1Samuel 28 – Necromancy?

(1Samuel 28:7)
“Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.’ ”

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Someone wrote to me and asked, “I read 1Samuel 28 the other day and after I read it was very confusing, could you please help me to understand it? Like it seems like Necromancy like I thought Samuel died then Saul saw Daniel??”

In the modern day in which we live, the paranormal has become a massive money-making machine that the entertainment industry takes full advantage of through television series, movie franchises, best-selling books, haunted houses, ghost hunters, fortune-tellers, psychic readings, etc. But this demonic agenda has been around for centuries (as we see in 1Samuel 28 as well as other ancient Near East cultures.)

Now, this particular passage of 1Samuel 28:1-25 is a story that many Christians attempt to avoid discussing yet many critics desire to shine the spotlight of attention on it because it is a surprising passage about the king of Israel seeking out a medium/witch. The word “medium” is the English translation of the Hebrew word [178] [א֖וֹב] (’ō·wḇ) [ob] (obe). Modern English versions of the Bible have translated this word into a variety of ways, including, “medium,” “ghost,” “spirit,” “necromancer,” “witch,” or “wizard.” The words “medium” [178] and “spiritist” [3049] [יִדְּעֹנִי] (yid·də·’ō·nî) [yiddeoni] (yid-deh-o-nee’) often appear together in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,27; Deuteronomy 18:11; 1Samuel 28:3,9; 2Kings 21:6; 23:24; 2Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 8:19; 19:3) as in to say, “do not seek a spirit or the person who summons the spirit.”

Some translations of the Bible use the word “necromancer,” which derives from the root meaning “to know,” with the implication of gaining special insight through communicating with the dead. The force of the equivalent word in the Greek Septuagint (pre-Christian Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) means “ventriloquizing” and is literally “traced in the belly” (i.e., “belch”). Thus, a medium was someone who seemingly called up the spirit of the deceased and communicated for them. The specific Hebrew word used in this verse could even be translated as “ghostwife” or “ghostmistress,” as if to imply a marriage bond between the spirit and the one who summons the spirit. Thus, this is an upside-down demonic mirrored image of how two become one in marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; 1Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31). This is what the devil does — he copies GOD’s designs and then flips them inside-out as a mockery of GOD’s ways. Therefore, in essence, the spirit uses the human as a flesh-puppet; consequently, rather than the human being a ventriloquist who talks for the puppet, the human becomes the puppet who talks for the spirit. And so this is a spirit — who is not the Holy Spirit of GOD — tabernacling within the human host, thereby defiling the human body, which is the temple of GOD (John 2:21; Romans 12:1; 1Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:21-22; 5:29-30; 1Peter 2:5). It’s equivalent to a pastor inviting a demon to come into his church building and speak for him. It is for this reason Paul said in 1Corinthians 10:21, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” Because the only spirit who should dwell within us is the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:4; 1Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). And it is for this reason GOD specifically and strictly commanded that no one should seek spirits or the person who seeks spirits (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,27; Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Isaiah 8:19; Galatians 5:19-20).

So, why did Saul communicate with a medium if GOD had clearly commanded His people not to do this and Saul himself had been responsible for cutting off all the mediums from the land (1Samuel 28:3,9)? Well, it was the eve of the final battle against the Philistines, and Saul desperately desired to hear from the Lord as to what to do. 1Samuel 28:5-6 says, “When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.” And out of desperation, because he didn’t get what he wanted when he wanted it, he sought a medium to contact the prophet Samuel, whom he had always trusted. But the problem was that Samuel was already dead (1Samuel 28:3). And so Saul, in his impatience, instability, and immaturity, deliberately disobeyed and willfully sinned against GOD by rebelling against GOD’s command. Thus, Saul had banned the physical presence of mediums from Israel, but he did not remove this wicked practice from his heart. And because Saul’s servants knew where to find this medium, many people most likely still went to her even though she wasn’t in Israel. In fact, En-dor was located about four miles northeast of Shunem, where the Philistine army had been camped. Hence, to consult with this medium, Saul had to somehow slip through enemy lines unnoticed. That’s a lot of effort to put forth in order to deliberately disobey the Lord. And this clearly showcased what Isaiah would later prophecy about the people of Israel in that they draw near with their words and honor GOD with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Him (Isaiah 29:13). Certainly this plan would work out in Saul’s favor, right? Wrong.

Perceived Problem:

The Bible severely condemns witchcraft and communication with the dead (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,27; Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Isaiah 8:19; Galatians 5:19-20). In the Old Testament, those who practiced it were to receive capital punishment. King Saul knew this and even put all mediums out of the land (1Samuel 28:3). Nevertheless, in disobedience to GOD, he went to the medium of En-dor for her to contact Samuel, who was deceased (1Samuel 28:7-25). The perceived problem here is that this “witch” appears to be successful in summoning up Samuel, which, if true, lends validity to the powers of witchcraft that the Bible so severely condemns. So, doesn’t the Bible contradict itself here? Isn’t this justification for participating in séances, psychic readings, tarot cards, or using Ouija boards? What’s the big deal? Saul did it and it apparently worked.

Scriptural Solutions:

First, some believe that the medium worked a miracle by demonic powers and that demons or the devil brought Samuel back from the dead. In support of this, they cite passages which indicate that demons have the power to perform miracles (Matthew 7:22; 2Corinthians 11:14; 2Thessalonians 2:9-10; Revelation 16:14).

The objections to this view, however, include the fact that death is final (Hebrews 9:27), the dead cannot return (2Samuel 12:23) because there is a great chasm fixed by GOD (Luke 16:23-31), and neither demons nor Satan himself can usurp GOD’s authority over life and death (Job 1:10-12; Mark 5:12-13; Luke 22:31-32). Further, nothing happens without GOD knowing about it and permitting it to happen (1Kings 8:39; Psalm 139:1-4,15-16; Isaiah 46:10; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Mark 2:6-8; Luke 6:8; John 1:47-48; 4:18; 11:11-15; Acts 1:24; 1Corinthians 2:10-11; 1John 3:20). Oh, and the fact that this story was not written by Stephen King, it’s not Pet Cemetery 2, and Samuel didn’t return as a demonic dead dude due to evil forces.

Second, others have suggested that the medium did not really bring up Samuel from the dead, but simply faked doing so. They support this by reference to demons who deceive people who try to contact the dead (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:11; 1Chronicles 10:13) and by the contention that demons sometimes utter what is true (Acts 16:17).

The objection to this view, however, includes the fact that the passage seems to say Samuel did return from the dead (not physically, but spiritually), that he provided a prophecy that actually came to pass (1Samuel 28:19; 31:1-6), and that it is unlikely that demons would have uttered the truth of GOD’s judgment upon Saul, since the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). Instead of lying, telling Saul only what he wanted to hear, Samuel, like Micaiah son of Imlah, spoke the truth of GOD’s judgment even though it didn’t favor the king (1Kings 22:5-28).

