messenger – Praying Pint

43.z. “Wilderness” – 8.f. “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way”

Exodus 23:20  “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

Exodus 14:19    Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them

Psalms 91:11   For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Isaiah 63:9   In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Malachi 3:1    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

The Book of the Covenant terminates, very appropriately, with a series of promises. God is “the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” He chooses to “reward men after their works,” and to set before them “the recompense of the reward.” (Ellicott)

It is here promised that they should be guided and kept in their way through the wilderness to the land of promise, Behold, I send an angel before thee, mine angel. The precept joined with this promise is, that they be obedient to this angel whom God would send before them. (Henry)

The declaration of the rights conferred by Jehovah upon His people is closed by promises, through which, on the one hand, God insured to the nation the gifts and benefits involved in their rights, and, on the other hand, sought to promote that willingness and love which were indispensable to the fulfilment of the duties incumbent upon every individual in consequence of the rights conferred upon them. These promises secured to the people not only the protection and help of God during their journey through the desert, and in the conquest of Canaan, but also preservation and prosperity when they had taken possession of the land. (Keil)

THE REWARDS OF OBEDIENCE. God always places before men” the recompense of the reward.” He does not require of them that they should serve him for nought. The “Book of the Covenant” appropriately ends with a number of promises, which God undertakes to perform, if Israel keeps the terms of the covenant. (Unknown)

God’s promises for obedience and warnings for disobedience are consistent.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

34.q. “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Malachi 3:1-2    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.  But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

John 2:14-17  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.  And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.  And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Deuteronomy 14:24-26 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there,  then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses  and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

The part of the temple which he now visited, and which was profaned to secular use, was the court of the Gentiles, separated from the sanctuary by a stone partition, and considered of lesser sanctity, though really an integral part of the temple. In this large open space a market had been established, with the connivance, and much to the pecuniary emolument, of the priests. These let out the sacred area, of which they were the appointed guardians, to greedy and irreligious traders, who made a gain of others’ piety. (unknown)

Pilgrims came from all parts of the world to keep the Passover, to offer their sacrifices, sin-offerings, or thank-offerings, according to the circumstances of each case. They did not bring their live sacrifice with them. What plan, it might seem, could be more convenient than that they should find a market where they could buy them as near as possible to the place where the sacrifice was to be offered? One of the courts of the Temple was therefore assigned for the purpose, and probably the priests found their profit in the arrangement by charging a fee or rent of some kind for the privilege of holding stalls. The pilgrims brought with them the coinage of their own country—Syrian, Egyptian, Greek, as the case might be—and their money was either not current in Palestine, or, as being stamped with the symbols of heathen worship, could not be received into the Corban, or treasury of the Temple. For their convenience, therefore, money-changers were wanted, who, of course, made the usual profit, on each transaction. We must picture to ourselves, in addition to all the stir and bustle inseparable from such traffic, the wrangling and bitter words and reckless oaths which necessarily grew out of it with such a people. (Ellicott)

A harbour of wicked men; a place where traffic is carried on by persons of the most infamous character, who live by deceit and oppression, and practise the vilest extortion, even in the house of the most righteous and blessed God. (Benson)

If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils he would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practised under the cloak of religion, would he show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer! (Henry)

The people coming to Jerusalem were coming to observe the “Passover” in remembrance of the 10th plague against the Egyptians, where God freed the Israelites from slavery over 1,500 years ago. This day was never to be forgotten. This day was to be remembered for all generations. It was a time to give thanks to God for what He did and to also perform sacrifices in line with forgiveness, obedience, and thanksgiving. Surely there were people, who, out of a pure heart to God, made long journeys for this observance. When they got there they were met with greed and extortion. God’s temple was not to be a place of this.

