Title: Those Who Rise, Those Who Decline
Contents
※ Bible: 2 Samuel 2:1~17, 3:1
A war continued for a long time between Saul's house and David's house, and David's house was getting stronger and Saul's house getting weaker and weaker. The current life we live in is also a highly competitive society. In this world, we should grow up like David, not decline like Saul. Then we try to receive grace while thinking together how we can become prosperous.
First, the most important thing is the problem of the heart. It requires an open mind. The relationship between David and Saul is that of the first father-in-law and son-in-law, the second David is the best friend of Saul's son Jonathan, the third David is a healer for Saul's disease, and finally David is a key general in Saul's army. In this way, Saul could not be jealous of David. Nevertheless, envy and jealousy arose in Saul's heart, and as a result, King Saul's heart became narrower. As a result, King Saul became a person of decline.
Ladies and gentlemen, always in our hearts we are not free from the consciousness of comparison, and envy and jealousy can arise. At this time, we need to control our hearts, and the best way is to pray. “God, guard my heart no matter what state it is in. Bless my heart to have a broad heart.” Whenever envy or jealousy arises, I pray that the Holy Spirit will stop you so that you will become a person of prosperity.
Third, David was a forgiving man. David's son Absalom committed the unforgivable sin. He killed his older brother, and he rebelled against his father and even tried to kill his father. But David called Joab and said, “Never touch my son.” So David was a forgiving man. But what about Saul? Saul was the one who tried to kill his son Jonathan because he sided with David. David was hungry while being pursued by Saul, so he ate the showbread that the priest had given him. David ate and gave to his men. The priest at that time was Ahimelech, who helped David escape. Later, when Saul heard the news, he brought an army and killed all the people of the village, from Ahimelech the priest. He's a lonely person. How can I kill a priest?
Romans 12:19-21 “Do not take revenge on others. Leave it to me to take revenge. You must overcome evil with good, not evil with evil. Love each other and rejoice. Again, rejoice in one another. Show everyone your generosity.” This is the word of our Lord.
God makes those who forgive others prosper, but He makes those who take revenge on us decline. Do you want to be a prosperous person? Then please forgive me.
Lastly, the characteristic of those who grow is that God is with them. God was with David. God left Saul. Because David obeyed God's word. Even when he was in green pastures by still waters, he followed God, and though he passed through the valley of the shadow of death, he did not depart from God. I always worshiped God.
On the other hand, Saul was a faithful man who followed God when he went looking for a donkey. Saul followed God to the extent of saying, “Is Saul among the prophets?” But when Saul was doing well, he left God. They did not listen to the word of God, nor did they hear the word of a servant of God. So God said, "Because you have forsaken me, I have forsaken you." You said.
The 41st Super Bowl was held on February 4, US time. In that Super Bowl game, two teams, the Indiana Colts and the Chicago Bears, competed for the championship in Miami. However, the special feature of the 41st Super Bowl is that for the first time in American history, the Indiana team manager was a black man named Tony Thrown, and the Chicago Bears manager was also a black man named Robbie Smith.
As you all know, basketball, baseball, and football are all made up of black players, but the reality is that most coaches are white. So, as it is said that talent is more than a bear, black people suffered, and most of the glory for it was occupied by white directors. However, the 41st Super Bowl was played by black managers, and Indiana manager won.
The winning manager, Tony Thrown, said: "I'm so proud to have received this Super Bowl award. I am very proud to be the first African American to receive this award.” After saying that, the next words are important, “more then anything, what I am proud of more than anything else is that Chicago Bears' Robbie Smith and I are both Christians. And what I am proud of is that I am proud of the fact that I can do all things when I follow the way of the Lord.” Although he was black, he was confessing that God had shown him that he could do anything if he followed the Lord's way to the end.
In fact, Tony Thrower's only son died a few years ago. The son I loved so much died. It was heartbreaking and heartbreaking. I passed through the valley of the shadow of death. Even then, Tony Thrown had faith in God and passed through the valley of the shadow of death with God. In this way, we believe that if we continue to serve God at all times, and be together with God, we will not be declining but growing.
2007-02-16 17:15:47