Title: Stupid Superstition / Topic: Beliefs

I am again posting from our nation's capital, Washinton D.C.

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 8:11 Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, "My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy."

Obervation: What a strange belief Solomon had. Apparently he was convinced that the ark of the Lord was so holy that anyplace it had passed through also holy and was no place for an Egyptian. But Solomon had no such idea about himself, even though he was the Lord's annointed. Solomon moved Pharoah's daughter to his palace away from Jerusalem to keep her from the alleys through which the ark had passed, but was willing to marry her and have intimate relations with her. Strange.

Application: Christians can have strange ideas too. I see some that I would call "stupid superstitions." Jesus pointed out some that the Pharisees had (like the gold of the temple is sacred while the temple is not). We have ideas that some things are bad sins (like wearing too short of a skirt or getting an extreme hair style) but we gossip about such things and think nothing of it. What's wrong with that is gossip is clearly a sin while what is acceptable in clothing and hair styles is opinion.

Another example is that Christians often think there is a special decorum for what happens at church because it is "the house of the Lord" but allow all manner of wretched talk, and hateful arguing, and unclean media into their own homes and think nothing of it.

Bottom line: What is truly holy and sacred are the people who God lives in. That's us. We must regard ourselves as holy at all times and live with the high standards of God's purity and holiness on everything we think, do, say, and value.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You have called us to Yourself as a people set apart for a great destiny. Help us not to dilute our lives with unclean things. Father, we live in a morally polluted world. We need Your help to keep our lives holy for Your purposes. Help us to be vessels ready for Your use.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Title: Fanatics! / Topic: Radical Worship

Hello, I am posting today from our nation's capital, Washinton D.C.

Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:3-9 (excerpts)
1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple...
3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground...
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD... 5 ...twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats... 6 ...all the Israelites were standing.
7 Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the LORD, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.
8 So Solomon observed the festival at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly... 9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more.

Obervation: What an amazing scene! The story of Solomon's dedication of The Temple is off the charts! First, Solomon prays (read my comment in yesterday's post), and then all heaven breaks loose! The fire of God comes down and consumes the burnt offering and a presence (God's Shekinah glory) fills the room so no one can stand. Awesome. But what I note is how these people (including Solomon) are fanatics. Look at what they do: They kneel and worship with their faces on the ground -- that's radical. Then they offer burnt offerings (which has to be a bloody and messy and smelly business -- I'm glad we don't have to do that today). And pay attention in verse 5 to how many animal were sacrificed: 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats! This is a staggering number -- I really cannot comprehend it. And they had to use the ground in front of the altar because the altar couldn't accomodate the large quantity of sacrifices! It is fanatical, radical worship. And apparently according to verse 6, the people were standing up the whole time! If I read it right, the whole process took 14 days! Imagine 14 days of sacrificing! Wow!!!

Application: Sometimes I get weary in worship. Church services can wear you out. And I see it in others. They get too tired to stand during the singing so they sit down. Their arms are tired so they don't raise them. They don't sing out loudly because, well, I don't know why but they don't -- they seem tired out. Every now and then, I get a look from someone that tells me they think I'm a little overly-fanatical about worship and they would like me to tone it down a little. But when I read what Solomon and the Israelites did here it makes me realize that I don't know what radical worship truly is. We have it so easy in comparison to what these worshipers did. I think we need to buck up and toughen up and get more open to real travail and real worship. There were two statements I heard on Sunday that come to mind on this subject: first, Becki said that God was calling us to "wail" (and we all listened and nodded but no one wailed). Second, Robert said to me privately, "What if my blessings from God were on a par with my worship of Him?" Hmmm. What do you think about this? I think that God wants more from us. I think that we have a lot to learn, a lot to give, and much room to grow.

Prayer: Father, forgive us for being wimpy worshipers. Help us to grow greater spiritual strength and toughness. Give us real endurance and determination to break through in our worship and service to You. May we lay aside our excuses and weaknesses and allow You to take us up to the next level. May we truly learn to love You with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our soul, and all of our strength.
This I pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Title: Before The Lord & The People / Topic: Postures of Prayer & Worship

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture: 1 Kings 8:54-55
54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice

Observation: The position of Solomon's posture is described here. Solomon had prayed a long prayer out loud for all to hear at the dedication of the Temple. (We read this insightful prayer in verses 23-53.) At the end of his prayer he rises from his knees: "he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven." Solomon's willingness to publicly demonstrate humility and passion in prayer -- humbly kneeling before God, raising his hands, praying out in a loud voice -- is a great example of spiritual leadership. Solomon is demonstrative in his prayer -- all those in attendance can hear and see him as he cries out to God. His kneeling shows humility. Lifting hands shows a passionate seeking. Praying out loud draws the whole community into the experience.

Application: Postures of prayer are important, especially among leaders. Those in leadership (whether accompanied by recognized positions and titles or not) have a responsibility and an opportunity to lead by example in the way they pray. Others are watching -- let them see your passion and learn. I want to challenge you to think about what anyone watching your posture and demeanor in prayer would learn. Can we do better?

Prayer: Lord, help us to learn from the example of Solomon and demonstrate our passion and humility in the way we pray. May we not hold back because of pride or be reserved because of decorum, but may we do everything in such a way as to demonstrate our great need of and dependency on You. Thank You for loving us and giving us the opportunity to seek You. May we lead others well as we seek You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Hang In There / Topic: Persistence

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2

Scripture: Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Observation: I like the phrase "persistence in doing good." It is a practical key to a Christian's continued growth. Paul here says that to persist in doing good is a way to "seek glory, honor and immortality" and to obtain eternal life. I have found that many new believers start off with excitement and eagerness, but when things don't go smoothly, or when challenges appear and make it hard to stay on the path, they lose their initial zeal and they bale. Then there are the few that hang in there and keep on doing what is right regardless of the opposition. These people demonstrate spiritual stability and long-term steady spiritual growth.

Application: Hang in there. Don't give up but persist. That means to refuse to stop, to keep going. Even when positive results are hard to find and it seems like it is not making any difference, keep doing the right thing no matter what. God is watching and He will reward. Plus you are participating in the law of sowing and reaping. Don't give up. Persist in doing good and good will result.

