was gone, and they were angry over the turn of events. Their anger had turned into bitterness and was in part directed toward David, whom they felt should have had some of the men stay behind to protect their city from such a fate as this.

David’s faithful followers spoke of stoning him for this! God’s word says that David was greatly distressed. Bear in mind that David, at this point, had already been anointed to be the next king of Israel 1 Sam. 16:1-13. He had been fleeing from Saul, who wanted to kill him! His lifestyle had been anything but ideal for the last 6 or 7 years, hiding in the desert and caves from Saul who was jealous of David yet during this time, he spared Saul’s life twice. After showing mercy repeatedly to the very one who wanted him dead, he now faced this great test of multiple disappointments. This was to be the last test for David before he took the throne as king and it turned out to be the most severe. He was on the brink of blessings, even though he didn’t know it!

After David encouraged himself in the Lord (I like that part), he inquired as to what he should do. He took the right way…by inquiring of the Lord as to what he should do, instead of jumping up and running off down the road with only his anger to fuel his cause and no direction in which way he should go. He was told to pursue the Amalekites and that he would overtake them. David had 600 men, some stayed behind, and 200 others gave up to exhaustion along the way, but David and 400 men continued their pursuit. In the course of all this disappointment and frustration as they searched for their enemies, they found an Egyptian slave that had been abandoned by his master who was an Amalekite. He had not eaten anything for three days and three nights and had been abandoned three days prior because he had become ill. The slave told David that he had been with the Amalekites when they raided and burnt their hometown. He also said that he would tell them how to find their camp if David would spare his life and not give him back to his master.

They could have very easily ignored this man’s needs and taken another road with their determined desire to be reunited with their loved ones. However, they chose to show mercy on him even though precious time was ticking by. It turned out that this man was God’s means or road to providing David and the others the exact location of the Amalekites! It was a good thing for them that they were merciful to that Egyptian. Little did they know at first the important role he would play in accomplishing their goal to get their loved ones back.

Well, as God had promised, they did find the camp of the Amalekies, they fought them and won…they got their families back as well as every single item taken from them by the enemy. God restored it all. David had more than one road he could have taken, yet he knew in his heart that there was only one way and he chose it; God’s way!

May I encourage you today that no matter where you are and what the enemy is throwing at you or trying to take from you, that you first encourage yourself in the Lord Your God….and as you do you will feel the Lord’s strength begin to well up in you, and as it does, you will find that your desire becomes His desire …to do things His way and have His direction.

Here are some things that I do to encourage myself:

1st Through Prayer.

In Phil. 4:6-8, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

2nd Listen to Praise Music and Sing Praises.

Praise elevates us into God’s Presence with power. Ps. 22:3 say’s the God inhabits the praises of His people. Paul say’s that rejoicing is a safeguard in Phil. 3:1. but also in the latter part of Ps. 8:2 the psalmist say’s it (Praise) is the God-given means to silence the foe and the avenger…Saul had David play and sing praise music all the time because it eased his depression brought on by an evil spirit…whenever David would play and sing…the evil spirit would depart from Saul and he would be refreshed…1 Sam. 16:23.

3rd Encourage myself through Christian fellowship.
Nothing is sweeter than to be around other Christians who can lift you up by praying for you and being an understanding friend. 1 Cor. 15:33 encourages us to stay away from those that are not building us up in the Lord but corrupting what God is trying to do in us by bad company or friends with morals that differ from that of God. Hebrews 10:24-25 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

4th Bible study with meditation upon God and His Word.
We are to study God’s Word to show ourselves approved unto Him as His reasonable servants. The more we know His Word the more we have to combat the enemy when confronted.

5th Remind myself, reflect back on the times that God has been faithful.
Ps. 42:5,6 …Ps 9:9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. I Peter 5:7 says to cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you…..I’m feeling better already!

6th And finally…Encourage someone else.

Take the focus off myself and place it on someone else….no scripture needed here! 2 Cor 4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Now let’s take a deep breath and be on our way….remembering to love each other as we go!

I love you and have prayed for you today!

Bren