A third view — which I believe to be the correct interpretation — is that the medium did not bring up Samuel from the dead, but GOD Himself intervened in the situation in order to rebuke Saul for his blatant sin and pronounce judgment on him. In support of this view is the following: [a] Samuel seemed to actually return from the dead (1Samuel 28:14), but [b] neither humans nor demons have the power to bring people back from the dead (Luke 16:23-31; Hebrews 9:27). [c] The medium herself seemed to be shocked by the appearance of Samuel and she “cried out with a loud voice” (1Samuel 28:12). [d] There is a direct condemnation of necromancy in this passage (1Samuel 28:9), and thus it is highly unlikely that it would give credence to necromancy by claiming that witches can actually bring people back from the dead. [e] GOD sometimes speaks in unsuspecting places through unusual means, such as Baalam’s donkey in Numbers 22:28-30. [f] The miracle was not performed through the medium, but in spite of her. [g] Samuel seems to truly appear from the dead, rebukes Saul, and utters a true prophecy that came to pass, which is a sign of a true prophet (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). [h] GOD explicitly and repeatedly condemned contacting the dead and would not contradict this by giving credence to necromancy or witchcraft. [i] All the ancient scribes who wrote out and copied Scripture by hand were well aware of this passage and it never became a stumbling block to them because they understood what was being communicated in the passage.

Now, in response to this view, the major objections to this view are less than a few; in fact, they are two. A critic might say that the text does not explicitly say that GOD is the one who performed the miracle, and that a witch’s tent is a strange place to perform this miracle. But this is why context matters and Scripture interprets Scripture.

Saul was mentally and emotionally unstable in all his ways, completely unfit to be a king. Not only did he try to kill David several times (1Samuel 18:11; 19:10; 23:15; 24:2), but he even threw a spear at his own son at one point (1Samuel 20:33). Yet he was what the people wanted because of his good looks (1Samuel 9:2). And even though GOD warned the people that Saul was not the king they needed, they wanted him anyway (1Samuel 8:5-20). What must be understood from this story is that this was not the first time Saul had acted out from impatience, impulsiveness, or immaturity (1Samuel 13:8-14). Just because GOD did not answer him at the exact moment he wanted to hear from GOD, it did not mean that GOD would never answer him. The earlier cited example (1Samuel 13:8-14) showcases how Saul’s solution was literally right around the corner but he didn’t wait on the Lord’s timing. Instead, he took matters into his own hands and did what he was never supposed to do. And this is the exact same mistake Saul makes when he seeks out a medium. But this time, GOD Himself supernaturally slices through the medium’s superficial show, surprising the medium, and condemning Saul through the very prophet in whom he sought to place his trust. This was GOD’s doing, not the medium. GOD personally sent Samuel to shock the medium and condemn Saul. And Samuel essentially said, “Get out of the way, lady, I’ve got a bone to pick with Saul. Oh, and by the way, stop being a witch — the Lord is sovereign over everything.”

We know that it was truly Samuel because he was identifiable from his robe, which the medium saw (1Samuel 28:14). Unlike our modern clothing that is mass-produced to look exactly the same, the ancient cultures had to make everything by hand and every garment was unique. Specific garments signified particular roles or offices (Exodus 35:19; 1Samuel 2:19; 15:27; 18:3-4; 19:24; 24:4-5), which is even evident in the New Testament where disabled people possessed specific garments to identify them as legal beggars (Mark 10:50). In 1Samuel 28:12, the text tells us that despite Saul’s disguise, the medium gained knowledge that the man sitting in front of her was Saul, but it does not tell us how she came to know this. However, it seems likely that Samuel told her; otherwise, how would she have discovered Saul’s true identity? And so not only was Samuel identifiable, but he was also aware, able to communicate, and accurately repeated key themes from Samuel’s previous private conversations with Saul (1Samuel 15:18,26-28). Therefore, Samuel, who was certainly not extinct or nonexistent, gave a direct message to Saul. Moreover, Samuel gave a prophecy which came true. And so this passage simultaneously mocks the “divine” ability of mediums while also showcasing the continuity of life after death in order to foreshadow what Jesus teaches in the New Testament and what we will see again in the transfiguration of Christ when the disciples witness Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-8). So yes— there is life after death and Samuel was a sneak preview of that eternal life.

But what I find to be comical is the fact that Samuel was annoyed that he was disturbed and had to communicate with Saul yet again. I can just imagine the conversation between Samuel and the Lord where Samuel says, “Ugh! Do I really have to go deal with this guy again? How many times have I had to talk to this guy already?” But the Lord says, “Do you trust me?” And Samuel relents, “Yes, Lord. You know I trust you. Okay. Here I go…” But, as servants of the Lord, we sometimes need to do what we don’t want to do for the sake of the Father’s will being done. Why? Because GOD’s will is what is best and what is right and we place our trust completely in Him (Proverbs 3:5-7). But understand this: if only Saul would have been faithfully obedient, neither this story about the medium nor his prophetic death would have happened. In retelling the story of Saul and the medium in 1Chronicles 10:13-14, the Chronicler explicitly states that Saul died because he did not keep the Word of the Lord but chose instead to consult the dead. And because he wanted to speak to the dead, GOD delivered him to the dead.

But a critic might object, “Well, why didn’t GOD answer Saul then? Saul wouldn’t have done that if GOD had just answered him!” But that’s not the way it works. Those who consistently reject GOD’s leadership and refuse to follow the guidance GOD has already provided should not expect GOD to deliver them from trouble resulting from their own rebelliousness (Job 27:9; 35:12; Proverbs 1:23-28; Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; 14:12; Ezekiel 8:18; Micah 3:4; Zechariah 7:13; James 4:3). Choices create consequences. Saul had consistently disobeyed GOD, even murdering the Lord’s priests while trying to murder David (1Samuel 22:17-19). Saul somehow convinced himself that his sin of seeking the medium was acceptable because he was disguised and doing it in the secrecy of the dark; however, nothing is hidden from GOD (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Daniel 2:22; Matthew 10:26; Luke 12:2-3).

Examine 1Samuel 28:15: “Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ And Saul answered, ‘I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.”

I… me… me… me… I… me… I — Saul was self-centered. I wouldn’t have wanted to talk to Saul either if I had been Samuel. Saul had a hardened heart and simply refused to obey the Word of the Lord. Now, even if GOD’s silence had meant for Saul to wait, he still would have been guilty due to his impatience; in fact, it was his impatience that caused him to lose the kingdom in the first place (1Samuel 13:8-14). However, 1Samuel 28:16 makes it clear that GOD didn’t answer him because He knew Saul’s heart, knew what he was going to do, and after so many years of his refusal to truly repent, it was time for his judgment. And that’s why Samuel said to Saul, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary?” So in other words, Samuel essentially said to Saul, “So because daddy said no, you come to mommy and expect mommy to say yes? Absolutely not. The bride and the bridegroom become one. If the Father now considers you His enemy, why would I make a treaty with you? If the Lord has pronounced judgment upon you, why would I try to pardon you? If you have now been caught in the act of whoring around with this witch and committed adultery against the Lord, what does the Law declare your punishment to be (Leviticus 20:6,27)? Have you not dug your own grave and ensured your own death? I can’t help you old friend.”