Prayer: Lord, help us to remember to keep our eye on the ultimate and not on the immediate. We want to serve You well for the long haul so assist us to keep in mind these truths that we may stay on the path of obedience, blessing, and growth.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: "If" / Topic: God's Conditional Promises

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Scripture: 1 Kings 6:11-13
11 The word of the LORD came to Solomon: 12 "As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel."

Observation: God's promise to Solomon contains the word "if" and that word is very important. It means that the reward will only come provided the conditions are met. God says, "If you do this... then I will do that..."

Application: We tend to focus on God's unconditional grace and His unlimited love. This is all well and good but such an emphasis can miss another part of God's dealings with humankind. I'm referring to God's conditional promises. God, very often, places conditions on our receiving of what was promised. If we meet the condition, we receive the benefit. If we don't meet the condition, we don't get the benefit.

There are many promises of God like this. But I hardly ever hear anyone talk about them. For example, the promise "my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" was quoted to me as a child and I even memorized it. But it was never taught to me as one of God's conditional promises. I see now that the context indicates that it is conditional. Why? Because this was the only church that had participated with Paul "in giving and receiving" and this was the only church to which Paul made this promise. (Read it in context here.)

Bottom line: God's benefits are only given fully to those who fully follow Him. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you can get all the benefits of God with a halfhearted commitment. Let's live full on for God and get the best of what He has to give.

Prayer: Lord, we want to live for You fully. Help us to put an end to half-measures and to give You our all. We want to be the recipients of all Your great promises. We know that we can never earn or deserve Your great gift of salvation, but having now received it, help us to live worthy of what You have given us.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Blameless Living / Topic: Godliness

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 4; 1 Kings 5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2 Thessalonians 3

Scripture: Psalm 101:2-4
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
when will you come to me?
I will walk in my house
with blameless heart.
3 I will set before my eyes
no vile thing.
The deeds of faithless men I hate;
they will not cling to me.
4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with evil.

Observation: It is a high standard that David shares here in this Psalm. "I will be careful to lead a blameless life..." He gives some clues to how to accomplish this. A blameless heart is the starting place. What a person looks at or watches is another key. Not approving or partaking of evil or perverse behavior is also important.

Application: Today, most people seem to be quite indulgent -- even those who call themselves Christians. The idea of a blameless life is not something most people concern themselves with. Most seem to want to not be "too bad" or to avoid the "worst sins." But what David says here is quite convicting. We should set our sights higher: on the goal of walking with blameless hearts. But it is not easy -- especially in today's over-stimulated media environment. It requires purposefulness in purity. I must remove myself from impure images. If I take this phrase seriously: "I will set before my eyes no vile thing," it means that most of what is on TV is unacceptable. It requires significant discipline to limit my intake of garbage. ("Limit" is not the right word -- the word is "eliminate"). As Paul wrote: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. (Philippians 4:8). It requires a separation of myself from evil to walk the blameless life.

Prayer: Lord, we want to walk in purity -- the find the blameless life. Help us to have the discipline and courage to put aside the pollution of this world and embrace your perfection. May we be shining as bright lights no matter how dark the universe around us gets.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Amazing Judge / Topic: God's Wise Justice

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 78; 2 Thessalonians 2

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:23-28
23 The king said, "This one says, 'My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, 'No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.' "
24 Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."
26 The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!"
But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"
27 Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother."
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

Observation: What a wonderful story! At our Bible study just last night, I was sharing this story as an example of God's wise justice. Solomon's people saw an insolvable problem. There was no way to figure out which of the two women was the real mother of the one living child. But Solomon came up with an answer that no one had thought of: "cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other!" Yikes! Solomon's court staff were mortified! But the king asked for a sword, so a sword is brought. Solomon, paying close attention to both women's reactions, quickly points out the one person especially distraught at the suggestion and identifies her as the real mother. Everyone is amazed at the cleverness of this strategy that ferreted out the truth. How could anyone have thought of such an approach? All are in awe of Solomon and his wisdom -- so much so that the fame of Solomon's wisdom became spread throughout the known world.

Application: There will be a similar experience for us in the future. When the end of the age finally comes to pass, and the world stands before the Righteous Judge, we will see how God will determine the true heart condition of each person who ever lived. It will be obvious, as was the case of Solomon and the two women, but it will be so amazingly brilliant, so totally honorable, so incredibly just, that everyone watching will marvel at God's unfathomable wisdom and understanding. We will stand amazed in the presence of the Lord. As the scripture says: "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25) . Any righteous concept of justice that we have will be satisfied and then some. There will be no basis for appeal or argument, nor will there be any inclination to do so. Those who love the Lord will be inspired to greater admiration and praise of their Lord. Those who do not love the Lord will have no choice but to acknowledge God's grandeur and majesty and their opposition will be silenced. "...every knee shall bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." (Philippians 2:10-11) For me, I choose to bow now and I look forward to witnessing the amazing justice of our righteous Judge on that day.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You have already formed the plan to administer full and complete justice at the end of this age. I honor You as the One who has both the total picture of what needs to be done as well as the means to bring about justice. Thank You that You are worthy of trust and faith, and that Your nature is holy, righteous, kind, and good, and that when we behold You, we shall be caught up in Your glory and majesty. May we hold on faithfully until that day.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Know Your Place / Topic: Knowing God

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 29; Psalm 95; 2 Thessalonians 1

Scripture: Psalm 95:3-7
3 For the LORD is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.

Observation: God is great! He is awesome and the credentials He has are His great creation: "the depths of the earth," "the mountain peaks," "the sea," and "the dry land." Why? "for He made it." It is a critical point of worship to acknowledge God as Creator. (One of the primary reasons that fallen humanity so readily accepts the "theory of evolution" is to not have to acknowledge God as Creator.) When we know Him as Creator, it leads us to the point of worship: "let us bow down," "let us kneel." It is an inescapable conclusion because...

Application: There is an Almighty God and I am not Him. When I know Him by seeing His power and might in creation, I am compelled to humble myself. I know my place and it is to bow before Him. This is the fundamental issue of knowing God. I submit and surrender to Him. There are those who want to know God without bowing to Him. I believe that they are pursuing a fruitless path. Unless and until I know my place in submission to the Almighty, He cannot allow me to enter into any place of close relationship to Him.

