Good morning,

Why did the children of Israel want a king? Please read 1 Samuel 7-8 and the attached notes to find out. What does good parenting have to do with this? How big is our God? Do we allow God to rule and reign in our lives?

SAMUEL, PRIEST AND JUDGE OF ISRAEL

1 Samuel 7-8

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (8:7)

INTRODUCTION

Eli’s sons caused the nation of Israel to transgress. Eli’s successor, Samuel, had his own family issues.

Samuel Priest and Judge of Israel

After the death of Eli, the Philistines ruled over Israel for twenty years. Then Samuel said, “And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.⁴ Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.” (7:3-4)

Samuel prays, God answers

Samuel prayed, sacrificed, and cried unto the Lord for Israel. Israel repented, humbled themselves, and trusted the Lord. God gave Israel victory over the Philistines. “So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.¹⁴ And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.¹⁵ And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.” (7:13-15)

Samuel’s wicked sons

Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story. Samuel grows old and made his sons judges over Israel. His sons, Joel and Abiah, were wicked. “And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.² Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.³ And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.” (8:1-3)

Elders of Israel demand a king

The elders of Israel come to Samuel. They tell him that they do not want Joel and Abiah to judge over them when he dies. The elders demand a king. “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,⁵ And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.” (8:4-6)

Samuel did not train his sons in such a way that they obeyed the Law of Moses. Because of their disobedience, it caused the elders of Israel to demand a king. Although the Bible characterizes Samuel as a Godly man, who taught the nation of Israel well, his sons did not.

The elders of Israel no longer wanted God to rule over them, but they desired a man. “And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” (8:22) How sad!

Men still reject God

And yet, as we share Christ with the unsaved and they reject Him, they have not rejected us, but have rejected Jesus. As believers in Christ, we are commanded to “Go”. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) It is our duty to tell others about Christ. It is the Holy Spirit’s work to bring them to Christ. It is not our job to win souls. We are to proclaim the Good News of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection.

Our King is Jesus Christ.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

This weekend I was running up against a deadline for my submission to the People’s Paper. I had the topic, back ground material, and fuzzy outline. However, I did not have the motivation to write. I now know why.

The article I had in mind was not the article God had in mind.

I received a call Monday morning detailing a story that needed to be told. That article will be in the People’s Paper on 17 July.

God tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8) God wanted me to write something different and caused me to wait. “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Psalm 27:4) He also enlightens us.

Believers in Christ must be willing to wait on God. Today we can have anything we want, any time we want. Unfortunately, to get those things, we often make poor decisions. Those decisions have consequences. We may go in debt, pay too much, buy an inferior product, or just rebel when God says wait.

God wants us to patiently wait on Him.

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Psalm 37:7)

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” (James 5:7)

This is a good challenge for all of us.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

Every day we are confronted with trials and tribulations. Some days are better than others. Whatever we are going through, God knows. God can take care of all our situations. There is nothing impossible with God.

I hope this is an encouragement to you.

When it lays its head on the pillow of God’s omnipotence!

(J.C. Ryle)

“With God nothing shall be impossible!” Luke 1:37

Let us mark the mighty principle which the angel Gabriel lays down to silence all objections about the incarnation: “With God nothing shall be impossible.”

A hearty reception of this great principle is of immense importance to our own inward peace. Questions and doubts will often arise in men’s minds about many subjects in religion. They are the natural result of our fallen estate of soul. Our faith at the best is very feeble. Our knowledge at its highest is clouded with much infirmity. And among many antidotes to a doubting, anxious, questioning state of mind, few will be found more useful than that before us now–a thorough conviction of God’s omnipotence. With Him who called the world into being and formed it out of nothing–everything is possible. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

There is no sin too black and bad to be pardoned. The blood of Christ cleanses from all sin.

There is no heart too hard and wicked to be changed. The heart of stone can be made a heart of flesh.

There is no work too hard for a believer to do. We may do all things through Christ strengthening us.

There is no trial too hard to be borne. The grace of God is sufficient for us.

There is no promise too great to be fulfilled. Christ’s words never pass away–and what He has promised, He is able to perform.

There is no difficulty too great for a believer to overcome. When God is for us–then who shall can against us? The mountain shall become a plain!

Let principles like these be continually before our minds. The angel’s maxim is an invaluable remedy. Faith never rests so calmly and peacefully–as when it lays its head on the pillow of God’s omnipotence!

~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

Good morning,

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

The Bible tells us to rejoice in the Lord. How do we do that in this present world? The news is filled with all sorts of evil. Wars, conflicts, massacres, are daily occurrences.

Read Psalm 118 and you will be encouraged by God’s mercy, deliverance, protection, strength, and salvation.

God’s mercy (1-4)

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.² Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.³ Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.⁴ Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

God’s protection (5-7)

I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.⁶ The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?⁷ The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

God’s trustworthiness (8-9)

 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.⁹ It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

God’s helpfulness (10-13)

All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.¹¹ They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.¹² They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.¹³ Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.