We are to seek the Lord with all our hearts (Deuteronomy 4:29; 1Chronicles 28:9; Proverbs 8:17; Jeremiah 29:13). Saul swore to the medium by the Lord that no punishment would come to her (1Samuel 28:10). Not only did Saul break the Law himself (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12), but he swore on the name of the Lord when he shouldn’t have done so (Leviticus 19:12; Matthew 5:34-37; James 5:12); in addition, judgment/punishment for the medium was never his to give or take away (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27). And because Saul sought out a medium instead of the Lord (Isaiah 8:19), he brought the curse of death (1Samuel 28:19) upon himself (Leviticus 20:6; 1Samuel 15:23; 1Chronicles 10:13-14). The people of Israel should have desired the Lord to be their King, but they rejected GOD in order to receive Saul (1Samuel 8:5-20). Saul should have sought only the Lord, but he sought out a medium instead and put his trust in a mere human, Samuel. Now, the picture painted here is that humanity has free will to choose right or wrong, but when humanity rejects the King of all kings (Deuteronomy 10:17; 1Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16) and instead desires to go their own way, nothing but destruction and death awaits them. Saul freely chose his path and then reaped what he sowed (Proverbs 22:8; Galatians 6:7-8).

In conclusion, will you wait on the Lord while you act in faithful obedience to what GOD has already commanded you to do? Why would GOD bless disobedience? Why would GOD give a person Step 2 when he/she hasn’t even completed Step 1? I know we sometimes want an answer and we want it immediately, but sometimes we just need to wait and be patient. An expectancy of an immediate answer is actually a sign of immaturity.

Hebrews 6:19 tells us that our hope in the Lord is the anchor of our soul. So, don’t be like Saul who didn’t listen to the Lord, didn’t wait for the Lord, and sought out to achieve victory for himself by means apart from the Lord. Instead, be like David, whom Saul tried to murder. David was a man after GOD’s own heart (1Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) who wrote about his fearless trust in the Lord in Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”

But what would David know about waiting for the Lord? Well, David had to wait an estimated 15 years from the time he was first anointed by Samuel to the time he actually became king over Judah. It was another seven years before David was anointed king over all Israel. Meanwhile, David was being hunted down by Saul as if he were wild game, forced to hide in caves from his enemies (1Samuel 22:1; 24:3; 2Samuel 23:13). So, if David could wait 15 years for GOD’s promise to come to fulfillment, why wasn’t Saul able to wait another day? In 1Samuel 17:36-37, David said, “ ‘Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.’ And David said, ‘The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ ” And so, if David was able to boldly and confidently put his trust in the Lord against the Philistines, why wasn’t Saul able to do the same?

And what about you? Are you putting your trust completely in the Lord or does your lack of faith lead you to whore around with the ways of this world which only lead to death (Mark 8:36; 1John 2:15)? Are you waiting for the Lord? Don’t be like Saul. Don’t be impatient, impulsive, immature, self-centered, unfaithful, and condemned to death. Again, Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”

Superhero: Ability & Availability

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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This is Part 7 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary.

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In this message (Part 7), we will see that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service. But in order to do that, we must be available. If we are able, we should also be willing. Superheroes need to be able and available.

With television shows such as American Idol, The X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc., it’s obvious that our nation is infatuated with talent and entertainment. Even when our country went through a recession back in 2008-2009, box office sales for the movie theaters still boomed. With that said, I’m going to use the entertainment industry in order to help you better understand this message.

Actors Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were both slated to play the lead role in the classic movie, “Footloose” (1984). The casting directors were impressed with Tom Cruise because of the famous underwear dance sequence he performed in “Risky Business” (1983); however, Tom Cruise was unavailable for the part because he was filming “All the Right Moves” (1983). Rob Lowe auditioned three times and had dancing ability and the ‘neutral teen’ look that the director wanted, but he pulled his knee; consequently, the injury rendered him unavailable and prevented him from getting the part. Kevin Bacon was offered the leading role for the Stephen King movie, “Christine” (1983) at the same time that he was asked to do a screen test for “Footloose.” The producers from “Footloose” convinced Kevin Bacon that turning down a sure role in “Christine” for a part he might not even get in “Footloose” was the wiser choice by telling him that if he did get the part for “Footloose,” the role would make him an instant star. And in just 30 seconds into the screen test reading, Kevin Bacon was offered the lead role in “Footloose.” However, it was the director of “Footloose,” who only after watching “Diner” (1982), convinced the producers to go with Kevin Bacon. And Kevin Bacon almost didn’t get the part in “Diner” because he was sick on the day of his screen test reading for the role of Fenwick. But Kevin Bacon had previously decided that his character (Fenwick) would probably be half-drunk during the entire movie anyway, so he forged ahead, auditioned, and then got the part. And because of all this, there is now what Hollywood refers to as the “six degrees of Kevin Bacon”:

Here is the same information (as above), but put into a different perspective: Kevin Bacon only got the part in “Diner” because he made himself available for the audition even though he was sick. Because he made himself available and got the part in “Diner,” the director of “Footloose” saw him in “Diner” and then had reason to push Kevin Bacon to his producers; consequently, Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose.” However, the only reason Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose” was because he turned down “Christine” and made himself available for “Footloose.” However, Kevin Bacon was only chosen after Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe had both been unavailable.

Now, the only reason I chose to use this example was because Kevin Bacon played the evil villain, Sebastian Shaw, in the 2011 movie, X-Men: First Class. Kevin Bacon is now forever a part of superhero history and because of that, he is now in my book about superheroes. So, let’s use this message of ability and availability to see how it applies to our lives according to GOD’s Word:

“One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in a field, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you! But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. For Solomon has abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed my ways and done what is pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my decrees and regulations as David his father did.”‘ ”
(1Kings 11:29-33) -NLT

Solomon was David’s son. Solomon started out as an average man, became the wisest man (1Kings 3:5-12), but then ended up crashing and burning due to his sins. The irony is that Solomon was wise enough to foresee his downfall, but he blinded himself to Truth because he chose to set his focus on personal pleasure. Solomon’s story saddens me and not just because he was David’s son or that he had once been so wise, but because his story is like many Christians of today’s culture. So many Christians today have taken their focus off GOD’s will and have become distracted by the pleasures that our sinful society offers. Let’s examine what tripped Solomon up and how it relates to us today: GOD’s Word tells us that Solomon abandoned GOD and worshiped Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech.

Ashtoreth (Astarte, Ashtarte, Ashtaroth, Ishtar, Attar):

This deity was a mother goddess linked with fertility, love, and war. This deity was associated with carved trees or nature, as being the female deity of the moon, and also associated with sexual immorality. Sex and nature. Or as the hippies claimed, “it’s love and peace, man!” But as we learned in chapter 3, sex and love are not one and the same: sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. Love can survive and even thrive without sex, but sex without love is pleasure without purpose. Solomon ruined his life because he allowed sex to become his love. Ashtoreth was essentially the same ‘god’ that the hippies of the 1960’s worshiped. The goal was satisfaction for self. And so many of those misguided hippies of the 1960’s ended up being the people who influenced our politics and society; consequently, many of the dangerous indoctrinations and misguided beliefs have carried over into the present day in which we live. Nowadays, worship of Ashtoreth can be compared with the people who call themselves “ecosexuals” because they essentially worship ‘Mother Nature’ and center their lives on the pleasure of sex. The scattered remains of Ashtoreth are still evident in the entertainment and advertisement industries. If you haven’t noticed, sex sells. If you haven’t noticed, the lure of lust is the rust that causes a person’s stainless steel character to corrode and crumble.

Chemosh:

According to the Moabite Stone (the Mesha Stele), Chemosh was associated with the goddess Ashteroth. This deity was [in general] of the same nature as Baal (Baal-Hadid). The word baal means “lord.” Baal was most often associated with being the god of weather, war, or fertility. So, Baal was a god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Nowadays, our secular society who supports scientism essentially worships themselves as the only beings capable of ensuring the growth of crops and allowing/denying human fertility. The modern version of Chemosh or Baal is most likely celebrities and scientists. Many people idolize celebrities, viewing them as superhuman; many people essentially worship scientists, viewing them as our saviors.

