Today in the Word for July 20-27
Today in The Word
Tuesday July 20, 2021
Can we be close to God’s presence and yet far from God’s heart? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. HP Eli’s sons Hophni and Phineas are tasked with the care of the ark of the covenant, and other Holy of Holy furnishings, yet we read in I Samuel 2: 12-17:
“Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord…even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw…hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.”
The High Priest’s family was to be provided for from a random piece of the meat being boiled for the worshipper’s fellowship offering. But these men wanted to pick the best for themselves. Their greed was squeezing the worshipper, and the Lord would have none of it. Enamored with their own importance, they treated the people like peons, and their worship as though it wasn’t unto the Lord. They were close to the ark (God’s presence), yet far from his heart.
May we not follow their pattern of leadership.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Wednesday July 21, 2021
Can we be close to God’s presence and yet far from God’s heart? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. HP Eli’s sons Hophni and Phineas are tasked with the care of the ark of the covenant, yet we read in I Samuel 2:22-23:
“Now Eli…heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. So he said to them, “…I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours.””
Hophni and Phineas were using their high religious position for sex. They were in the position of power, and were taking advantage of women in a lower, vulnerable position, even while serving in the presence of the Lord.
There are many who, because of their status, prey on others. Whether coaches, teachers, bosses, pastors, priests, senators, or presidents, they harass or attack the women (and children) they are tasked to protect. They abuse their position of trust to gratify their desires. And what was wicked then, is still wicked now. We are to never use our God-given position to exploit others sexually.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Thursday July 22, 2021
Can our family become an idol? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. The High Priest Eli refuses to correct the wicked actions of his sons, and the Lord’s prophet comes to him in I Samuel 2:27-29:
“ ‘…This is what the Lord says…I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. Why you you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’”
Eli’s sons were abusing both the Lord’s offering and the Lord’s people. And Eli is being called to account for not correcting them. The Lord says, ‘…you honor your sons more than me…’ His sons had bumped the Lord off of his 1st-place throne. Eli was saying, family is first, right or wrong.
And we can make our family members an idol when we excuse or even approve of their sin ‘because they are blood.’ The most important blood that we share is the blood Jesus shed on the cross to make us a part of God’s family. All others must be a distant second to the Lord.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in the Word
Friday July 23, 2021
Can we act in presumption with God? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. I Samuel 4:2-4 reads:
“…Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield…the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
So…they brought back the ark of the covenant…And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark…”
These sons of the high priest, (who were living far from God) acted in presumption. They (and the elders) thought they could make God help them. But we cannot make God do anything. His miracle is not magic we can control. He is a Person, not a vending machine we can plug the right words or actions into to get the spiritual snack we want.
God does not reward their presumption. 30,000 were lost in the ensuing battle, including Hophni and Phinehas. And the ark itself was captured.
When the Lord gives direction, we are to act in faith on his plan. But to presume to control God when facing the Enemy is to fall to the error of Hophni and Phinehas, and likely fall to the Enemy as well.
And that’s the Word. Tune in Sundays at 10:30 on the Deer Lodge Assembly Facebook page for our Livestreamed service or join us at the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Monday July 26, 2021
When God’s people lose a battle, does that mean God is weak? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. Israel had lost soldiers, the High Priest’s two sons, and the ark itself to the Philistines. Yet I Samuel 5:2-6 explains what happened to the Philistine victors when they tried to make Israel’s God subservient to their own:
“…they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning…there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off…The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them…”
The Lord was working his purposes in Israel in their defeat. They had disrespected God in presumption when they took the ark into battle. But that did not prevent the Lord from making it clear to the Philistines that all other spiritual powers are 2nd-rate. The Lord is above all.
And we must keep clear on this truth. The Lord is above all. He is above the Church and He is above the World too. He is not weak, even when his People suffer. Especially then, we must trust in God’s purposes. The Lord over Dagon is the Lord of All.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.
Today in The Word
Tuesday July 27, 2021
What does returning to the Lord look like? Welcome to The Word with Pastor David. A time of repentance came to Israel in I Samuel 7:2-4:
“Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths and served the Lord only.”
Samuel challenges the people in their repentance. He states that if they are really returning to the Lord, they must serve God only. They can’t return to God and keep their other gods on the side. They can’t have both.
In our day, the tendency is to be both Christians and entertain pagan practices as well. Returning to the Lord must be exclusive. Returning to the Lord means to trust in none other than Him. The Lord will not share worship or trust with any other idol in our life. We must listen to Samuel and worship the Lord only.
And that’s The Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.