"Watch and Stand"

"Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall: but the LORD helped me." (Psalms 118:13)

 I don't think that there are many people that have the ability to share this testimony as well as David, because he lived it several different times in his life. He lived it from the time Samuel anointed him to be king, until he was ruling the nation of Israel; he lived it when he sinned with Bathsheba; and he lived when Absalom tried to remove him from the throne. Each time there was a different kind of threat, a different tactic from the enemy; but each time David recovered by remembering who's he was and the hand that was upon his life. The first was a case of mistaken identity, the second was just a big mistake, and the third was the consequences for that big mistake; but each and every one of them was something the enemy was behind, but that God allowed. Yes, God allowed it all! Just like God allowed Eve to eat that forbidden fruit, and then He allowed her to share it with her husband. In a perfect world, everyone would just do what is right and good, because there would not be any choices; but God gave man the ability to make a choice, a choice between doing what is good and doing what is evil. There's that word again, evil; as if all things that are bad and wrong fall into the category of being evil. The truth to the matter is, God made everything good; it is the wickedness of this fallen world that takes what is good and makes it evil. It was evil for Adam and Eve to disobey God in the first place; so everything that is wrong and bad falls into that same category because it is all based upon disobedience. In Isaiah 55:3, God says, "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make a everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." It really does not matter how far you might slip, you can never slip so far that God cannot catch you. But, what is the important thing to remember, is that you belong to Him! What are we watching for? We are watching for the enemy at work; keeping a close eye out for every trick and every trap that might be placed before us, because evil is real and alive, but we always have a choice...

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. I his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11) NLT