 

Molech (Moloch, Molek, Melek, Malik):

Children were burned to death as a sacrifice while worshiping a false god. Nowadays, Molech can be compared to Planned Parenthood and the thousands of abortions (murders) that take place every day. As of 2018, it was estimated that Americans have aborted (murdered) about 60 million babies since our sinful society demanded the ‘right’ to do so in 1973. (Click here to read my logical argument against abortion.)

Ancient Sin Is Modern Sin:

There’s nothing new about sin; Satan is subtle, evil is deliberate, and the devil’s demons haven’t changed their tactics. Even today, people are still placing their focus on false gods and idols. And if a wise man such as Solomon was able to be beguiled by physical beauty and enticed and entranced by the temptations that surrounded him, you better believe that you are susceptible to falling as well. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we are not exempt from falling:

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.”
(1Corinthians 10: 11-13) -MSG

“God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
(1Corinthians 10:13) -NLT

“Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
(Mark 14:38) -MSG

“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
(1Thessalonians 5:6) -NLT

But referring back to 1Kings 11:29-33, Ahijah the prophet tore his cloak into 12 pieces and announced that Jeroboam was to replace Solomon as king. Even if Ahijah had not told Jeroboam what the tearing of the cloak meant, the same thing was about to happen to Solomon and to Jeroboam regardless. Most of the time, we experience only signs and symbolism in our lives without any explanations. GOD doesn’t always tell us the ‘why.’ Therefore, we need to constantly and consistently keep our focus on GOD and the ways of GOD so that we can have our eyes open, alert, and ready to see the signs that GOD gives us when they arrive in our lives. We need to pay attention, be aware of where we are and if we’re living right before GOD. We need to keep ourselves in check at all times. Indeed — check yourself before you wreck yourself! We need to constantly self-examine ourselves to ensure we’re living the right way.

“But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart’s content! You are to be the king of Israel. If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I’ll stick with you no matter what. I’ll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours!”
(1Kings 11: 37-39) -MSG

GOD declared a promise to Jeroboam while pouring out His heart and love. GOD chose Jeroboam. However, let’s be honest — GOD only chooses and works with whomever is available. Why? Because we have the great gift of free will. And if someone isn’t willing, that person would not be available. This is why GOD always promises things, but inserts special stipulations into the contract agreement. GOD can only follow through with the promise or the miracle if we do our part. This is the reason why so many people have come and gone as leaders. If there is only one choice to work with, GOD will use that person until someone better is available to use, and so on and so forth. If we are chosen as someone of great significance, as an anointed one, it’s important that we always do our best and try to continually improve. There will always be a chance that someone coming out of the shop will be better than you. A lot of people will make themselves available yet they lack ability. A lot of people have ability, but who will make themselves available? There will always be a chance that you will injure your knee at the ‘audition’ and render yourself unavailable to be chosen for the part. We don’t want to be replaced by someone because we didn’t try our best. It would be even worse if GOD replaced us with inanimate and inarticulate items such as a blue cord. We need to show up to the ‘audition’ even if we don’t feel 100%! However, if we do get replaced by someone when we do try our best, then it was simply for the best and we need to move on. But we must try our best. However, to do that we must first make ourselves available. Ability is useless without availability; if you have the ability to act yet are unavailable to act, you won’t act and thus your ability is useless.

Ponder on this: there are more chances for your replacement the higher you get up the ladder. Look at it this way: if your job is to crawl into pipes/tunnels and clean out the sewage and waste that clogged the pipes/tunnels, how many people do you think will be after your job? Not many. But if you are a celebrity with fame and fortune, how many people would want your job then? Almost everyone. The better the position you are placed in, the greater expectation of your work, and the greater the risk of being replaced if you do not meet the expectation.

“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.”
(Luke 12:48) -HCSB

“But then Jeroboam thought, ‘It won’t be long before the kingdom is reunited under David. As soon as these people resume worship at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, they’ll start thinking of Rehoboam king of Judah as their ruler. They’ll then kill me and go back to King Rehoboam.’ So the king came up with a plan: He made two golden calves. Then he announced, ‘It’s too much trouble for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. Look at these—the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He put one calf in Bethel; the other he placed in Dan. This was blatant sin. Think of it—people traveling all the way to Dan to worship a calf!”
(1Kings 12:26-30) -MSG

Jeroboam replaced Solomon as king and then wrecked himself as soon as he started because he did not check himself. Jeroboam didn’t check his motives or align himself with GOD’s Word — his focus was on himself instead of doing GOD’s will. That’s why GOD needs to always be first. If we do GOD’s will, then we will be blessed in the process.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
(Matthew 6:33) -NLT

Unfortunately for GOD and everyone under Jeroboam’s rule, Jeroboam was the man that GOD had to work with for the time being. Can you believe that?! That guy was the best man for the job as king even though he was not suited for the position at all! (I can believe it. I can think of at least a couple presidents in our American history who weren’t suited to be president.) But out of all people who made themselves available, GOD selected Jeroboam because he was the closest thing to a leader who was available. That would be unbelievable if only it didn’t match so many other descriptions of world leaders throughout our history; Jeroboam’s story matches the accuracy of what we already know to be true throughout world history. That means that the entire lot of people GOD had to choose from were just a bunch of lukewarm, fence-sitting, selfish sinners or worse. They lost their edge. Their fire went out. 

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
(Revelation 3:16) -ESV

In Revelation 3, the church of Laodicea receives no praise from the Lord. GOD states that because they are neither hot nor cold and merely lukewarm, GOD is going to spit them out of His mouth. The people claimed that they needed nothing because they were wealthy, but GOD called them wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked, and shameful (Revelation 3:17-18). GOD proclaims His love, advises they accept His discipline, and admonishes them to repent. The insipid are intolerable; their indecisiveness leads to indigestion. Indifference leads to idleness. Fence-sitting, couch-potato, comfort-Christianity receives no praise (Hebrews 10:38; 12:4-13; Proverbs 3:11-12)! In Revelation 3:20, Jesus tells us that He stands at the door and knocks, simply waiting for someone to respond and allow Him in. And when that person allows Jesus within, He will have dinner with that person. Why is this important? In Mark 2:15-17, we see that this is how Levi — a tax collector — became Matthew, the disciple. Once we allow Jesus within and we fellowship with Him, hearing His Word in itself would be the meal we would be eating; consequently, being filled with the Bread of Life, life would exude out of our very pores and we would be on fire for Christ, thus incapable of being lukewarm. This letter to the church of Laodicea concludes with a promise to the victor that he/she will have the right to sit with Him on His throne. This promise is to say that we will be part of the family and will share in His glory.

I don’t know about you, but both the stories of Jeroboam and the church of Laodicea motivates me to act righteously. If I’m not chosen as someone of great significance, that means that there must be someone out there who is a better person than I am and that he/she was chosen for the job. GOD seeks ability, but works with who is available; therefore, we need to make ourselves available!

