115 2 Samuel 020 – 022; 1 Corinthians 013
Another uprising in David's kingdom. God spares David once again. Most of the time God used a man by the name of Joab to do the work of squelching. Joab was no perfect man, but he was David's wing man. Joab had David's back all the time. Joab was the leader of the army of Israel. When Stonewall Jackson died it is said that Robert E. Lee lost his right arm. Lee's leadership needed Jackson to carry out the plans. Joab was that person for David. Everyone needs a wing man or everyone needs to be a wing man to someone.
David wrote a song in praise to God for being saved from his enemies. It is a great song. When you read it or review it, notice the power of God being lifted up. When you are in a fight you need power. Is God your power?
To contrast this warrior portion of scripture you now read I Cor. 13--the love chapter. God is still powerful but now a new way of power is being revealed. The power of love. It is not any love, it is the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. How is your love life?
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
114 Friday, April 24, 2009
114 2 Samuel 017 – 019; 1 Corinthians 012
Reading the Bible these past few days have been as hard as a cheap hotel toothbrush. To know the peace and joy that could have been in David's house even makes it tougher to read. Absalom goes out to kill his father on some bad advice. Be careful who you listen to. David takes a rag a muffin group and makes quick work of Israel's army. Absalom is killed by Joab while in battle. This kill was against David's orders. David has now lost the son born to him by Bathsheba and now Absalom. Even though Absalom was out to kill his father, David grieved his heart out. Sad, sad, sad is what it is today.
The good news is that God put these stories in the Bible so we can learn from them. There is heart ache out there without our help. Stay away from decisions that will bring further heartache. Make today count and help someone else make those good decisions.
Reading the Bible these past few days have been as hard as a cheap hotel toothbrush. To know the peace and joy that could have been in David's house even makes it tougher to read. Absalom goes out to kill his father on some bad advice. Be careful who you listen to. David takes a rag a muffin group and makes quick work of Israel's army. Absalom is killed by Joab while in battle. This kill was against David's orders. David has now lost the son born to him by Bathsheba and now Absalom. Even though Absalom was out to kill his father, David grieved his heart out. Sad, sad, sad is what it is today.
The good news is that God put these stories in the Bible so we can learn from them. There is heart ache out there without our help. Stay away from decisions that will bring further heartache. Make today count and help someone else make those good decisions.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
113 Thursday, April 23, 2009
113 2 Samuel 014 – 016; 1 Corinthians 011
More bad news and it is not over for David. David has to leave Israel because Absalom, David's son is chasing him out of Jerusalem. It is hard to imagine the embarrassment, the hardship, and the disbelief that he must of been experiencing. David had kicked Absalom out of Jerusalem and Joab was able to convince David to let Absalom back in. Absalom then began plotting as to how to take over the kingdom. I believe this is all happening to fulfill the discipline of God upon David's life for his sin. However, there is an interesting historical note and that is Absalom came back but never talked with David. David and Absalom never had that awkward talk. I am not saying things would have changed if they would have talked. They should have talked since the relationship was already strained. They should have talked to make sure things were cleared up.
1 Cor. 11 is one of those chapters in the Bible that caused me to rethink the concept of the N.T. church, in this regard--which N.T. church do I want to pastor. Pastors will get together and say things like, "I just want to pastor a N.T. church." Sounds good until you start reading the N.T. and realize there were a lot of holes in some of those churches. Here in the Cor. church they are not sharing their food and they were getting drunk--at the Lord's supper. Wow! Let us pray that we be more like the Philippians. They were a pretty good church. Let us learn how not to do church from the Corinthians.
More bad news and it is not over for David. David has to leave Israel because Absalom, David's son is chasing him out of Jerusalem. It is hard to imagine the embarrassment, the hardship, and the disbelief that he must of been experiencing. David had kicked Absalom out of Jerusalem and Joab was able to convince David to let Absalom back in. Absalom then began plotting as to how to take over the kingdom. I believe this is all happening to fulfill the discipline of God upon David's life for his sin. However, there is an interesting historical note and that is Absalom came back but never talked with David. David and Absalom never had that awkward talk. I am not saying things would have changed if they would have talked. They should have talked since the relationship was already strained. They should have talked to make sure things were cleared up.