Prayer: Lord, help me to approach You appropriately: humbly, respectfully, reverently. Thank You that You have made a way for me to know You as my Lord, my God, and (amazingly) my Friend. May I honor You in my life -- everything I think, do, and say.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Longing / Topic: Resting In The Lord

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 28; Psalm 91; 1 Thessalonians 5

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-2
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

Observation: This is where I want to be: dwelling in the shelter, resting in the shadow of my Lord. It is a place of safety and protection -- a sanctuary of rest and peace. How wonderful that place is. And (seemingly) how hard to find.

Application: What I mean is this: the life I live is filled with demanding details and a multitude of distractions. The idea of a place of real rest, real peace, is illusive. I know that I have "peace with God" as Paul wrote about, but the "peace of God" is harder to achieve. I think that the key is in the resting and trusting in the Lord. As Jesus said to Martha, "Martha, Martha... you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed." And I don't think it involves more effort on my part.

Prayer: Lord, show me how to arrive at this place of peace, rest, and quietness with You. My life is full of trivialities and busy-ness -- I need to unpack so that I can make room for You. Help me Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Living To Go / Topic: The Last Resurrection

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Observation: Jesus is coming again! What great comfort these words bring: "the Lord himself will come down from heaven." Jesus is not going to send an angel. He is the One who is coming. When it is finally time to wrap things up here on this planet it is Jesus who will be doing the job. What will be the loud command? Maybe it is the Lord's voice calling each one who has died by name from the grave. Like Jesus did before, "Lazarus, come forth!" But this time He will miraculously and powerfully call everyone at the same time: "Y'all, come forth!" (Maybe the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call are the wake up call for those who are particularly hard sleepers!) Then all the dead in Christ will rise up out of their graves. Next, the living believers are "caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." Wow! What will that be like? I can imagine just going about my day -- then hearing an amazing and wonderful sound -- then zoom -- I'm going up into the sky! It sounds fanciful but it will happen. And when it does, it will be so wonderful. What a way to go!

Application: Live to go. We should keep it in mind that we will be departing this planet, maybe soon. It's a simple truth that will help us to take the hits of this life with a more joyful response. This place and the stuff associated with it is not my destiny. I'm going up! Remembering this will help me to keep looking up and living up to God's ways.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are coming again. Thank You that this promise is real and settled and that we can live in the assurance and joy that You will call us up to the clouds to be with You. May we live up to that level. Marantha, come quickly Lord Jesus.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Warrior Is A Worrier / Topic: Being Human

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 22-24; 1 Thessalonians 3

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

Observation: I love Paul's humanness here. I think of Paul as a great man of faith but here he is really stressing about the Thessalonians. I can totally relate to the phrase, "when I could stand it no longer," because there is a burden that a pastor bears for the well-being of his people. Sometimes it consumes you. Paul really cares about them and he is worried.

Application: I'd like to bring out two main points here:
First, worry isn't good but everyone does it. Paul is freaking out so he takes radical action to find out for himself. He sends Timothy to check it out and report back. I know that I worry about things and I feel bad about worrying. But the fact that Paul worried also gives me encouragement.
Second, the Thessalonians would no doubt have communicated to Paul had they known that he was worried about them. I think that all of us affect on our spiritual leaders with a far greater impact than we know. We should be sure that we communicate well with those who look after us spiritually so that they will have no need to wonder (and worry).

Prayer: Lord, thank You for this awesome example of our brother Paul. I am so glad that he shared his human weakness openly so we could relate to what he was going through. Help us to embrace our humanness and allow Your mighty Lordship make up for what we lack. May Your strength be given opportunity to be expressed through our weaknesses.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Dueling Scriptures / Topic: Understanding the Bible

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21; Psalm 30; 1 Thessalonians 2

Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:1, 9, 24 vs. 1 Chronicles 21:1, 5, 25
2 Samuel 24
1 Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."...
9 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand...
24 ...So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

1 Chronicles 21
1 Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel...
5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.
25 So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site.

Observation: This really bothers me. Why do the two accounts of the same events not agree? Below I will detail the three glaring discrepancies between the two versions in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21:
#1 Samuel says that the Lord incited David to take a census while Chronicles says that it was Satan. That's a serious discrepancy that I don't understand.
#2 Samuel lists the results of the census as 800,000 in Israel and 500,00 in Judah but Chronicles reports 630,000 (1,100,000 minus 470,000) in Israel and 470,000 in Judah.
#3 The Samuel passage sets the price David paid to Araunah at 50 shekels of silver while Chronicles lists it at 600 shekels of gold! Now that's a significant difference.

Application: There are things like this in the Bible that I come across from time to time. Like this one, I don't understand many of them. It makes no sense to me that these two accounts should differ as they do. But there are some strategies I use to deal with it that I would like to suggest to you.
First, I acknowledge that my knowledge and understanding is imperfect and so I admit that the problem may be with me. Maybe I'm just not looking at it right.
Second, I note that the differences are pretty much always insignificant. The story is substantively the same in both accounts. So that reinforces the truth of the word.
And third, I remember how much of the word I do understand and how it blesses me, changes me, helps me, comforts me, instructs me, and so forth. So I confess that I believe the Bible to be God's Holy Word even though I don't always fully understand every little bit of it.
Oh (and lastly), I ask God to enlighten my mind and inspire my heart so I may better understand what I read. Let's do that now.

Prayer: Lord, enlighten our minds and inspire our hearts to better understand Your word. And help us to apply what we read to our lives every day. May we put it into practice and see it bear good fruit that will bless us and enable us to bless others.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: WWMD (What Would Mike Do?) / Topic: Modeling

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 21-23; 1 Thessalonians 1

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:5-8
5 ...You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia — your faith in God has become known everywhere.

Observation: I love this! Paul, writing to the church in Thessalonica, is reminding them of the model that he provided for them by his own lifestyle. He and his companions demonstrated a quality of life that the Thessalonian believers imitated.