Are you available? Have you allowed your heart to be available to GOD? Once you make yourself available, you then put yourself in the running. If you don’t get chosen for a specific job, don’t get discouraged — that just means there is someone better suited for that particular job. No big deal. That doesn’t mean that you should drop out of the running though! You are perfect for a particular job, it’s just a matter of patience to discover where GOD needs you to be. GOD knows what you are best at, what you’re good at, what you’re alright at, and even what you’re bad at. GOD wants to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He gave to you for how they would be used in the best way. Therefore, make yourself available. You cannot go to auditions if you don’t make yourself available for the auditions. You cannot get the part if you don’t audition. And when you audition, you should not give a halfhearted audition — you should put forth 100% effort and do your best while auditioning even if you don’t feel 100%. Every single new ‘audition’ is a new opportunity for you to prove that you are the right one to be chosen.

There are many roles in acting just like there are many roles that we Christians play in the huge ‘movie’ called Life. GOD is the writer, producer, director, script supervisor, executive producer, camera operator, the sound guy, the editor, etc… GOD is also the casting director. GOD created this ‘movie’ called Life; in addition, He knows who is best suited for what role. We need to place our trust in GOD (Proverbs 3:5-6). GOD places His trust in us just as a director places his/her trust in an actor/actress. It’s a mutual trust. The movie can’t be great without the actors — and the Director knows that. GOD still needs ‘actors’ and ‘actresses’ to fill the roles in Life. Are you available? Don’t concern yourself about when you will get chosen — it will happen. Patience… GOD has a specific role that He wants you to play, but there is a specific time in which He needs you to fill that role. Practice your ability, but be available always. Always go to your ‘auditions.’ Always try your best. Never get discouraged. Understand that it’s just a matter of time. And in the meantime, constantly try to better yourself as a person. There’s always room for improvement.

Jeroboam got cast as the part of the king, but I guarantee you that the audience was unhappy with the selection and the movie bombed. But Jeroboam got the part because he was the best one for the role who was also available to be used as that role. There were better men than Jeroboam (no doubt), but perhaps they were too far away in the world to be cast as the king for that particular place. Or perhaps those better men were already playing a role in GOD’s movie somewhere else. GOD knew that the movie wasn’t great with Jeroboam as king, but GOD had someone else in mind for the role of King, and His name was Jesus. That’s part of the storyline in this movie we call Life – GOD allowed bad kings so that we would appreciate the Good King. But GOD’s planning and timing had to be precise. So, GOD worked with who was available for the time being. Are you available? Let’s learn a lesson from the prophet Isaiah on how we should respond in life:

“Then I said, ‘It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, ‘See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.’ Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me.’ ”
(Isaiah 6:5-8) -NLT

Isaiah’s humility helped him realize he was a sinful man. Isaiah’s recognition of his sinful nature enabled him to repent of his sins and receive forgiveness. Isaiah’s willingness to do GOD’s will made him available to be chosen for anointed and appointed ability.

I challenge you to make yourself available! Be the most righteous person you can possibly be, be patient, and be persistent. GOD has a plan for you. To insure your availability, ensure that you are living in alignment with GOD’s Word. Live as righteous as possible. What happens when the right people aren’t available? GOD has to choose a Jeroboam or a blue cord. Be available. Don’t make GOD choose a Jeroboam because you weren’t available. Are you available? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero who feeds that homeless person on the street? Or are you going to be in the strip club thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero who tells the truth when everyone else is too afraid to speak up? Or are you going to be hiding your head in the sand thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the superhero to speak a miracle over someone’s life and help heal someone? Or are you going to be intoxicated at a party thereby rendering yourself unavailable? If you choose to love, desire to do GOD’s will, seek solutions, and are willing to sacrifice, you have the ability. But are you available? And will you help others be ready and available for when Christ returns?

“Always be ready! You don’t know when the Son of Man will come.”
(Matthew 24:44) -CEV

If you’re not ready and available when GOD calls you, how are you going to help others be ready and available when Christ comes? If you are able, you should also be willing. Be able. Be available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually

I want to talk about the word, “eventually.” Have you ever been rejected? How did it make you feel? How quickly are you able to recover from rejection? Rejection is painful and can be crippling to confidence or even paralyzing you, preventing you from reaching your purpose. Rejection is like a venomous snake bite that poisons hope. I should know – I have felt the stinging injection of rejection many times. There are many times in my life when people told me that I wasn’t good enough. And I believed them. I shouldn’t have believed them, but I did. Rejection solidifies doubts and fears and creates a concrete mixture of emotions that can crush someone’s hope if that person decides to carry that heavy burden. But if anything good is to come from rejection, the pain we feel can at least help us realize that we are alive and death has not yet arrived.

It is acceptable to experience failed attempts, but it is unacceptable to refuse to try. The very act of failing is a successful attempt of trying. Overcoming adversity is as easy as the word, “eventually.” Success comes with persistence and faith. Do not ever give up. Do not ever allow the venom of rejection to paralyze you and rot the hope within you. You can never fail so long as you never stop trying. If you don’t give up, you will eventually succeed or be honored and remembered for your faith for your ability to at least finish the race. But quitting is not an option.

When I preach a message, I usually use the Bible for references; however, I want to ensure that everyone can understand and relate to this message. I don’t anyone to feel like this doesn’t apply to their lives. So, before I use any scriptures, I want to share with you 12 worldly examples to prove that persistence and faith are necessary for success:

Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four (4), didn’t read until he was seven (7), and his teachers didn’t think he would amount to much. However, he eventually won a Nobel Prize and became the face of modern physics.

When Michael Jordan was a sophomore in high school, he didn’t make the varsity team, but his friend did. Michael went home, locked himself in his room and cried. However, he eventually led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998). He was also Five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and six-time NBA Finals MVP.

Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper company for “lacking imagination” and “having no original ideas.” If Walt would have accepted the words of his critics as truth and gave up, millions of children would have missed out on the joy he eventually brought to them. If Walt would have quit too soon after his theme park concept was trashed 302 times, there wouldn’t be a Disneyland or DisneyWorld to fill children with joy.

At 30 years of age, Steve Jobs was devastated and depressed after being unceremoniously removed from the company he started. However, he eventually fathered the Apple monopoly movement that included iPhones & iPads.

Abraham Lincoln failed in business three times, failed campaigning seven times, suffered the death of his sweetheart, and had a nervous breakdown all before ever becoming the 16th president of the United States at the age of 51.

Stephen King’s first book, Carrie, was rejected 30 times before he decided to throw it in the trash. His wife retrieved the manuscript and encouraged him to finish it. His books are now famous and have sold over 350 million copies.

Henry Ford failed at three different businesses before finally succeeding at Ford Motor Company at the age of 53.

J.K. Rowling was unemployed, divorced, raising a daughter on social security income while writing the first Harry Potter novel. Harry Potter was rejected by 12 publishing houses prior to it being accepted. Her books have now sold over 400 million copies.

Colonel Hardland David Sanders (KFC founder) had a few businesses that failed. When he finally decided to make fried chicken his business, he couldn’t sell his chicken because nobody wanted it. More than 1,000 restaurants rejected him. Colonel Sanders eventually opened up the very first KFC at the age of 62. His life essentially began at the age of 62. So, don’t tell me it’s too late for you! It’s never too late!

Howard Shultz got turned down 242 times for bank loans before he eventually raised up enough money to start up the world renowned Starbucks Coffee. He now has a net worth of over 2 billion dollars.

Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime – to a friend. A pity purchase. Despite his inability to make his passion into his profession, he kept painting and finished over 800 pieces. Today, his most expensive painting is valued at around $143 million.

Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss)’s first book was rejected by 27 different publishers. However, he eventually became a legendary children’s author. His books have sold over 600 million copies. And Dr. Seuss had a tremendous impact on my life as a young child – especially with The Sneetches.

In The Sneetches, some had stars upon thars and some didn’t. The Sneetches who didn’t have stars on their bellies, compared themselves to the Sneetches who did have stars; consequently, the Sneetches who didn’t have stars on their bellies felt like they weren’t good enough. But one day, a salesman came by and told the Sneetches without stars that he had a machine that would put the stars on their bellies and they could have stars for only a certain cost; therefore, the Sneetches paid the salesman to get the stars. When the original star-bellied Sneetches found out, they got angry because they wanted to be special. And then the salesman told them that he had a machine that could remove the star. All of the Sneetches went back and forth, putting stars on their bellies and removing them. Eventually, the Sneetches had no idea who originally had the star and who didn’t. Comparison is from the devil. And whether Dr. Seuss realized he did this or not, he created a parallel to Satan. You see, Satan is the salesman. In The Sneetches, the salesman took all they had and left the Sneetches broke. All because the Sneetches wanted to be someone they weren’t meant to be. If they had been true to themselves, the salesman couldn’t have sold them the lies that he did. Satan will sell you lies, telling you that you’re not good enough and that you will never amount to anything. Satan will try to sell you lies such as, “Well, if you only had this, you could be that.” …or, “If you looked like this, others would like you.”

Had Dr. Seuss gave up, his book never would have taught me to be myself when I was a young child. And Dr. Seuss was only one of twelve examples I gave you, but there are many more that I could have included. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with current circumstances and fall into a false belief that we will never be significant and make a difference. But GOD has a plan for us – we simply need to keep progressing forward and never give up! Don’t give up! In persistence, you can prevail! Even the snail reaches its destination eventually. What matters in the race? The start or finish? Would anyone shake your hand and congratulate you for starting the race? No. The ones who cross the finish line get the praise of a job well done. If you are alive, you haven’t crossed the finish line and you need to keep going. If you’re down, you need to get back up. If you feel left out, I’m here to invite you in!

Can I share something about myself? I am a very sensitive person and I take all forms of rejection very hard. Rejection hits me hard! I suffer from low self-esteem and lack confidence in many areas of my life. When rejection hits me, I fall down every time. I already believe I’m not good enough most of the time, but when others tell me I’m not good enough, it sends me crumbling to the ground. But I made a decision a long time ago to make a conscious effort to try even if I believe I’m not good enough to succeed; moreover, I decided that I will always put forth my best effort regardless of whether I think I’m good enough or not. It doesn’t matter what I thin about myself because I know what GOD-Almighty has told me I am: I am a child of GOD-of-the-universe! But even if I fail and I fall, I know there are many people who will help me get back up. And I want you to know that I’m here to help you get back up. I’m here to tell you that you’re important and that you matter in life. Your life matters. Your life matters to me, but most importantly, your life matters to GOD.

Now, I don’t usually ask people to look back into their past and ponder on all of their mistakes; however, I’m going to ask for you to look back for this message. But don’t worry – you won’t be looking back for long. Please go ahead and think about all of the mistakes you have ever made in life. Ponder on your regrets for a moment… I am willing to bet it didn’t take long for all them to come to the surface. Examine these three scriptures written by David:

“What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.”
(Psalms 51: 6-7) -MSG

“Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home.”
(Psalms 51: 13) -MSG

“Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.”
(Psalms 51: 16-17) -MSG

David wrote those three scriptures after Nathan the prophet confronted him about his affair with Bathsheba. Not only did David have an affair with Uriah’s wife, but David used his position and power to get Uriah killed so that he could stay with Bathsheba.

David messed up big time – absolutely! David’s mistake was an all-time epic failure and he probably would have been stoned to death had he not been king. And please keep in mind that this was the same David who watched and protected his father’s sheep when he was a nobody, before he ever became king. This was the same David whom GOD chose to be king because of his good character. This was the same David who defeated Goliath and inspired many people. This was the same David who refused to hurt Saul while Saul was trying to kill him. Is that possible? Yes. Even the best of people can make the worst mistakes.

Nathan called David out for his sins. Clarification: informing someone of their sins is not being judgmental; on the contrary, it is an action of love. If you love someone, make their sins known – that provides an opportunity for them to repent and grow. If you don’t call attention to the sins, you send a message that you condone the sins. It is possible to love the person yet hate the sin. Therefore, when Nathan called David out on his sins, he did so out of love.

Confession: I, Trenton, have [in the past] lied, cheated on tests, stolen, destroyed property, hurt people both physically and mentally, abused my own body by drowning it with alcohol, idolized the wrong people, and even killed animals for the sake of ‘fun.’ But like David, I learned true GOD-worship the day my pride was shattered and I became humbled. I have many regrets from my life in the past; however, those regrets directed me away from sin and straight to Jesus Christ.

Our corrupt culture would like to teach everyone to live life without having any regrets; however, that decision will only bring about more regrets later on in life. Y.O.L.O! You only live once! Most people use that as an excuse to sin. But I’m telling you that you only live once; therefore, we need to get this right. Now, you have one shot and that is your lifespan; however, you have many chances within that one lifespan. But living without any regrets is foolish. Buried sins will eventually get uncovered. Having regrets and feeling the guilt is a good thing! It’s healthy. Guilt and regrets can and will guide us back on the right path. However, after the initial guilt and regret, there does need to be a time when we let go of the guilt and regret in order to heal and progress forward. And please realize that there is a difference between guilt and shame. With guilt, a person realizes he/she has done wrong. With shame, a person believes he/she is the wrong and that the problem is him/herself as a whole. Shame is self-abasement and is not healthy. However, guilt and regret can be healthy so long as the person can let them go in order to heal and become a better person.

David had a great character trait which compelled him to become humbled and seek GOD regardless of the severity of his mistakes. Confession leads to repentance, which leads to forgiveness, which leads to restoration. David always strived to get back up once he fell. David didn’t allow his mistakes to keep him away from where GOD wanted him to be.

It was not GOD’s will for David to have that affair with Bathsheba, but it was GOD’s will that he repent for his sins and to align his thoughts and actions once again with the will of GOD. And David did just that! David admitted to his wrong doings, felt the guilt, felt regret, received forgiveness and then he got back on track to get right with GOD again in order to be restored!

Everyone makes mistakes, but we are not to let our mistakes keep us down. Give thanks for GOD’s grace! If it weren’t for GOD’s love and grace, we would all be trapped in misery from our past mistakes.

“Pile your troubles on GOD’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.”
(Psalms 55: 22) -MSG [see also, Matthew 11:28-30)

How loving GOD is! GOD wants us to pile our burdens of guilt and regret on Him so that our load will be light. Why? Because when our load is light, we will travel further in our journey through life and go places we never thought we could go. GOD knows we have made mistakes and will continue to make mistakes – that’s why Jesus Christ died for our sins!