With the age of computer technology and social media, the Word of God is more than available to any who searches for it. I have seen this great availability occur in my lifetime. I remember when you would hear a preacher on the radio and send off a letter and wait to get the outline for the bible study. There wasn’t much chance you could hear a full message series. I am not sure when it happened, but happened it did. Soon, some of these preachers would offer these in book form for the price it cost to print. Fast forward to today. Now we can hear, or go to a website and listen to the whole message series. Never before have the Word of God and God-honoring messages been so accessible to people across the globe. There are many seeking souls who hunger for growth in God’s Word and its availability is beyond full understanding. Some preachers use this opportunity to reach the lost and feed believers with truth. Others, however, use it as a means for profit just like these money changers and animal sellers. They market God’s Word. You listen to a message, you sign up to get on a mailing list, and the next thing you know you are getting offers to buy the latest and greatest series on whatever, that will walk you through life problems, open your eyes to new truths, give you purpose in this life, make you more financially stable, how to handle difficult people, how to find peace, how to be more effective in your Christian walk, etc……….. for a price. They market and sell. There is little difference between what Jesus drove out of the Temple and what these people are doing. They have adopted the way of this world into a practice that is not honoring or glorifying to Jesus Christ. It is not that selling is wrong but the way in which it is being marketed and sold. God’s Word and messages of understanding and application should be made available and making this availability known is good. To market, it is not. To gain profit is not. To gain fame is not.

Over 50 years ago Dr. J. Vernon McGee, a great man of God, started a daily radio 5-year through the bible series. Just prior to his death 34 years ago he told his staff to continue with this broadcast until the money ran out. To this day it is still being broadcast. It was not by marketing and selling but through the Hand of God that it still exists on the air.

I often listen to him and many others on the radio. I have no doubt there are many pastors who have support staff who take care of the “business” side of their ministry where marketing and selling are being managed like a product to be sold. The next time you are listening to someone on the radio, listen for the marketing that usually comes just before the conclusion of the message or at the end. Do not allow yourself to think this is ok. It is not. Do things of God need to be marketed? Can He not fund these? Does He need earthly and worldly wisdom to figure out ways to fund broadcasts, books, podcasts, and publications? I fear too many have fallen into seeing this type of marketing and selling as it being ok. It is not. If it is God’s will then it is God’s bill. He will supply what is needed. It is not by gifted marketing strategies or flooding email accounts with pleas. It is by the will of God.

There could be many arguments made against my thoughts on this and all of them would have some merit, but at the end of the day incorporating worldly techniques to market and sell is just not right or good for the people of God.

32.k. “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Matthew 11:7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Mark 9:11-13 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Luke 1:15-17 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Malachi 3:1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty

“John had often borne witness to Jesus; now Jesus bears witness of John.” John was a servant, prophet of God, a special messenger, and yet, He was considered the greatest under the Old Covenant but second even to the least in the kingdom of God under the New Covenant. “As we may say, as a rule, that the darkest day is lighter than the brightest night; so John, though first of his own order, is behind the last of the new or Gospel order. The least in the Gospel stands on higher ground than the greatest under the law.” (Spurgeon)

I must say I do not fully understand this. The Old Covenant Law pointed to the need of cleansing from sin, and by faith people trusted in what God said about sacrifices for cleansing of their sin. It was not the act of the sacrifice but rather by faith trusting in what God said. There is a big difference in trusting the act (sacrifices) and trusting in God. One says I am clean of sin because of the sacrifice I do, and the other says I am clean of sin only because of God’s grace and mercy allowed through a sacrifice.

The New Covenant proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ, the sacrificial lamb for the forgiveness of sin. One sacrifice for all of a persons sin. Where the Law pointed to the need for cleansing and a continual sacrifice for sin, the New Covenant, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, proclaims one sacrifice for all sin. Both the Old and New Covenant required Faith in what God said and not what man does or thinks is right.

14.k. “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’’

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

Malachi 3:1    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

Acts 13:24    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Matthew 11:10    This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Acts 19:4    And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:4    who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9    The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

After Malachi, there was a famine. Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. This famine lasted greater than 400 years and then there was John. You have to know there were some Jewish people looking forward to this day. They knew the scriptures that spoke of one coming to prepare the way. They would be seeing every day as a new day closer to the coming of this messenger who was going to usher in the coming of the Lord. And then all of a sudden there was John proclaiming repentance and the baptism of repentance. He was preparing the way for the new covenant, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was not the light but was witness to the light.

When you give thought to this you start to lay the foundation of God’s Grace, Mercy, and Love in your heart. This foundation shows just how much God cares for every single person and how He not only sent a messenger to bear witness to the light but also to prepare the way for each of us to understand salvation and believe in Jesus Christ. God’s plans and timing are perfect. God’s plan was for a famine of hearing His Word, a messenger to prepare the way, and to send His Son. Whenever you might think God’s love is far off remember how He reached out to you and all of mankind through the messenger, John, and through the redeemer Jesus Christ.