Note the progression in verses 6 through 8. First, they imitate Paul and his companions. Next, through that process, they imitate "the Lord" (vs. 6). Then, they "became a model" to other believers in the surrounding area. (vs. 7) Last, the strength of their faithful example became widely known. (vs. 8)

Application: Imitation is good. If we want people to imitate Jesus (as in WWJD -- What Would Jesus Do?), then we have to imitate Him ourselves and live an exemplary life. The people who follow me will first ask WWMD (What Would Mike Do?) before they are ready to ask WWJD. People will see what I do and they will do that, whether for good or not. They will follow us, whether we represent Jesus (good), or something else (bad). If we pray, they will pray. If we gossip, they will gossip. If we are negative, they will be negative. If we rejoice in trials, they will rejoice in trials. You get the idea. And whatever we model to them, they will model it to others. I want to be strong for Christ so that others will see and imitate that. If our modeling is totally Christlike and strong, the effect can be very powerful and contagious as we see in the example in today's reading.

Prayer: Lord, may we be excellent role models of Jesus' character and conduct. I pray that You would give us expanded opportunities to develop disciples through strong and persuasive modeling. I ask that You would make our lives strong transmitters of Your will and ways.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Misplaced Love / Topic: Confusion

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 19-20; Psalm 55; Matthew 28

Scripture: 2 Samuel 19:6 "You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead."

Observation: David is sternly rebuked by Joab. These word have a bite to them that is harsh. And Joab was right. David's wailing lament over Absalom was a slap in the face to those who bravely stayed loyal to David in fighting Absalom. Without their sacrifice, David could not have survived. Yet he carries on with loud grieving over Absalom's death, making his loyal followers feel as if they have done something wrong. That day, David stole the joy from his victorious troops.

Application: Leadership means putting the good of the group ahead of just about everything else. A leader has to steel himself to act and react in such a way that a positive and beneficial signal is given to those who follow. It is not OK to just follow your own emotional responses -- there must be a calculated and intentional response that reflects and advances the established values of the group. A leader who routinely indulges his emotions by acting on them will do harm to those he leads and to the cause he supports.

Prayer: Lord, we want to walk by faith, not sight. And we want to act on intention, not emotion. May we think before we react and allow the fruits of self-control and love harness our responses to model Your character and ways.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Two Monuments / Topic: Legacy

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 18; Psalm 56; Matthew 27

Scripture: 2 Samuel 18:9, 14-15, 17-18
9 Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going...
14 ...[Joab] took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. 15 And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him...
17 They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him...
18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

Observation: Such a tragedy and what a sad, sad story. The treachery of Absalom, the son, against David, the father, is one of the great tragedies of the Bible. It is ironic that Absalom is snared by his hair, one of the things that he took great pride in. Read the verse here. Joab's men see him hanging from a tree by his prized locks and his fate is sealed. He is put to death by Joab and his men as he hangs.

What I find particularly poignant is the contrast of monuments. The first monument mentioned is the "large heap of rocks" that are piled on top of Absalom's dead body which had been thrown into a large pit in the forest. The location of this heap was chosen by Absalom's enemies with no great thought. They found a nearby pit and dumped his body there, piling rocks on it. It was an ignoble burial with no tribute -- no honor.

The second monument is the monument that Absalom had made for himself, selecting just the right spot in the "King's Valley." He had erected it as "as a monument to himself, for he thought, 'I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.'" It is so sad that Absalom created this monument as a memorial to himself even as he lived. He was like a walking dead man. He could have trusted in God, but he did not. He treacherously took matters into his own hands and while his personal monument stood, it was only a sad tribute to self-promotion. Meanwhile his decaying corpse lies buried in a pit in the forest somewhere.

Application: Trust in the Lord. Self promotion is a shallow and fruitless pursuit. (Absalom is the poster child of self-promotion.) Monuments that I erect for myself will only prove to be reminders to others of what not to do. Building my life through trusting in the Lord is an investment in eternal assets which will stand the test of time and the stress of life.

Prayer: Lord, I want You to be and build whatever monuments mark my life. May I conduct my life in such a way as to be used of You to make a positive difference in this world. May my legacy be You and the wonderful things You have done through me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Broken Promises / Topic: Human Foibles

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 17; Psalm 71; Matthew 26

Scripture: Matthew 26:69-75
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth."
72 He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!"
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away."
74 Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Observation: This is one of the most famous betrayals in all of history. What is amazing to me is that Peter has apparently completely forgotten the promise he made to Jesus just hours earlier. He had strenuously insisted that no matter what, he would never deny Jesus! And here he is, willfully doing exactly what he said he would never do and making a fool of himself in the process. When the rooster crows, his memory is jogged and the full realization painfully dawns on him.

Application: We all make promises that we intend to keep but that we end up not keeping. We make them with others, with ourselves, and we make them with God. It is simply part of the human condition that we can have a clear and firm mental and moral conviction and yet lose it. I don't know how or why that is, but I know it is true.

I experience it in my own life. For example, I have a weakness for cookies. I love dunking them in milk. But I can easily eat too many and when I have done that, I don't feel so good. So I tell myself, "I will not do that again." But later, I do it again. Why? Because the cookies taste good and they call my name. :-) Now eating too many cookies is not a terrible moral failure, but the point is that there is this human weakness that results in broken promises.

I have some suggestions to help:
• First, get out of the habit of making promises. The Bible tells us "do not swear — not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No,' no, or you will be condemned." In other words, don't make big sweeping promises like: "I swear I will post my blog every day by 7 a.m."
• The second thing that will help is to have accountability to help us keep the commitments we make. Having a close brother or sister that knows what we're doing and not doing will help us to make realistic commitments and keep them.
• The third answer is to simply remember our human foibles and stay humble, seeking God's help because we know that on our own we will fail.

Prayer: So Lord, we ask for Your help to keep us true to the words that we say and the commitments we make. And may we be wise and careful with our words. Give us the understanding to only commit ourselves under Your direction. Help us to be people of Your word and people who keep our word.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Determinant / Topic: Character

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 15-16; Psalm 32; Matthew 25

Scripture: Matthew 25-14-18
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

Observation: Three servants are given opportunity. Each one determines the course that his opportunity will take. The outcome or result for each servant depends entirely on the choices each of the servants makes. The choices are determined by each individual based primarily on their character. Two servants had good character and made good choices -- one servant had bad character and made poor choices. The wisdom of their choice was directly proportional to the quality of their character. Their success (or lack thereof) was directly proportional to the wisdom of their choices.

