Mourning and Weeping and Fasting, Oh My … Camille Stahl

Apr 8th, 2020 Mourning and Weeping and Fasting, Oh My … Camille Stahl

Today’s Passage – 2 Samuel 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 15 – 16; Proverbs 8; Psalms 36 – 40

Read the “0408 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.” (2Samuel 1:5-12)

“So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: “ When reading today’s scriptures, these words jumped out at me. Being part of the ministry for many years, unfortunately you see people fall away from the Lord. Some fall further than others but never the less they fall away from where they were. But praise the Lord some open up their hearts again and come back. But what are we doing when they fall? What are we doing when they come back? What about the ones who are struggling and are up and down?

When David heard that Saul and Jonathan were dead he mourned, and wept and fasted. It didn’t matter that Saul was always seeking to kill David, David stayed true to Saul even after his death.

So what should we do if we know of a Brother or Sister in Christ fall away.

1) Love Them Back To The Lord

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2)

2) Feed The Sheep

After they start turning their life around, back to the Lord, stick with them. Continue to help the find their way back. When you teach a child to walk, you have to stay with them until they can walk on their own.

”He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)

3) You Are Your Brother’s (or Sister’s) Keeper – YES

There is no room in the family of God for kicking another when they are down. Why? Because we’re family. Although I come from a small family (I’m an only child) I could never understand why some families fought so much. I always thought they should stick together like glue, and we should.

“And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)

All of us are in danger of backsliding or falling. It’s in our old nature to do so, plus there is one who is always waiting to trip us up.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Peter 5:8)

And just a note to the backslider, God has promised never to let us go. He will never throw us out of His family. We may grieve Him but He will always love us.

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)

Amen

Revelation 20:10