I challenge you to truly take inventory of your past mistakes. I challenge you to admit them as being mistakes, and then feel the guilt and regret. But I also challenge you to pray to GOD a prayer of genuine repentance and ask for forgiveness. Ask GOD to take your burdens away from you – GOD will take your burdens away! After unloading your burdens and receiving forgiveness, I challenge you to do everything possible to live a restored and redeemed life. If you are carrying any burdens around, you need to ask yourself why you’re doing that – Jesus Christ took your burdens the day he sacrificed Himself for you. Everyone has made mistakes and has fallen. Well, now it’s time to get back up! It’s time to live right and do what is best. It’s time for dedication to righteous living.

If you have past regrets and need GOD to forgive you and remove the burdens from your life, I want to pray for you.

If you’re down and think you’re out, I’m here today to tell you that you’re not out – you are in! You are inside of GOD’s loving grace!

If you feel like you’re at a point to where you want to give up, I want to pray for you.

If you want more out of life than what you are currently experiencing, I want to pray for you.

GOD, please hear the cries of those who have heavy burdens and remove those burdens. Please fill this place with your Holy Spirit and heal us of the guilt and shame of our past regrets. GOD, I know You are full of mercy and grace and You can transform our mistakes into miracles. I know that you can restore our lives and can make us complete and whole again. I know that we may be in a difficult place in life right now, but I also know that GOD can help us to change our lives for the better. You may feel broken and worthless right now, but eventually, your life will be restored. In the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of GOD-Almighty, may it be so. Amen.

[For more motivation and inspiration, read my article: Overcome (Don’t Give Up!)]

[To find out why I am a Christian, read my article: Why I Am A Christian]

Are You Available?

With television shows such as American Idol, The X Factor, So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent, The Voice, etc., it’s obvious that our nation is infatuated with talent and entertainment. Even when our country went through a recession in 2008-2009, box office sales still boomed. With that said, I’m going to use the entertainment industry to convey my message.

Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were both slated to play the lead role in the movie, “Footloose” (1984). The casting directors were impressed with Tom Cruise because of the famous underwear dance sequence in “Risky Business” (1983); however, Tom Cruise was unavailable for the part because he was filming “All the Right Moves” (1983). Rob Lowe auditioned three times and had dancing ability and the ‘neutral teen’ look that the director wanted, but he pulled his knee; consequently, the injury rendered him unavailable and prevented him from getting the part. Kevin Bacon was offered the leading role for the Stephen King movie, “Christine” (1983) at the same time that he was asked to do a screen test for “Footloose.” The producers from “Footloose” convinced Kevin Bacon that turning down a sure role in “Christine” for a part he might not even get in “Footloose” was the wiser choice by telling him that if he got the part for “Footloose,” the role would make him an instant star. And in just 30 seconds into the screen test reading, Kevin Bacon was offered the lead role in “Footloose.” However, it was the director of “Footloose,” who after watching “Diner” (1982), convinced the producers to go with Kevin Bacon. And Kevin Bacon almost didn’t get the part in “Diner” because he was sick on the day of his screen test reading for the role of Fenwick. But Kevin Bacon had previously decided that his character (Fenwick) would probably be half-drunk during the entire movie anyway, so he forged ahead, auditioned, and then got the part.

Here is the same information (as above), but put into a different perspective: Kevin Bacon only got the part in “Diner” because he made himself available for the audition even though he was sick. Because he made himself available and got the part in “Diner,” the director of “Footloose” had reason to push Kevin Bacon to his producers; consequently, Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose.” However, the only reason Kevin Bacon got the lead role in “Footloose” was because he turned down “Christine” and made himself available for “Footloose.” However, Kevin Bacon was only chosen after Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe had both been unavailable.

“One day Jeroboam was walking down the road out of Jerusalem. Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh, wearing a brand-new cloak, met him. The two of them were alone on that remote stretch of road. Ahijah took off the new cloak that he was wearing and ripped it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten of these pieces for yourself; this is by order of the God of Israel: See what I’m doing—I’m ripping the kingdom out of Solomon’s hands and giving you ten of the tribes. In honor of my servant David and out of respect for Jerusalem, the city I especially chose, he will get one tribe. And here’s the reason: He faithlessly abandoned me and went off worshiping Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh god of the Moabites, and Molech god of the Ammonites. He hasn’t lived the way I have shown him, hasn’t done what I have wanted, and hasn’t followed directions or obeyed orders as his father David did.’ ”
(1 Kings 11:29-33) -MSG

Solomon was David’s son. Solomon started out as the wisest man and ended up crashing and burning due to his sins. The irony is that Solomon was wise enough to foresee his downfall, but he blinded himself to Truth because he chose to set his focus on personal pleasure. Solomon’s story saddens me and not just because he was David’s son or that he had once been so wise, but because his story is like many Christians of today’s culture. So many Christians today have taken their focus off GOD’s will and have become distracted by the pleasures that our sinful society offers. Let’s take a look at what tripped Solomon up and how it relates to us today:

Ashtoreth (Astarte, Ashtarte, Ashtaroth, Ishtar, Athtar) was a mother goddess linked with fertility, love, and war. This deity was associated with carved trees or nature, as being the female deity of the moon, and also associated with sexual immorality. Sex and nature. Or as the hippies claimed, it was love and peace. Sex and love are not the same: sex needs love to be meaningful; love does not need sex to be meaningful. Love can survive and even thrive without sex, but sex without love is pleasure without purpose. Solomon ruined his life because he allowed sex to become his love. Ashtoreth was essentially the same god that the hippies of the 1960’s worshipped. The goal was satisfaction for self. And so many of those misguided hippies of the 1960’s ended up being the people who influenced our politics and society; consequently, many of the dangerous indoctrinations and misguided beliefs have carried over into the present day in which we live. Nowadays, worship of Ashtoreth can be compared with people worshiping ‘Mother Nature’ and centering their lives on the pleasure of sex. The scattered remains of Ashtoreth are still evident in the entertainment and advertisement industries. If you haven’t noticed, sex sells. If you haven’t noticed, the lure of lust is the rust that causes a person’s stainless steel spirit to corrode and crumble.

Chemosh was [in general] a deity of the same nature as Baal (Baal-Hadad). Baal may refer to any god or even human officials, but was most often associated with being the god of weather, war, or fertility. Nowadays, the worship of Chemosh or Baal can be compared with people idolizing or worshiping celebrities. It can also be compared with people who base their emotions and actions off their zodiac signs and use whatever horoscopes they may read as a method of divination.

Molech (Moloch, Molek, Melek, Malik) was the god of child sacrifice. Children were burned to death as a sacrifice to this false god. Nowadays, the worship of Molech can be compared to Planned Parenthood and the thousands of abortions (murders) that take place every day. As of 2017, Americans have aborted (murdered) about 59 million babies since our sinful society demanded the ‘right’ to do so in 1973. (Click here to read my argument against abortion.)

There’s nothing new about sin; Satan and his demons haven’t changed their tactics. Even today, people are still placing their focus on false gods and idols. And if a wise man such as Solomon was able to be beguiled by physical beauty and enticed and entranced by the temptations that surrounded him, you better believe that you are susceptible to falling as well. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we are not exempt from falling:

“These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.”
(1 Corinthians 10: 11-13) -MSG

“Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
(Mark 14:38) -MSG

“So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:6) -NLT

So, Ahijah the prophet tore his cloak into 12 pieces and announced that Jeroboam was to replace Solomon as king. Even if Ahijah had not told Jeroboam what the tearing of the cloak meant, the same thing was about to happen to Solomon and to Jeroboam regardless. Most of the time, we experience only signs and symbolism in our lives without any explanations. GOD doesn’t always tell us the ‘why.’ Therefore, we need to constantly and consistently keep our focus on GOD and the ways of GOD so that we can have our eyes open, alert, and ready to see the signs that GOD gives us when they arrive in our lives. We need to pay attention, be aware of where we are and if we’re living right before GOD. We need to keep ourselves in check at all times. Indeed — check yourself before you wreck yourself! We need to constantly self-examine ourselves to ensure we’re living the right way.