Application: Each of us is given opportunities by God. As in the parable, the level of opportunity varies from person to person. While there are various influences which affect our lives for good and bad, the primary factor in determining success or failure is the wisdom of the choices we make. And our character is the thing that will propel the wisdom of our choice.

Bottom line: We have been given the responsibility to conduct our lives in such a way that produces the best results for God. While there are a variety of influences in the molding of character, making good choices in our friends and mentors is often the primary determinant in what our character becomes. Therefore, choosing good and godly companions and mentors is paramount. That choice is more than a mere preference, it can literally be the verdict on the outcome of our life. Choose carefully and choose wisely.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be people with excellence of character who take the opportunities that You bless us with and maximize them. We seek to receive Your blessings and multiply them so we can bless others and build your kingdom. Help us to reflect who You are so we can achieve great results commensurate with Your greatness.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: No Small Sin / Topic: Hypocrisy

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 13-14; Matthew 24

Scripture: Matthew 24:48-51
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Observation: Verse 51 caught my eye. The punishment for the wicked and abusive servant is in two parts: first, the master will "cut him to pieces," and second, he will "assign him a place with the hypocrites." This is a little puzzling to me since the guy is already in pieces -- does it matter where you get sent after that?!?

OK, besides my offbeat sense of humor, what else does this passage have to offer. Well it is extremely interesting to me that the place of punishment that has "weeping and gnashing of teeth" is called "a place with the hypocrites." We tend to think that hypocrisy is no big deal -- I mean we all know that the church is full of it, right? But here the place assigned to the hypocrite, that is the person who says one thing but does something else, is a place of significant punishment and separation from God.

Application: We get it wrong when we think of big sins and little sins. We used to say,

"I don't smoke, drink or chew,
and I don't go with the girls who do!"

And we thought that because of that we were holy. Yeah right! But we could have a little hypocrisy and think that it was no big deal. God says otherwise. We really do need to practice what we preach or we better prepare ourselves for a shock when we stand before God because our future accommodations will not be what we were hoping for.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live in integrity and truth. May we walk out the things we confess. May our lives line up consistently with what we say we believe. And show us where that is not happening in our lives so we can repent and make it right. We want to be in Your presence when it is our time to pass into eternity.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Forgotten Name / Topic: Disobedience

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51; Matthew 21

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; 25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.

Observation: I never really noticed this before but God told David and Bathsheba that they were to name their son Jedidiah. They had named him Solomon but God sent word to them to change it. But they did not do what the Lord told them to do. They stuck with their choice and did not change it to the name the Lord had given them. This strikes me as quite odd and really brazen, especially given the situation surrounding the birth of this young lad. You would think that after falling into such gross sin and causing so much pain to so many people, that David would want to be very careful about obeying the Lord's instructions exactly. But apparently, he just doesn't seem to pay any attention at all because this name does not appear anywhere else in the Bible. But I wonder what might have been different for Solomon if he had been given the name Jedidiah which means "loved by the Lord." Maybe such a name would have caused him to have a greater love for God. No one knows --

Application: But I do know that the wisest course is obeying the Lord fully. Any thought that there are no consequences in disregarding any part of the Lord's instructions is a lie. You cannot disobey God without some negative impact in your life and/or the life of others.

Prayer: Lord, help us to pay attention to what You say and to do it. May be not be lax in listening to You and carrying out Your words to us. We want to walk in the fullness of Your blessing and we know that to do that, we have to fully follow what You say.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Individualist / Topic: Rebellion

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 20; Psalm 20; Matthew 22

Scripture: Matthew 22:8-13
8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

Observation: Jesus tells this parable beginning with the phrase, "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son..." So we know immediately that the king is God the Father and his son is Jesus Christ the Son of God. Think of the grace that this story portrays. Almighty God throws a great party and we are invited! Of course, it takes a while until "everyone" actually gets invited because the "A List" people get invited first but they snub the king, refusing to come to the party. So the king sends "personal reminders," servants urging the guests to come. But the "A List" people still refuse. It is then that the party is opened up to everyone. They "gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad." That is how you and I made it to the party. But notice that some of the people in the party, one guy in particular, an individualist, still refused to comply -- he wouldn't wear the clothing provided. You see, everyone was given special clothes to wear (probably for the pictures), but this one fellow decided that he would come to the party on his terms.

Application: There are many people in God's Kingdom who won't submit to God. I believe that we all have rebellion in our hearts, some more and others less. And everybody has to deal with it in some fashion. Some people deal with it by calling it "a personality trait" or something like that. Then they allow their rebellion to define much of their thoughts, words, and actions. The fellow in the story probably felt pretty special, being the only one at the party who wasn't dressed in the party outfits. He probably thought that he was the only one with enough courage to express himself and not conform to the religious dictates of others. He may have even bragged about this individuality. But when the king angrily notices him and asks him why he isn't wearing the wedding clothes, "the man was speechless." So much for being an individualist! Rebellion can be dressed up in all sorts of creative ways, but it is still rebellion and will eventually be dealt with by the Lord.

Bottom line: I must surrender and submit to God. Why? Because He is God and I am not.

Prayer: Lord, help me to lay my life at Your feet and take it up in the way You direct. May we see our rebellion for what it is and get rid of it. Show us how to live humbly in ourselves and with great confidence in You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Sounds Like David / Topic: Modeling

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 8; 2 Samuel 9; 1 Chronicles 18; 1 Chronicles 19; Matthew 21

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 19:12-13
12 Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. 13 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight."

Observation: This is Joab, David's top general. He finds himself in a terrible spot strategically. Their positions have been flanked as a second enemy force has come upon them from the rear. Joab is giving final directions to Abashai, his brother and second in command. What I love about this is the fact that after Joab gives the battle plan, he acknowledges that they are in God's hands: "The LORD will do what is good in his sight." This shows the effect of David's training and example. Joab sounds like David. Good leadership rubs off. (By the way, wicked leadership rubs off too.)