1 Cor. 11 is one of those chapters in the Bible that caused me to rethink the concept of the N.T. church, in this regard--which N.T. church do I want to pastor. Pastors will get together and say things like, "I just want to pastor a N.T. church." Sounds good until you start reading the N.T. and realize there were a lot of holes in some of those churches. Here in the Cor. church they are not sharing their food and they were getting drunk--at the Lord's supper. Wow! Let us pray that we be more like the Philippians. They were a pretty good church. Let us learn how not to do church from the Corinthians.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
111 Tuesday, April 21, 2009
111 2 Samuel 011 – 013; 1 Corinthians 010
David sinned and forever things changed. David just had to have Bathsheba. Why? Because he could. David did not finish well. God speaks through Nathan the prophet and tells him that killing and murder will never leave your house. Before we get caught up in a situation we need to stop and think of the consequences. We tend to not separate the forgiveness issue from the consequence of the sin. People say, ‘but doesn't God forgive?’--yes, but there are court systems, accidents that have lasting affects, etc… We remember the song ‘don't mess around with Jim’--well don't mess around with sin. Read slowly the story and feel the pain of one evening with a woman.
The N.T. reading has one of those verses that has to be highlighted. "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limits; he'll always be there to help you come thorough it." This is 1 Cor. 10:13. David needed this verse. We need this verse. What are you facing today? Face it with God and come out as an over comer!
David sinned and forever things changed. David just had to have Bathsheba. Why? Because he could. David did not finish well. God speaks through Nathan the prophet and tells him that killing and murder will never leave your house. Before we get caught up in a situation we need to stop and think of the consequences. We tend to not separate the forgiveness issue from the consequence of the sin. People say, ‘but doesn't God forgive?’--yes, but there are court systems, accidents that have lasting affects, etc… We remember the song ‘don't mess around with Jim’--well don't mess around with sin. Read slowly the story and feel the pain of one evening with a woman.
The N.T. reading has one of those verses that has to be highlighted. "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limits; he'll always be there to help you come thorough it." This is 1 Cor. 10:13. David needed this verse. We need this verse. What are you facing today? Face it with God and come out as an over comer!
Monday, April 20, 2009
110 Monday, April, 20, 2009
110 2 Samuel 009 – 010; 1 Corinthians 009
You will take all your meals at my table. So what? The “so what” is that this son of Jonathan has now gone from a meager table to a king's banquet table. Mephibosheth could represent the one who has come from darkness into light. He is a picture of what God's grace does for us. He is lame and basically forgotten but then the king inquires about Jonathan's family. There is one left and all of Saul's riches and Jonathan's are now his. He is now dining with the king. Who do you dine with? Are you at the banquet table of Christ your King? You are invited to eat with the King and have a rightful place there because Christ the Savior has placed you there. Don't you just love the grace of God?
You will take all your meals at my table. So what? The “so what” is that this son of Jonathan has now gone from a meager table to a king's banquet table. Mephibosheth could represent the one who has come from darkness into light. He is a picture of what God's grace does for us. He is lame and basically forgotten but then the king inquires about Jonathan's family. There is one left and all of Saul's riches and Jonathan's are now his. He is now dining with the king. Who do you dine with? Are you at the banquet table of Christ your King? You are invited to eat with the King and have a rightful place there because Christ the Savior has placed you there. Don't you just love the grace of God?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
109 Sunday, April 19, 2009
109 2 Samuel 006 – 008; 1 Corinthians
Fear, awe, respect, the known in the unknown, and the list goes on as to our emotional and intellectual response to God. David saw another side to Yahweh and reacted in anger. Uzzah was only trying to protect the Chest of God, but died for touching the Chest of God. The Chest is dropped off at Obed-Edom's house and God blesses the doors off his house. Now David wants the Chest and wouldn't you?
David dances the dance of the Lord. He, along with his party, are wildly extravagant in their celebration of the Chest of God. When is the last time you celebrated as if the only one watching was God? David was truly caught up in the moment. Everything David did was right and appropriate in light of who God is. Does your enthusiasm ever match what you believe in and about God? David did not do this everyday but he did do it. Have you ever let yourself go before God? Have you ever let go?
In Corinthians, Paul is trying to teach personal responsibility along with personal freedom. God is not after cookie cutter images of the christian. We all will not have the same convictions, the same gifts, and tendencies. We are all to love God and love each other.
Fear, awe, respect, the known in the unknown, and the list goes on as to our emotional and intellectual response to God. David saw another side to Yahweh and reacted in anger. Uzzah was only trying to protect the Chest of God, but died for touching the Chest of God. The Chest is dropped off at Obed-Edom's house and God blesses the doors off his house. Now David wants the Chest and wouldn't you?
David dances the dance of the Lord. He, along with his party, are wildly extravagant in their celebration of the Chest of God. When is the last time you celebrated as if the only one watching was God? David was truly caught up in the moment. Everything David did was right and appropriate in light of who God is. Does your enthusiasm ever match what you believe in and about God? David did not do this everyday but he did do it. Have you ever let yourself go before God? Have you ever let go?
In Corinthians, Paul is trying to teach personal responsibility along with personal freedom. God is not after cookie cutter images of the christian. We all will not have the same convictions, the same gifts, and tendencies. We are all to love God and love each other.
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