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Psalm 144

Good Morning “Trained for War.”  Today we are in Psalm 144.  

“Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Psalms‬ ‭144‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Wait, I thought God was a pacifist?  
The way David starts this Psalm may set some back on their heals.  The Truth is God is patient with all, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  (2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬)

However, many reject God and the gift of Jesus, His payment made for our sin on The Cross.  They would rather embrace the flesh, and live a worldly life. In so doing they make themselves an enemy of God.

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It doesn’t get much clearer than that.

God has always desired and offered repentance before war. (Deuteronomy 20:10-12, Ecclesiastes 3:8)

The same is true in the New Testament though Jesus (John 3:16, Hebrews 3:7-13).

Just as David was trained for war against evil to “subdue the nations surrounding Israel” we ought to be. David failed to take his training and apply it to the spiritual realm in his battle against temptation - at least with Bathsheba.  May we not make the same mistake.  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Maybe even note that he didn’t transfer that training to the spiritual realm, and succumbed to the temptation with Bathsheba so

Understand, rejecting God and His Word - is to embrace evil.  We all get to choose which side we stand on.  We’re in a war, good against evil, there is no demilitarized zone.  No middle.

Ultimately when Jesus returns to this earth… it will be to judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11-16) Choose carefully.

Love you all!  Dig in!