14.c. ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,”

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts

Matthew 11:10-11    This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

Luke 7:26-28    What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’  I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

John 1:6-7    There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

Acts 13:24-25    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

Isaiah 40:3-5  A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Acts 19:4    And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

After the prophet Malachi, there was no prophetic voice heard for approximately 500 years. With a prophet at least the people had a choice to listen to and obey what was being said. Amos foretold of this time; 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Without a prophet, there were multiple groups formed who were claiming the right to interpret scriptures and lead the people. The understanding of God diminished and confusion ruled. New traditions and rules were common. Along comes John the Baptist and though he was clearly revealed in scripture, John was not recognized as the prophet/messenger preparing the way. The famine of hearing the word of the Lord has an effect on mankind. Jesus Christ was not recognized.

Imagine what it must have been like for that first generation to have no more prophets. Generations after this one surely must have been looking for one to come for scriptures were full of examples of prophets sent by God to lead, warn, plead, and encourage the people. Yet, when John the Baptist arrived he was not recognized as the messenger preparing the way for the Messiah. A famine of God’s Word has an effect. It starves the heart mind and soul of the Bread of life and living water. Today there is a famine but it is not caused by Jesus Christ but rather by intentional choice. The intentional choice to neglect God’s Word. Self-induced famine. What do you suppose replaces this eternal life-giving food? Things of this world and it’s shallow satisfaction of the present and denial of the future cost to the heart, mind, and soul is what it replaces. After a while of self-induced famine the heart, mind, and soul live on the dung of this world and think it tastes good. Their hunger for the bread of life and living water is not even a memory anymore. Do you find yourself unsatisfied, confused, anxious, and worried? It could be a sign that you are starving. Come to the Word of God and eat freely from its words. You will find a fulfilling satisfaction with an unending hunger for more.

14. “If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name”

Malachi 2:1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Their (sin) humble service and obedience to God turned into a hollow formality, false piety, and honor lacking worship of Him. It was a service of outward pretending and saying the right things but never from their heart. I recently read this about what it means to be a humble and obedient servant of Jesus Christ. Fear and reverent before His name, speaking the truth, walking in peace and justice, knowing God’s Word, and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Being steadfast in these commitments comes from the heart, mind, and soul. It comes from and through the living water spring of Holy Spirit dwelling within the hearts, minds, and souls of those who are intentional in their commitment, walk, service, reverence, obedience, and worship of Jesus Christ. There is peace, joy, hope, power, refuge, and many more blessings given to those whose heart, mind and soul seeks and desires to honor, follow, trust, and obey. How can a person become nothing more than a robot in their service to God? It is when they take their eyes off of Jesus Christ, neglect His Word, and allow things of this world to capture their heart. What can be so important in this world the creator of it is cast aside for the things created? To know God’s Word is more than just reading it. It must be something cherished. It must be something desired more than the things of this world. It is the promises of God. It reveals the love and power of God. In it we find peace, joy, hope, power, courage, and refuge. Too many times it appears people just want enough of it to get the blessings of eternity in heaven and they forget the purpose of knowing God through His Word is to be ever-increasing in humble service, knowledge, understanding, honor, worship, obedience, and reliance in Jesus Christ for taking away our sin. There is no room in the heart for commitment and service to two masters. We will either serve one or the other. Begin today with a new commitment and intentional choice to give all your heart, mind, and soul to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. Repent if you have been pretending and performing. Turn away from that which will rob your soul of knowing and honoring Jesus Christ. Do not be hollow in your commitment and service to Him.

13.a. “God put such a thing as this into the heart of men who hunger and thirst”

Haggai 1:13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

2 Chronicles 36:22     Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

Ezra 1:5     Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 7:27    Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king,

We do well to know and believe that God can and does stir the hearts of man. He will stir them to accomplish His plans and purposes. This stirring comes to a heart that is willing. We see many times where God sent prophets to stir the hearts of His children and they stiffened their necks and hearts against it. Their reward was more hardening and deafness to the things of God. When there is no appetite for the things of God, spiritual food will not be consumed. When there is no hunger and thirst for spiritual food the bread of life and living water will not be sought. Though there is not an appetite for spiritual food there obviously is appetite for something. We will choose to fill the voids in our life with something satisfying. We will search after and chase after and seek after something in this world that will satisfy the appetite of our soul. We will jump from one thing to another and find our searching, apart from things of God, will not satisfy our souls hunger. Oh that God would stir the hearts of us to hunger and seek after Him. Oh that God would open our eyes to things of this world that we have allowed to corrupt our hunger and thirst for Him.