God’s strength and salvation (14-16)

The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.¹⁵ The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.¹⁶ The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

What does the Psalmist do? (17)

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

If you find yourself in a place of despair, Psalm 118 will encourage and challenge you. Knowing who our God is, what He has done, and His mercy and concern for us, we should rejoice and praise the Lord.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

 

 

Good morning,

Israel had some great kings. David, Solomon, and Hezekiah come to mind. However, a lesser known, is Jehoshaphat.

The Bible states “And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;⁴ But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. ⁵ Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honor in abundance.” (2 Chronicles 17:3-5)

What did he do?

“And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.⁷ Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.⁸ And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.⁹ And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.” (2 Chronicles 17:6-9) The Bible records few Kings that remove the high places and groves. These were places of idol worship. Even fewer record the teaching of the Law to the people.

How to prepare for war.

So, when a great multitude of Moab and Ammon came against Jehoshaphat, he knew exactly what to do. He went to the Lord in prayer. “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.⁴ And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.⁵ And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,⁶ And said,…” (2 Chronicles 20:3-6a) His prayer acknowledged who God is, His protection of Israel, and requests God’s help.

God fights for Israel.

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.¹⁶ Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.¹⁷ Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

How?

“And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.²³ For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.²⁴ And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.” (2 Chronicles 20:22-24)

God fought the battle for Israel. Why? Because of a wise leader who followed God. From the time Jehoshaphat took the throne to now, His heart was set on serving the Lord God. He never wavered.

This is the picture of the Christian life. A life completely centered around God. Do we pray, seek God, teach others about the God of the Bible, worship in song?

Jehoshaphat’s example should be ours. Is it?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

 

 

 

FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

“Taxation without representation!” was the battle cry in America’s 13 Colonies, which were forced to pay taxes to England’s King George III despite having no representation in the British Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to quell the early movement toward rebellion. Repeated attempts by the Colonists to resolve the crisis without military conflict proved fruitless.

On June 11, 1776, the Colonies’ Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and formed a committee whose express purpose was drafting a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer, crafted the original draft document. A total of 86 changes were made to his draft and the Continental Congress officially adopted the final version on July 4, 1776.

STAR SPANGLED BANNER

On a rainy September 13, 1814, British warships sent a downpour of shells and rockets onto Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor, relentlessly pounding the American fort for 25 hours. The bombardment, known as the Battle of Baltimore, came only weeks after the British had attacked Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol, the Treasury and the President’s house. It was another chapter in the ongoing War of 1812.

A week earlier, Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old American lawyer, had boarded the flagship of the British fleet on the Chesapeake Bay in hopes of persuading the British to release a friend who had recently been arrested. Key’s tactics were successful, but because he and his companions had gained knowledge of the impending attack on Baltimore, the British did not let them go. They allowed the Americans to return to their own vessel but continued guarding them. Under their scrutiny, Key watched on September 13 as the barrage of Fort McHenry began eight miles away.

“It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone,” Key wrote later. But when darkness arrived, Key saw only red erupting in the night sky. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. The hours passed slowly, but in the clearing smoke of “the dawn’s early light” on September 14, he saw the American flag—not the British Union Jack—flying over the fort, announcing an American victory.

Key put his thoughts on paper while still on board the ship, setting his words to the tune of a popular English song. His brother-in-law, commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key’s work and had it distributed under the name “Defence of Fort M’Henry.” The Baltimore Patriot newspaper soon printed it, and within weeks, Key’s poem, now called “The Star-Spangled Banner,” appeared in print across the country, immortalizing his words—and forever naming the flag it celebrated.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

God has blessed this nation. Our forefathers came to this country to obtain religious liberty. They fought for independence from the economic tyranny of Britain. Many died, but God allowed us to prevail. Freedom was bought through the blood and women who believed in freedom.

JESUS FREED US

The Bible tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”. (Romans 3:23) We have a sin debt that we cannot pay. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) It was Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross for us, that paid our sin debt. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

Christ made us free from our debt of sin. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2) So we must, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

Who is Jesus? Jesus answered that question in John 14:6. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Jesus gave you freedom, but you must be willing to take it.

Contact me to find out how.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

Good morning,

Solomon’s prayer dedicating the Temple is revealing and prophetic. It is found in 2 Chronicles 6. Chapter 7 records God’s response.

PRAISE (6:14-15)

And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:¹⁵ Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

SUPPLICATION (6:16-21)

Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.¹⁷ Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.¹⁸ But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!¹⁹ Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:²⁰ That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.²¹ Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

ACKOWLEDGMENT OF FUTURE SIN (6:22-29)

Oaths (22-23)

Military conflicts (24-25)

Weather (26-27)

Famine and pestilence (28-29)

FEAR THE LORD AND WALK IN HIS WAYS (30-31)

Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men🙂³¹ That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

GOD’S RESPONSE TO SOLOMON’S PRAYER (7:12-22)

Obedience

And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.¹³ If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.¹⁵ Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.¹⁶ For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.¹⁷ And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;¹⁸ Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

Disobedience

¹⁹ But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;²⁰ Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.²¹ And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?²² And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

How did Solomon know that Israel would sin? History. If all he had was his father, he would be able to see the sin of Israel. However, he knew much more. He was aware of Abraham, Moses, and the Judges of Israel. He knew the history of the wicked priests and how they disregarded the Mosaic law. Solomon asked God’s forgiveness in advance.

