Love you all, praying for you,
Do you know one thing I just love about God. He speaks! Through His Word by the Holy Spirit, through our spirit by the Holy Spirit, through situations and circumstance, through nature, through observations of others, and conversations and counsel. Have you ever had someone tell you something that you really needed to hear? That stopped you from doing something stupid? How valuable is that? An amazing story from David’s life - God’s love for Him through counsel. David, anointed to be King is being chased by Saul – for no other reason than jealousy. He had men join with him – 600 fighters, outnumbered by Saul’s 3000 soldier searching parties. Not that they couldn’t defeat them, but David didn’t want to kill his fellow Israelites. He was going to be King over them someday – and that would be the wrong foot to start off on. Plus He refused to lift his hand against God’s anointed. He trusted God to do what He said - in His own time. Running around from cave to cave – and trying to feed 600 men when some of them would just as soon steal to get a meal, was no small task. Here’s what happened. David moved his men into the Desert of Maon. A very rich man lived there named Nabal. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep. He had a wife named Abigail, the Bible says she was an intelligent and beautiful woman. But her husband Nabal was an idiot. All the while David’s men were in the region – nothing of Nabal’s was missing. When Nabal was shearing sheep at Carmel, David sent some men to honor him and request any gift that he might have in his heart to share with David’s men. Nabal answered David’s servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where." First of all, not one person in all of Israel hadn’t heard of David – who killed Goliath and saved Israel from the Philistines – who led the army in multiple successful campaigns, and who was pursued by Saul even though he committed no crime. Without David's victories, Nabal's herds would have belonged to the Philistines by now. When David’s men returned to him and told him what Nabal said… David was livid. David said to his men, “Put on your swords,” and 400 men descended on Nabal at Carmel. Meanwhile, a servant ran and told Abigail what had happened, how Nabal had insulted David’s men, despite the goodness and kindness they had shown Nabal. The servant said to Abigail , “Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.” The Bible says - Abigail lost no time. She loaded many donkeys with food and supplies, and without telling Nabal – went out to the desert. I Samuel 25:20 - As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, “It’s been useless – all my watching over this fellow’s property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off of her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, ”My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name – his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent. Now since the LORD has kept you, my master from bloodshed, and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD’s battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant. Wow. This is a highly skilled woman. And she shares textbook Godly Counsel. First God sent her – Godly counsel is God sent. Second it is timely – just in time. Third it always honors God and His purpose and higher plans. Fourth it always steers you away from sin – to Godliness and righteousness. Fifth – it points you to do what God wants you to do, not what you want. David was justified in his action, but God didn’t tell him. Just because its within your rights, doesn’t mean it’s right. She started in humility, she called out his mis-attention (pay no attention to Nabal. Most people make poor decisions because they are focused on the wrong things, their attention is in the wrong place). She spoke of the promise of God and the impact of decisions on his future. Not only did she dissuade him from sinning this time, but she admonished him never to act in his own will for the rest of his life. She reminded him of who He was, and what God had called him to - he fights the LORD’s battles, not his own. She reminded him not to shed innocent blood that would have stained his legacy, and reminded him what God says... that vengeance is mine saith the LORD. She reminded him of the promise of God – and communicated it in a way that he would understand. He knew how slings worked… This was an intelligent and highly skilled communicator. And her heart was the heart of God. She was looking at God’s purpose and plans for all of Israel, the greatest benefit for David, not just saving her husband from his own foolishness. David recognized immediately the voice of God through her words. David said to Abigail, Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. David recognized this counsel was sent to him from the LORD. Sometime you get God’s counsel unsolicited, but it is wise to obey God’s word – and seek a multitude of Godly counsel. Don’t do things without giving yourself the best chance for success. And as always – we always think of ourselves as the receiver. But are you like Abigail? What counsel do you give? Is your heart after the things of God's heart, so your Words are the Words of God? Praying that you will give Godly Counsel – that you would be soaked in His Word – and in His presence, so you would know his heart. So you could be the Abigail that God sends to others – at just the time that they need it. PRISM and His Presence is how you get God’s heart – praying that you will always be drawn to His heart – so your words will be His Words. Love you all, dad
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