10. h. “The people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’”

Obadiah 1:1 Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: “Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.

Proverbs 16:18    Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23    One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Jeremiah 48:29-30    We have heard of the pride of Moab— he is very proud— of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his heart.  I know his insolence, declares the LORD; his boasts are false, his deeds are false.

Malachi 1:4    If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’”

Obadiah wrote this shortest book of the Old Testament probably soon after the armies of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem (586 b.c.). During this conquest, the people of Edom helped capture fleeing Israelites and turn them over to the Babylonians. They even took up residence in some Judean villages. This angered the Lord, for the Edomites, as descendants of Esau, were related to the Israelites (Gen. 25:21-26, 30) and therefore should have helped them. Obadiah prophesied that Edom would be repaid for mistreating God’s people. Obadiah also asserted that God is sovereign over the nations and that the house of Jacob would be restored because of God’s covenant love for his people.

The spirit of pride is a parasite upon the souls of men. It never forgives. Nor will it receive forgiveness. So the human hearts over which it rules remain “unforgiven”. The Edomite nurses his anger; he “keeps his wrath forever”. And he never surrenders to God. He remains “unforgiven”. He never finds peace with God, peace with his fellow man, or peace with himself. Unless he repents, he cannot be saved from the wrath to come. He goes to the judgment shaking his fist at God. And descends into the fires of hell in a torment that will last forever.

121. The time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab

2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.

Note; In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. David did not go as was accustom of all kings. He stayed back. He became complacent and neglecting of his role in God’s purpose for him. He made a decision, a choice, to neglect what God had called him to do. Remember what God said about David. “A man after God’s own heart”. If such a man can fall into sin through neglect and complacency, do we think we are not capable or need to be mindful of our sinful nature and how easily it can overtake our want and desire to humbly serve God? It will dilute our view of God, our ability to honor Him, and our want to follow and obey Him. We will no longer cling to Him, rely on Him, or trust in Him.

Joni Eareckson Tada – “We can’t afford to be complacent about God’s glory. The fact is that putting your Christian life on autopilot is the same thing as “walking in the flesh.” When we become unaware, when we take something so precious for granted, our prayers become tedious, witnessing becomes dry, jobs become lackluster, and relationships sag under the weight of selfishness. What’s worse, our communion with our Savior and best friend turns into a chore. The Lord Himself seems to lose vitality in our estimation; He becomes little more than a wooden icon in our hearts, a mere measuring rod for our behavior—someone who purchased our salvation once upon a time, someone in whom we believe in a general, distracted sort of way.”

Take a review of your life. Take all of your thoughts captive and place them in the light of God’s word. Expose each nerve ending to His word and become sensitive to sinful desires that want to make you walk apart from Him. Complacency and neglect are satan’s fruit and though it looks beautiful and tastes sweet it will rob you of the bread of life, the water of life, and the very breath of God in your life.

If His word is not in your life every day beware.

6. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice

Exodus 23:20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

Malachi 3:1    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

Isaiah 63:9   In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Psalms 91:11     For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Numbers 20:16    And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

Exodus 33:14    And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Hebrews 12:25    See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

Hebrews 3:10     Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’

“Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice” – “They always go astray in their heart” – “They refused him who warned them” – “if we reject him who warns from heaven” – “they did not escape when they refused” These verses indicate the natural intent of man’s heart. They are given to make us aware of this intent and not to yield to it.

“I will send an angel to guard you” – “Bring you to the place I have prepared” – “he will prepare the way” – “he redeemed” – “Lifted them up” – “carried them” – “guard you in all your ways” – “heard our voice” – “Brought us out” – My presence will go with you” – “I will give you rest” These verses are what is being rejected. They are the promises of God and examples of what to be mindful of in ruction found in the natural intent of the heart of man.

Being mindful of these intents of the heart should drive us to our knees with humble confession. These examples should make us aware of how the world follows this intent. They should draw us to His word each day to keep the light of His holiness, power, strength, might, and love in our heart so that we are not led astray by the way of the culture we live in. Being complacent and neglectful of His word leaves us powerless, blind, and deaf to His leading and guidance.

Dedicate your whole heart, mind, and soul toiIntentionally commit to humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, and obeying Him. Read His word each day with the intent of being fed, led, and being filled with the love of God.