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Day 96, or April the 6th.

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Don't push too hard.

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Our thoughts today are from 1 Kings chapter 21, verses 6 and 7.

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I, Ahab, said to Naboth the Jezreelite, Sell me your vineyard.

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But he said, I will not give you my vineyard.

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Jezebel his wife said, Is this how you act as king over Israel?

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Get up and eat, cheer up.

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I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

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Now the big picture surrounding these verses.

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After the death of Rehoboam there was another bad king followed by two good kings in the

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south.

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Meanwhile in the north there were six bad kings, and then Ahab.

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The situation was volatile and Ahab and Jezebel made the most of it.

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In those days royalty and many other rulers were above the law of man, but they were not

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beyond the law of God.

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Elijah was a thorn in their side, but they were sure they would defeat him in the end.

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They didn't.

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Ahab was killed in battle whilst Jezebel survived a while longer before dying a grisly death

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as prophesied by Elijah's successor, Elisha.

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To this day the name Jezebel is far from complimentary, and usually describes a woman of bad reputation

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and low morals.

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She certainly made an impact.

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All bad.

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Now our action step for today.

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It appears no matter what's at stake some people just have to win.

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This is true now in the twenty-first century, and was just as true in the days of Naboth,

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three thousand years ago.

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In the end Ahab wanted to get the plot of land more than he wanted the plot of land

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itself.

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It was the getting of it that mattered.

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It was getting his own way that was paramount.

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He couldn't bear to lose.

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With the support of his wife Jezebel a plan was hatched, which was to cost the vineyard

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owner his life, but which finally resulted in Ahab getting what he craved.

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There is no record of Ahab being satisfied with his acquisition.

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Be wary of losing focus so that winning is more important than making progress.

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Sometimes we have to acknowledge that God is saying no.

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And when that happens just accept it and be content that God knows best.

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Because he does.