“But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart’s content! You are to be the king of Israel. If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I’ll stick with you no matter what. I’ll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours!”
(1 Kings 11: 37-39) -MSG

GOD declared a promise to Jeroboam while pouring out His heart and love. GOD chose Jeroboam. However, let’s be honest — GOD can only choose and work with whomever is available. Why? Because we have the gift of free will. And if someone isn’t willing, that person would not be available. This is why GOD always promises things, but inserts special stipulations into the contract agreement. GOD can only follow through with the promise or the miracle if we do our part. This is the reason why so many people have come and gone as leaders. If there is only one choice to work with, GOD will use that person until someone better is available to use, and so on and so forth. If we are chosen as someone of great significance, as an anointed one, it’s important that we always do our best and try to constantly improve. There will always be a chance that someone coming out of the shop will be better than you. There will always be a chance that you will injure your knee at the audition and render yourself unavailable to be chosen for the part. We don’t want to be replaced by someone because we didn’t try our best. We need to show up to the audition even if we don’t feel 100%! However, if we do get replaced by someone when we do try our best, then it was simply for the best and we need to move on. But we must try our best.

Ponder on this: there are more chances for your replacement the higher you get up the ladder. Look at it this way: if your job is to crawl into pipes/tunnels and clean out the sewage and waste that clogged the pipes/tunnels, how many people do you think would be after your job? Not many. But if you are a celebrity with fame and fortune, how many people would want your job then? Almost everyone. The better the position you are placed in, the greater expectation of your work, and the greater the risk of being replaced if you do not meet the expectation.

“Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.”
(Luke 12:48) -HCSB

“But then Jeroboam thought, ‘It won’t be long before the kingdom is reunited under David. As soon as these people resume worship at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, they’ll start thinking of Rehoboam king of Judah as their ruler. They’ll then kill me and go back to King Rehoboam.’ So the king came up with a plan: He made two golden calves. Then he announced, ‘It’s too much trouble for you to go to Jerusalem to worship. Look at these—the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He put one calf in Bethel; the other he placed in Dan. This was blatant sin. Think of it—people traveling all the way to Dan to worship a calf!”
(1 Kings 12: 26-30) -MSG

Jeroboam wrecked himself as soon as he started because he did not check himself. Jeroboam didn’t check his motives or align himself with GOD’s Word — his focus was on himself instead of doing GOD’s will. That’s why GOD needs to always be first. If we do GOD’s will, then we will be blessed in the process.

Unfortunately for GOD and everyone under Jeroboam’s rule, Jeroboam was the man that GOD had to work with for the time being. Can you believe that?! That guy was the best man for the job as king even though he was not suited for the position at all! (I can believe it. I can think of at least a couple presidents in our American history who weren’t suited to be president.) But out of all people who made themselves available, GOD had to select Jeroboam because he was the closest thing to a leader that He could find. That would be unbelievable if only it didn’t match so many other descriptions of world leaders throughout our history; Jeroboam’s story matches the accuracy of what we already know to be true throughout world history. That means that the entire lot of people GOD had to choose from were just a bunch of lukewarm, fence-sitting, selfish sinners or worse.

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
(Revelation 3:16) -ESV

I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to try harder to be righteous. If I’m not chosen as someone of great significance, that means that there must be someone out there who is a better person than I am and that he/she was chosen for the job. GOD works with who is available; therefore, we need to make ourselves available.

Are you available? Have you allowed your heart to be available to GOD? Once you make yourself available, you then put yourself in the running. If you don’t get chosen for a specific job, don’t get discouraged — that just means there is someone better suited for that particular job. No big deal. That doesn’t mean that you should drop out of the running though! You are perfect for a particular job, it’s just a matter of patience to find where GOD needs you to be. GOD knows what you are best at, what you’re good at, what you’re alright at, and even what you’re bad at. GOD wants to use the gifts, talents, and abilities that He granted you with for how they would be used in the best way. Therefore, make yourself available. You cannot go to auditions if you don’t make yourself available for the auditions. You cannot get the part if you don’t audition. And when you audition, you should not give a halfhearted audition — you should put forth 100% effort and do your best while auditioning even if you don’t feel 100%. Every single new audition is a new chance for you to prove that you are the right one to be chosen.

There are many roles in acting just like there are many roles that we Christians play in the huge ‘movie’ called LIFE. GOD is the writer, producer, director, script supervisor, executive producer, camera operator, the sound guy, the editor, etc… GOD is also the casting director. GOD created this ‘movie’ called LIFE; in addition, He knows who is best suited for what role. We need to place our trust in GOD. GOD places His trust in us just as a director places his/her trust in an actor/actress. It’s a mutual trust. The movie can’t be great without the actors — and the Director knows that. GOD still needs ‘actors’ and ‘actresses’ to fill the roles in LIFE. Are you available? Don’t concern yourself about when you will get chosen — it will happen. Patience… GOD has a specific role that He wants you to play, but there is a specific time in which He needs you to fill that role. Be available always. Always go to your auditions. Always try your best. Never get discouraged. Understand that it’s just a matter of time. And in the meantime, constantly try to better yourself as a person. There’s always room for improvement, right?

Jeroboam got cast as the part of the king, but I guarantee you that the audience was unhappy with the selection and the movie bombed. But Jeroboam got the part because he was the best one for the role who was also available to be used as that role. There were better men than Jeroboam (no doubt), but perhaps they were too far away in the world to be cast as the king for that particular place. Or perhaps those better men were already playing a role in GOD’s movie somewhere else. GOD knew that the movie wasn’t great with Jeroboam as king, but GOD had someone in mind for the role of King, and His name was Jesus Christ. But GOD’s planning and timing had to be precise. So, GOD worked with who was available for the time being.

I challenge you to make yourself available! Be the most righteous person you can possibly be, be patient, and be persistent. GOD has a plan for you. To insure your availability, ensure that you are aligned with GOD’s Word. Live as righteous as possible. What happens when the right people aren’t available? GOD has to choose a Jeroboam. Be available. Don’t make GOD choose a Jeroboam because you weren’t available. Are you available? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the person who feeds that homeless person on the street? Or are you going to be in the strip club thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the person who tells the truth when everyone else is too afraid to speak up? Or are you going to be hiding your head in the sand thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Can GOD depend on you to be chosen as the person to speak a miracle over someone’s life and help heal someone? Or are you going to be intoxicated at a party thereby rendering yourself unavailable? Are you available? And will you be ready and available for when Christ returns?

“Always be ready! You don’t know when the Son of Man will come.”
(Matthew 24:44) -CEV

“Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.”
(Romans 12:2) -Voice

“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”
(Ephesians 5: 10-11) -NLT

“So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times.”
(Ephesians 5: 15-16) -Voice

“Most importantly, be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone.”
(1 Peter 5:8) -Voice

“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.”
(1 Corinthians 16:13) -MSG