“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Psalms 118:6 NKJV

There is so much fear and stress in the world today that you can actually feel the pressure all around. Our verse today reminds us that in this world we have nothing to fear! I am immediately drawn to the words of our Lord and Savior,

““Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].” Matthew 11:28 AMP

True peace can only be found in a relationship with the One who gave His life for us! Being religious isn’t the answer! Being charitable isn’t the answer! Even serving in church isn’t the answer! Knowing Him and the salvation He offers is the only safe harbor to pull into in the middle of these storms! The problem is that many will not acknowledge that He is the answer! As Jesus walked among them, they still rejected His call!

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I have wanted to gather your children together [around Me], just as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were not willing!” Luke 13:34 AMP

They were not willing! As we watch the events of the day unfold, we can be assured that everything is under His control. Many times, when the people were in disobedience, God allowed them to reap the rewards of their desires. This led to them remembering the way of God and to fall in repentance.  Don’t question the providence of God; sometimes people get what they ask for! When the people went to Samuel and demanded a king, God told them what would happen.

“So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself to his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. 12He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16He will take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. 17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his servants. 18Then you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you on that day [because you have rejected Him as King].”1 Samuel 8:10-18

Was it God’s intention that they suffer the consequences of their actions? No, of course not! It was because of the hardness of their hearts that “they choose” to reject God’s rule. Now we know that God raised up a “man after His own heart” in due time but the people still had to make a choice! Remember the call of God?

“and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 AMP

Do you see it? “(crave, require as a necessity).” It takes a repentant heart to move the hand of God! We have a great and excellent promise in our standing in Christ,

“What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?” Romans 8:31 AMP

If that be true then we should, with all our, hearts, mind, and soul be trusting in the One who gave it all to save us! Have a victorious day! Pastor Ken