Application: Every believer should be intentionally involved in training. We should have someone who is leading us and someone who is following us. And as we model faith in our times of difficulty, we are helping to train our protégés how to handle their times of trouble. And if we do it right, they will trust in God and turn to Him. And also notice that Joab is training Abashai in the walk of faith as well. Neither of them would ever forget how God came to their rescue in this desperate situation.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your faithful example to us. Help us to lead in word, deed, attitude, and motivation as we live out the life and ministry that You have given us. Make us faithful teachers and models to those who come behind us. May our consistent example bring forth good and lasting fruit in the lives of those You have called us to lead.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Happy Fear / Topic: Balance

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalm 2; Matthew 20

Scripture: Psalm 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.

Observation: What a strange combination of words these are to my ears. First of all "fear" is not something that is generally associated with serving the Lord. (Now I know that some of you are quoting to me right now the verse that says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." OK, I also know that verse.) But my observation about this is true: in today's "Christian culture," the phrase "serve the Lord with fear" is not common -- and certainly not popular. And if this first part of verse 11 is uncommon, the second half "rejoice with trembling" is downright strange! If you went up to ten people at church and said to each of them, "rejoice with trembling," you would get ten confused responses. [I don't suggest you try this. :-) ]

The fact that these phrases are so far out of our norm is what caught my attention. I think that we have overemphasized the "personal relationship" aspect of our faith too much and have lost the sense of God as the Lord of Lords, the invincible One in Whose presence we must bow. The idea that God is a friend to us is true. But He is not our "buddy" or "pal".

Let me share a personal story. I recently had an encounter with a very young child where I was introduced to him and ended up sitting next to him at a meal. I immediately shifted into the "Grampapa mode" and started entertaining the lad. He laughed at my funny voices and wanted more. When I told him that it was time to pause and look at the menu, he grabbed me and demanded more funny voices. I calmly but firmly explained to this child, "Do not do that. You are not to grab me like that. I am your friend, but I am an adult and not one of your playground pals. You are not to treat me like one of your kid buddies. You must respect me. Do you understand?" He had become too comfortable with me and I needed to help him to better understand the relationship. Today this little boy is very glad to see me and is always respectful but also appropriately affectionate.

Application: We need to be careful that we are not too comfortable with Almighty God. A too-comfortable relationship can result in a casual attitude and taking God for granted. The outcome of this could be a disastrous complacency. There is another verse with the phrase "fear and trembling" that is on point here: "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." (Phil. 2:12). This pushes us in the direction of the serious, earnest, dedicated pursuit of God's purposes for our lives. There is a gravity to it. It is not to be taken lightly. Walking with God, knowing and serving Him is a joyful but serious business. "Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling."

Prayer: Lord, help us to find this place of great joy and deep reverence for You. May we walk in such a way that we experience the freedom You bring while taking Your yoke upon our lives. Thank You that You call us to lives of a humanly-impossible balance that can only be achieved by surrendering to Your power.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Who Owns You? / Topic: Surrender

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19

Scripture: Matthew 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Observation: "I want to be rich!" If you are a believer and you say these words to another Christian, you are likely to raise eyebrows. A desire to be wealthy is guaranteed to arouse suspicion among Christians. But I believe that God is definitely in favor of rich Christians. He wants more of His committed and dedicated followers to have greater resource so they can be conduits of blessing to this world. However this story does show one of the pitfalls of great wealth. Here is a young man with a desire to follow God and he comes to Jesus to find out how to take his life to a higher spiritual level. Jesus points out that there is an idol in the man's life -- it is his wealth. The man put his money ahead of God. He didn't own his money -- his money owned him. And this fact meant that he could not be owned by God and he couldn't serve God fully. When given the challenge to choose God and let go of his money idol, the man "went away sad." He was deeply conflicted but his money won. Jesus says, "it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven... it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Now you may have heard a story about a gate in the wall of Jerusalem called "the eye of a needle" that a camel could only get through by being emptied of its baggage and stooping on its knees. This has been widely taught but unfortunately, no such gate exists -- it is an urban myth. Click here for more information about this story.

The fact that the disciples object with amazed incredulity shows that they understood the impossibility of Jesus' hyperbole. Jesus was talking about a real camel and a real needle. [Actually it is possible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Of course, the camel has to go through the blender first. Ouch! That's not a pretty thought! Sorry :-)]
So the point is that a rich person can't be saved without God's intervention. But isn't that also true about a poor person, or any other person for that matter.

Application: All of us have the same problem: pride. That is, a person's individual right of self-determination. (In America, we have enshrined this prerogative as a cherished value.) Whether rich or poor, we all have to give up that right to come to God. And this is not just a one-time thing. No, we have to keep giving up and keep coming to God. Jesus tells us this. "If any man would follow me he must take up his cross daily and follow me." What or who owns you? It is either God or something else. Give yourself fully to God.

Prayer: Lord, help us to surrender all and follow You. Whether we have great riches or no riches, it is our pride that ultimately will keep us from You. Help us to see pride's destructive power and let it die so that we may live fully and unhindered in You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Clueless Disciples / Topic: Humility

Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 14; 1 Chronicles 15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-4
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Observation: I am always amazed at the really stupid questions that the Disciples asked. Their questions reveal how often they truly miss the point of what Jesus was trying to teach them. Case in point: the scripture above where the Disciples are apparently having a debate about which of them is going to be Jesus' second in command when they finally take over from the Romans. "Who is the greatest in the kingdom?" is their question. Jesus uses the opportunity to set them straight. "It's not about 'the greatest in heaven' -- it's about getting into heaven and to get in you have to be humble." I'm sure this was a shock to the Disciples, especially since Jesus didn't use any of them as the example but chose a small child to make His point. They were jockeying for position and Jesus essentially told them that if they continued their prideful pursuits, they wouldn't even get in!

Application: "Become like a child," Jesus tell us. Humble - teachable - eager to learn - unpretentious - uncomplicated. These traits are the opposite of the sophisticated assertive bluster that our culture promotes (i.e. Donald Trump). We must approach God with simplicity and openness. To sit at His feet and listen to what He says -- and to love Him: these are the ways that Jesus calls us to come.

