Not Tricking Ourselves on Knowing God Personally...

In 1st Samuel 23, around verses 19 to 22, King Saul of Israel, who earlier chapters tell us was rejected by God, and which 23:7 shows us was self-deceived about his relationship with God, thinks that he can use religious sounding language about the LORD God of Israel to bless someone.

It is not entirely clear that Saul knows he has been rejected.  He may have assumed it in the future, but not at the present; 23:17.  Saul tries to go after and destroy an innocent man, and cloaks his evil heart desire in religious language, 23:21.  Maybe the Ziphites who were supposedly thinking they were "blessed" actually believed that Saul could offer that.  But Saul no longer served or listened to the LORD (doubtful he ever did), just used the right language of a religious person with a relationship.

It is important to know if we have a saving and walking with the LORD relationship today.  Do you have this relationship?  1st John 1:9 says this about it:  "If we confess our sins, he [the LORD] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Then on the flip side those who do not know God or cannot approach Him due to hard hearts, say like 1st John 1:10 says "we have not sinned."  True turning from sin to the LORD is one clear evidence and necessary one for us to claim to rightfully use language that we know the LORD God as Savior and King.  May we walk with Him in 2013!

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