SCRIPTURE: 1 Chronicles 12
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David! We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace and prosperity be with you, and success to all who help you, for your God is the one who helps you.” [1 Chronicles 12:18]
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” [John 3:1-3]
God is the one that helps you; God is with you.
Amasai recognizes something about David, and Nicodemus sees the same thing Jesus, that God is with them.
In both cases we see that “seeing this” requires God’s help: it is the Spirit that comes upon Amasai, and Jesus points out that Nicodemus cannot see what he sees unless he has had a spiritual rebirth (‘born again’ is literally translated ‘born from above’).
I believe that the Spirit of God is at work in every person, in a variety of ways, to open our eyes to see what God is up to in our world.
God raised up David to advance His kingdom restoration project; He raised up Jesus, the Son of David, to accomplish that project.
God is still working today through a multitude of people and situations to complete His Kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven – can you see it?
I believe that it cannot be seen unless God helps us to see it; I also believe that God is helping us to see it, but we are not always cooperating.
Many people disregard what they see or experience; many people refuse to accept it; others are too wrapped up in their own little kingdoms that they don’t have time to reflect on what they see.
And yet the Spirit is speaking, the Spirit is revealing hints and signs and warnings and clues…
I believe at the end of time, everyone of us will stand before God and we will finally see all that He has said and done to us, to help us to see.
Jesus invites us to join Him and His kingdom cause; like Amisai, we are asked to see, to surrender and to serve.
May the Spirit open our eyes, may we be born from above, that we may see (and surrender to, and serve) the King, and the kingdom of God in Jesus!
PRAYER:
“I am Yours, Jesus! I am on Your side, son of God. Peace and prosperity be with You, and success to all who help You, for Your God is the one who helps You.”
Oh say, can you see? Open my eyes Lord.
Can you see how the Lord God is at work today? The army commanders and Amasi could. They saw that David was doing God’s will. Their neighbours did since they brought food and supplies. There was JOY in Israel. All for one and one for all. David as king. We are unified together in our effort.
And today? Whose our King? And are we unifioed in our efforts? Do we all serve the same Master? All too often I see each ‘servant’ of the Lord working in his little kingdom doing it his way and not God’s way. We are not our own but we work for the King of kings. Serve Him and you will have JOY. With the quake, many more ‘kingdoms’ have been united to serve one kingdom – HIS. Open our eyes Lord that we may see You and serve You and go forward in Your name. Our cup overflows and the JOY of the Lord is our strength because there is success to all those who do Your will.
In those last days I tried so hard, once again, to show the people my Father’s way. My compassion for them ran so deep. “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” I even spoke in parables of the kingdom of God so that they might understand. But they would not hear. This is why I spoke to them in parables. Though seeing they do not see, though hearing they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophesy of Isaiah, “you will be ever hearing but never understanding, you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused. They hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. Sometimes I wondered if anyone had ever really heard or truly seen. The handful of men that followed me faithfully, had they really heard, could they really know and believe? During the last night we spent together, I tried so hard to help them understand.
Chorus 1:
Do you believe in me
And in the words I say
And in Him who sent me from above
Do you believe in my love
I’ve tried so many ways to show you my love
And show you who I am
Sometimes I wonder if you’ve ever learned
Or if you understand