Prayer: Lord, I want to come to You as a child. I want to be able to receive all that You have for me, and I know that I have so much in me that gets in the way of that. Help me to put my stuff aside and humbly seek Your face. Show us how to "change and become like little children" so we may experience all of You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: They Didn't Ask / Topic: God's Way

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 13:1-12
1 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our brothers throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3 Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul." 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.
5 So David assembled all the Israelites, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 6 David and all the Israelites with him went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.
7 They moved the ark of God from Abinadab's house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. 8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.
11 Then David was angry because the LORD's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.
12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, "How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?"...

Observation: As David thinks about bringing the ark up to Jerusalem from the place it had been put after the Philistines sent it away, he asks the people and his officials, but he doesn't ask the Lord. That he assumes that it will be OK with God is shown by this line from verse 2: "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the LORD our God..." Nowhere is there any record of him actually seeking God's will. The result is disaster. An innocent, well-meaning individual dies in the fiasco because David violated the clearly-written directions and warnings God had already given concerning the ark. David was angry with God, but he should have been just mad at himself.

Application: Don't assume or presume on God. Ask Him what to do and How to do it. Then listen and do as He says. Simple but true.

Prayer: Lord, may we walk in not only Your will but also Your ways. Help us to avoid presumption and arrogance of self-will in our lives by being in constant communication with You through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: Honest To God Truth / Topic: The Bible

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 4; 2 Samuel 5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16

Scripture: Today's reading is full of rich truth! Read it all and enjoy the insights that the Spirit will bring to you. I will give a brief overview of the entire reading today.

Observation/Application:
2 Samuel 4 -- "Nothing succeeds like success." As David's success grows and his kingdom is established, some bad actors are attracted to him. Thinking that they can earn points with David, two evil men murder Saul's son Ish-Bosheth in his bed and bring his head to David. Of course, they are wrong and end up dead. Moral: Success will bring greater numbers of followers, but not all that follow the Godly are good. Evil people will attach themselves to successful works of God.

2 Samuel 5 -- David strengthens his hand. We see some of David's military genius. In conquering Jerusalem, he uses the underground water tunnels to gain access. He forms an alliance with King Hiram of Tyre who helps construct a palace for David. David unwisely takes more wives (see yesterday post regarding this subject). This chapter ends with an invasion by the Philistines. We see David's heart toward God as he seeks God's direction regarding a military response. God gives David not only a strategy, but sends an angelic army to fight for Israel! Chalk up another victory for David. Moral of this chapter: David's strengths and weaknesses are in full view. He is a good man with some significant problems. (One of the reasons I regard the Bible to be truthful and accurate is that we are given an unvarnished account of heroes like David. There is no idealized glorification of their lives -- no, we see them portrayed "warts and all" -- as real people with their struggles and battles, victories and defeats. The Bible is the honest to God word of God.)

Psalm 139 -- Some of the most beautiful poetry ever written! I love David's recitation of God's tender and overarching care and power for His children. Moral: God is intricately woven into the fabric of my life, beginning even before I came to be. I am in His care and in His thoughts. I want to think and be like Him.

Matthew 16 -- Jesus encounter with "The Religious" provides the backdrop for His interaction with His disciples. Religious rulers ask Him for a sign from heaven, and He talks to them about the weather and rebukes them for their spiritual insensitivity. He warns the Disciples to stay away from "the leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees" and they think He is talking about bread. Jesus can't believe how thick these guys are and He derides them for worrying about bread in light of their two experiences watching Jesus multiply bread to feed thousands! He elicits the great Confession of faith from Peter calling Him "the rock", and shortly thereafter, harshly rebukes Peter calling Him "Satan!" Moral: Even the original Disciples had a hard time understanding what was going on. Should we be surprised to see spiritual confusion around us or even within ourselves? No. Moral #2: People can do something very great one minute and something very bad the next. And just because a person has great insight on one truth doesn't mean he's got all truth figured out. Don't trust in people, trust in God.

Prayer: Lord, we do trust in You. We know You will never leave us nor forsake us. I thank You that You love me so much as we read this morning: "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:17) May we abide and thrive in the center of Your love and power.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Seeds Of Sin / Topic: Compromise

Subtitle: How Many Wives Does One David Need?
[Today's post is on the long side. Sorry, but I couldn't figure a way to say it in fewer words.]

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:2-5, 13-16
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron:
His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam [1] of Jezreel;
3 his second, Kileab the son of Abigail [2] the widow of Nabal of Carmel;
the third, Absalom the son of Maacah [3] daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith [4];
the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital [5];
5 and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah [6].
These were born to David in Hebron...

13 "Good," said David. "I will make an agreement with you [Abner]. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me." 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins."
15 So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. 16 Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back.

Observation: This passage has always bothered me. David's stock is soaring -- Saul's is plummeting. Saul is dead and all but one of his sons are dead while David is adding sons like arrows to his quiver. David is taking over (as he should) as the remnants of Saul's failed kingship are fading away. Verses 2 through 5 (above) give a list of not only David's first six sons, but of the fact that each comes from one of six different wives. (Up until this point, we were only aware of two of David's wives. But now we learn of four more for a total of six.)

Now, Abner, Saul's Chief-of-Staff, has made an overture to come over to David, but David makes a demand of him that seems quite odd, especially in light of the immediate context. David demands another wife. He wants Michal, the daughter of Saul that was promised to him but later withdrawn and given to another man, even though David completed the quest required for her hand in marriage. Saul did David wrong in the situation with Michal.

But David has clearly moved on -- he has taken other wives, six to be exact, and Michal has moved on as well, having a husband, and with him looking forward to having children of her own.

But there it is: this odd and troubling request by David. "Bring me Michal!" The order is given and Michal is torn away from her husband, Paltiel, to be given to David. The clear implication in the text is that Michal is Paltiel's only wife and that he loved her dearly and is distraught as she is ripped from their home. It's a shame. Paltiel had done nothing wrong to David -- David's quarrel was with Saul. But David wants Michal. He certainly has some grounds to claim her, but even so, there are other grounds in favor of Paltiel's claim. And the fact that David already has six other wives, I mean... "How many wives does one David need?"

