Ok, I have a bit of a delimma.  Today’s reading in 1 Samuel is about that time when Israel asks God for a king, like all the other nations have.  God grants thier wish, but warns them of the consequesnces.  He also explains to Samuel that the problem is that they don’t want God as their King.  It is a rich passage that has much to teach us – but I find that the verse/passage that speaks to me more than any other today is again from the NT.

Scripture:  2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV) ³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Observations: It occurs to me that the implications of this passage could be far reaching.  I fear that we who follow Jesus Christ often forget this truth.  We live in a world that uses certain methods/weapons to accomplish things.  We often use things like politics, money, influence, intimidation, power and force.  But, though we live in this world, we have a new King.  We live by different standards and different rules.  So, do we change the world, impact lives and become more like Jesus by those things?  The alternative?  Ephesians 6:17-18 suggests that the Word of God & Prayer are two key weapons.  If we as individual believers, as communities of believers in our churches, as denominations and christians as a whole spend as much energy and time on the Word & prayer we will accomplish much more than if we invest ourselves in these other methods.  Politics will not change our world.  The Word, Prayer and the Spirit of God will change our world.  Our world will be changed one life at a time by the power of God and prayer.  Do we believe that?  On those things we are most concerned about, most burdened over, most interested in changing – are we willing to seek solutions through the Word and through Prayer?

Application:  I must walk in the power of His Spirit.  I must live in His Word and Prayer.  The Word of God and Prayer must be my weapons – not force, politics, money or any other of the world’s weapons.  I want divine power, not the world’s power!  I need to be daily sensitive to seeking God’s ways to accomplish God’s work.

Prayer: Father, help me trust your ways, your strength, your weapons.  I want your strength, I want your way.  Help me fight your way.  Amen