Family of God: Re: [FamilyofGod] The Work of God and the Work of Man

me too!!

Shelley

FamilyofGod@yahoogroups.com (moderator)

Awake4HisReturn@yahoogroups.com (co_owner)

The_Glitter_Room@yahoogroups.com (owner)

If any man come after me , let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me

From: Wanda Ward <angelina56p47@yahoo.com>
To: FamilyofGod@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, June 14, 2011 6:42:42 AM
Subject: RE: [FamilyofGod] The Work of God and the Work of Man

Amen! I want to be that one after gods heart.
-----Original Message-----
Date: Monday, June 13, 2011 8:24:20 am
To: FamilyofGod@yahoogroups.com
From: "Michael J. Knight" <michaelnight82@yahoo.in>
Subject: [FamilyofGod] The Work of God and the Work of Man

The Work of God and the Work of Man

In the contrasting lives of Israel's first two kings, Saul and
David, we can learn some valuable lessons about God's ways.

Consider the following five areas:

1. Whose idea is it? Saul was chosen because the people demanded a king.
In doing so, they rejected God's authority over their lives (I
Samuel 8:7), wanting to make their own decisions like the rest of the
world did. David, on the other hand, was God's choice (I Samuel
13:14), signifying complete submission to God's authority.

Application: Do the decisions that you make in your life begin with your
bright ideas? Then they will end in destruction just like Saul's
kingdom did. Instead, let God be the one who decides what you need and
when.

2. How do you make choices? Saul was the tallest and most handsome man
in the country (I Samuel 9:2) and was chosen by lot (I Samuel 10:20-21).
Picking him based on these criteria was the natural way of making
choices. As a result, when he felt threatened by David later on, he had
to protect his throne by natural means. David, on the other hand, though
despised by his own family, was chosen by the prophetic utterance of
God, based not on the outward appearance, but on the heart (I Samuel
16:1-12). Since the heart is God's creation, not man's, and
since God's word never fails, David could always rely on God to
defend his throne.

Application: Is your life self-made, and something you can be proud of?
Then you will always have to fight your own battles to protect your
"turf". And, unless you repent, you will eventually be exposed
and God will remove the anointing from you, as He did with Saul. If your
life is "God-made", however, you can be sure that God will see
you and defend you, even if no one else does! The "God-made"
life is one of constant dependence on God, and that comes from hearing
the prophetic word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

3. Whose approval do you seek? Saul was led into disobedience as a
result of wanting to please the people (I Samuel 15:15), and, when
Samuel exposed his sin, Saul was more worried about his reputation
before these people than about the seriousness of his sin. His response
was, "I have sinned; but…" (I Samuel 15:30). When David's
seemingly greater sins of adultery and murder were exposed, his
repentance was without excuse: "I have sinned against the Lord,"
and he therefore received immediate forgiveness from God (II Samuel
12:13).

Application: You face the choice of either pleasing people by your life,
or serving Christ (Galatians 1:10).

4. How do you use your authority? Saul used his delegated authority to
take advantage of the people – grabbing the best of their financial
profits and using their children as his slaves – for his own
personal gain (I Samuel 8:11-17). David's use of authority, on the
other hand, is exemplified in the way he shepherded his sheep. He was
not willing that even one of the lambs under his care should perish, but
risked his own life for their sake (I Samuel 17:34-36). He was loving
and merciful even to his enemies (Saul, Shimei, Absalom, etc.).

Application: Are you unwilling to lay down your life for the sake of
those in your care? Do you derive personal gain out of your ministry?
Then God will discard you and replace you with a shepherd after His own
heart.

5. Whose glory do you seek? When Saul was established as king, he built
a monument to himself (I Samuel 15:12). David, however, lived to worship
God, and so he wanted to build a house for God (II Samuel 7:1-2).

Application: What is the goal of your life? Amid all the blessings and
peace in your life, or the hardships and turmoil, is it your only desire
to seek God's face and worship Him? God will honor you if you honor
Him.

God's covenant with David was an everlasting one (II Samuel 23:5),
fulfilled in Jesus, the "Son of David", who exemplified this
life to perfection. He is our Example, the start and finish of our
faith. Let us follow Him!

He who has ears to hear let him hear.

Remember
Only one life, will soon be past,
Only what is done, for Christ will last.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians
13:14)

Love & Prayers,

Michael J. Knight.

"By the grace of God I am what I am…." 1 Cor 15:10.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/>

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InnerVoiceMinistries/
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InnerVoiceMinistries/>

What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.