It is important to note also that the rivalries between David's sons - half-brothers as they were - brought many griefs to David later on. And as David takes Paltiel's wife, Michal, and we know that he already has another man's wife (Abigail, former wife of Nabal), we are reminded that David is heading toward future disaster when even all the wives he has aren't enough for him and he takes Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and eventually murders Uriah, to complete the deed. We are seeing the prelude to the fall of David.

Application: Sin is progressive. It starts with little seeds. Things that we can justify. But these tiny seeds of sin plant themselves in our lives and send down roots and grow bigger and bigger. David's practice of taking a wife from another man didn't seem like anything bad at all when it was the dead fool, Nabal, whose wife he took. And here with Michal, it does have some validity. But these are seeds of a besetting sin that will eventually grow to take over David's life and take down his kingdom. Watch out for the little seeds of sin. When you find yourself justifying something that deep down you know to be wrong, watch out! Get rid of it. Or it may get rid of you.

Prayer: Lord, make us aware of the little seeds of sin that we allow in our lives. Help us to always be cultivating the soil of our hearts to remove those seeds and the seedlings as they sprout. May we walk without compromise and with full integrity before You and others always.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: From Misfit To Mighty / Topic: Leadership

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14

Scripture: 2 Samuel 2:11 this is the list of David's mighty men...

[and from an earlier reading] 1 Samuel 22:1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader...

Observation: Today's reading contains the list of David's mighty men and tells of their amazing exploits. These were like Israel's Knights of the Round Table. They were the Special Forces of their time. These men were dedicated, disciplined, highly skilled, and extremely loyal. But they did not start out that way. 1 Samuel 22:1-2 (above) tell us that when they first gathered to David, they were a rag tag bunch of misfits and outcasts. They were losers. What changed them? The powerful effect of great leadership. David led them with character and courage. He modeled high integrity and honor. And in the pressure cooker of their situation, David rubbed off on them.

Application: Great leaders make their followers great. But it takes time and consistent interaction, especially through difficult times. Think of what David and these men went through. They were hunted down like animals. They had to go into exile and operate covertly against Israel's enemies while living among them. Their lives where in danger from all sides. Great character, like a diamond, is forged in deep places of great heat and enormous pressure. David's mighty men became great in character like diamonds. May we be willing to be likewise formed.

Prayer: Lord, help us to welcome all who seek our comradeship. May we find the diamond within every individual, without regard to any person's original condition. Thank You, Lord, that You know how to bring the heat and pressure to bear upon us in such a way that we come forth better. And thank You for those who model greatness and excellence of leadership in our lives. Help us to become mighty men and women — people worthy of our great Champion and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Title: The Root Problem / Topic: Character

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13

Scripture: Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root...

20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Observation: "No root." That is how Jesus described the problem of this soil. That phrase intrigues me. What does it mean to have "no root" or to be "unrooted"? Well, the opposite, the word rooted, is defined as "having been established so solidly or strongly as to make dislodgment or change extremely difficult" and has the following synonyms: "entrenched, embedded, fixed, ingrained, lodged, founded, grounded, implanted, confirmed, defined, established, settled, and strengthened." So "no root" would be the opposite of all these things. It would be characterized by a lack of solidness, substance, and stability. A person with "no root" is also "shallow" or lacking depth.

Application: There are many applications of this particular observation.
First, the fact that this person has instant positive response but no long term fruit is a lesson to not get too excited about the first response. It is important to follow up with those who respond to assist them to grow. If subsequent growth is stunted or withering occurs, perhaps we can help this person identify the "root problem" (pun intended) and do a little cultivating of the soil of their character, assisting them in getting some of the rocks out and building a little depth into their lives.
Second, we all should do a little self-examination to see how we follow through on the truth we receive. (Maybe all of us have room for improvement on this one.) Ask, "Do I really make new truth a part of my life long-term?" I think that I can probably benefit from some rock removal of my own. How about you?
There's more here but this is supposed to be a devotional and not a book. So I'll end in prayer.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be firmly established in You. I want to be rooted and grounded and deep. And I want to lead those within my sphere of influence into the same. Help us to identify and remove the rocks out of our lives. Lord, speak to us about that right now. And give us courage and determination to get them out. May we make room for You to set deep roots that will support lasting, beautiful, fruitful growth.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Title: The Perfection Police / Topic: Spirtual Blindness

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 30; 1 Samuel 31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12

Scripture: Matthew 12:13-14
13 Then [Jesus] said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Observation: The contrast here is vivid! Light vs. darkness, healing vs. murder, love vs. hate. Jesus healing of a man with a deformed hand was not welcomed by these religious leaders. No, they were angry that Jesus healed because it was Saturday. And Saturday was a day set apart for God. Of course everybody knows what that means: "ABSOLUTELY NO HEALINGS!" I find it so bizarre that the Pharisees could not realize that if someone was healed on the Sabbath, that God must have been OK with it because God was the one doing the healing. But these Pharisees had created substitutes for true Godliness and Jesus had just violated one of the biggies. So they wanted to murder Him.

Application: Watch out for what I call a religious spirit. It's primary symptom is spiritual blindness which is directly proportional to an inordinate concern over trivial matters. You can do really wonderful things, like Jesus did here - healing this man, but those with a religious spirit will pick at you and find fault with some small detail. And it's not just others we need to worry about. You can find yourself slipping into the fault-finding mode and becoming a critic of other Christians, ministries, or ministers. Watch out! God didn't call anybody to be the Perfection Police. The Bible says to keep a right spirit and to "watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." Look to see how people are getting healed, or blessed, or helped, or saved. Find the reason to rejoice and avoid the critical spirit.

Prayer: Lord, when I see Jesus doing such wonderful miracles and His critics attacking Him, I am always surprised. I know I shouldn't be because I have also encountered the same kind of spiritual blindness and controlling spirits. Help us to keep doing right, regardless of the opposition. And keep us focusing on Your approval and not looking to those who seem to be religious for theirs. I pray that we too may have the privilege and joy of being chastised for many unapproved miracles. May it come to pass.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.