Gull Lake Lessons

So it's always good to reflect on teachings that you hear and make sure that you can apply them to your life. It's the only true way to have life change. I was at Gull Lake with the family and Whitley this week and heard some great talks from I Samuel and Habakkuk from Dr. Jim Allen (missionary with HCJB). Anyway, this post is more for me to put words on paper than for entertainment of others, but you're welcome to read it!

God doesn't want us to try to impress him. In I Samuel 15, King Saul was commanded by God to utterly destroy the Amalekites and every living creature (v. 3). It wasn't a vague command by any means. So Saul destroyed the Amalekites, but kept King Agag alive and also spared the best of the animals to present as an offering to the Lord (while building himself a monument). When he returned from battle, Samuel asked why he had disobeyed the Lord and hadn't utterly destroyed everything. Saul believed he had done a great service to the Lord by keeping the best of the animals for an offering--try to impress God by his thoughtfulness and actions. Samuel responded, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice." God doesn't want us to try to impress him by our actions or to try to add to what he has already said is sufficient and good. He would rather a humble spirit focused on serving and knowing him, while not trying to add to his commands.
Here's five goals:
1. Never lose the goal of total obedience to God.
2. If my life isn't for God's glory, then it's in vein.
3. God should be honored in every setting, even if we know we're right.
4. There is danger in thinking activity will please God.
5. Do things God's way.


When circumstances in life bring you joy, you're in danger. We are commanded to be joyful, not as some fuzzy feeling, but as an outward expression and attitude for what God has done, and continues to do, in our lives. In the last chapter of Habakkuk, it speaks of barrenness and utter despair because of imminent capture. He uses words such as tremble, quiver, shake, destroyed, barren, fail, die, empty to describe the situation at hand. But that's not the end of it. "Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation." Our focus shouldn't be on our physical circumstances, but on God and how he loves us, has saved us, and calls us to show his love and joy to others. If we don't radiate joy as Christians, how can an unbelieving world notice a difference?