You and I are much like the nation of Israel. We sin too. God wants us to come to Him, repent, confess of our sin, and ask God for His forgiveness. The Bible tells us He will. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Sin has consequences. God has forgiveness.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

 We come to the climax of our study of life. Today is decision day. There is a clear choice between life and death. We have studied it from many different perspectives. However, we are the only ones that can choose. No one can choose for us. Please consider seriously about what you read today. It truly is a matter of life and death.

 Eternal Life

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1 John 5:12-13  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. ¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Eternal Death

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 21:1-2, 27 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. ² And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ²⁷ And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 20:13-15 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

God sent Jesus Christ from heaven to earth to pay the sin debt for mankind. The payment needed was the blood of a spotless lamb. Jesus is that spotless Lamb. Had Jesus only died and shed His blood, this would have been the same as all the animal sacrifices in the past. Jesus not only died, but He resurrected from the dead, seen by over 500 individuals, and then ascended back to Heaven to be with God the Father. No other spiritual leader EVER has done that.

Please make the decision to trust Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior.  Repent of you sins and ask Jesus Christ to take control of your life. If you have read each of the devotions this week, it is evident the LIFE is in Jesus Christ. Rejection of Jesus Christ is DEATH and eternity spent with Satan and his demons in the lake of fire.

Now you must decide. Life or death.

CHOOSE LIFE

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

 

 

Good morning,

Day four on our study of life. As the Scripture verses below indicate, we have a choice to choose life with God or death without God.

Deuteronomy 30:15-16 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: ²⁰ That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Proverbs 11:19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Christ gives life. When He died on the cross for our sins, resurrected from the dead, and ascended into heaven, He made a way for us to go from death to life.

Let us consider the pros and cons.

PROS: Good, walking with the Lord, knowing and obeying His commandments, may multiply, blessings, may dwell in the land, righteousness, fear of the Lord, everlasting life, reconciliation to God, and salvation.

CONS: Evil, cursing, snares, condemnation, and sin.

The preponderance of evidence is on the side of LIFE.

Your choice. CHOOSE LIFE!

If you are interested in being saved and going from death to life, please call or email me. Tomorrow we will explore Eternal Life and Eternal Death.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001

 

Good morning,

The information below came from www.GotQuestions.org.

I found this information useful to our discussion of suicide in the Bible.

Question: “What is the Christian view of suicide? What does the Bible say about suicide?”

Answer: The Bible mentions six specific people who committed suicide: Abimelech (Judges 9:54), Saul (1 Samuel 31:4), Saul’s armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:4–6), Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23), Zimri (1 Kings 16:18), and Judas (Matthew 27:5). Five of these men were noted for their wickedness (the exception is Saul’s armor-bearer—nothing is said of his character). Some consider Samson’s death an instance of suicide, because he knew his actions would lead to his death (Judges 16:26–31), but Samson’s goal was to kill Philistines, not himself.

The Bible views suicide as equal to murder, which is what it is—self-murder. God is the only one who is to decide when and how a person should die. We should say with the psalmist, “My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:15).

God is the giver of life. He gives, and He takes away (Job 1:21). Suicide, the taking of one’s own life, is ungodly because it rejects God’s gift of life. No man or woman should presume to take God’s authority upon themselves to end his or her own life.

Some people in Scripture felt deep despair in life. Solomon, in his pursuit of pleasure, reached the point where he “hated life” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). Elijah was fearful and depressed and yearned for death (1 Kings 19:4). Jonah was so angry at God that he wished to die (Jonah 4:8). Even the apostle Paul and his missionary companions at one point “were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself” (2 Corinthians 1:8).

However, none of these men committed suicide. Solomon learned to “fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Elijah was comforted by an angel, allowed to rest, and given a new commission. Jonah received admonition and rebuke from God. Paul learned that, although the pressure he faced was beyond his ability to endure, the Lord can bear all things: “This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9).

So, according to the Bible, suicide is a sin. It is not the “greatest” sin—it is no worse than other evils, in terms of how God sees it, and it does not determine a person’s eternal destiny. However, suicide definitely has a deep and lasting impact on those left behind. The painful scars left by a suicide do not heal easily. May God grant His grace to each one who is facing trials today (Psalm 67:1). And may each of us take hope in the promise, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Conclusion:

• Suicide does not please God, the giver of life
• Men in the Bible have committed suicide
• Other men overcame their temptation to commit suicide and God greatly used them
• It is God’s desire that all men trust God as their personal Lord and Savior

Please make a study of this issue. Look and see who the men were that committed suicide and then the men that did not. Please refer back to the first two lessons as you study.

Tomorrow, we will look at life vs. death.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001