Would I had died instead of you!!!!

Reading: 2 Samuel 16-18, Psalm 7 & 41, and Titus 1

Scripture: 2 Samuel 18:33, And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Thoughts: Reading this in different stages of my life I have seen different things, younger I confused by Absalom and how he could fight his father for the kingdom instead of fighting a brother later. Then as a father I read this understanding the I would have rather died than have my son taken from me (even when he is being bad). Today I saw it with God’s heart, David was called a man after God’s of heart, God sent his son to come and die and pay the ultimate price so that we could be redeemed and have access to the Father. Maybe it was just a lament of a father whose son died before him, but it is also a picture of the love our Heavenly Father, that being three in one, God (Jesus, the Son) died for us that we could be with him. 

Prayer: Father, your hart longs for a relationship with us, you call and reach out to us even when we do not listen. I thank you that you never stopped calling, that you redeemed me from the life I once led. I thank you that you are still refining and molding me. I thank you that you give discernment and understanding that we may grow in our understanding of you and get deeper insight into your love and your word. Open our hearts to better know you. 

What are you preaching???

Reading: 2 Samuel 15, Psalm 3 & 89, and 2 Timothy 4

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:2, preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Thoughts: When I hear the word preach I almost always think of someone getting up in front of a church and giving a well crafted message. The Greek word that was used in this passage was kerysso, this word has several meaning, being a herald, openly publish and public proclamation. When we get on our soapboxes and speak about something with some air of authority we are preaching whatever gospel we are getting on a soapbox for. We are all called to preach in one way or another. Is your preaching advancing the Kingdom or are you taking the focus for God and the gift he gave us. 

Prayer: Father God, you are worthy of all praise, you are worthy of all the words we have to preach. I thank you that you are leading and guiding us. I thank you that you give us opportunities to love those around us and build the kingdom. I thank you that you are growing and stretching me. I ask that you pour your boldness into me and help me to speak your word, and your praise. 

Get out!!!

Reading: 2 Samuel 13-14, 2 Timothy 3, and Luke 2

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13:15, Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!”

Thoughts: We have all wanted something so bad that we begged and pleaded for it and once we got it, we used it or played with it for a time, then it slowly or sometimes not so slowly it moved to the back of the closet and only occasionally gets taken out. Amnon did that with Tamar and society is encouraging this sort of behaver, try it before you buy it mentality. This is also an example of the seeds sown into the rocky soil in Matthew 13:20-21. Are we being rocky soil? Do we let the things of the world have a large influence on us yet our faith and relationship with God is in the closet waiting to come out when we go to church? 

Prayer: Father God, your wonders never stop amazing me, the beauty of a summer day or the silence after a snow. I thank you for the call on my life and the peace and joy that you pour out on us every day. I thank you that you are continually working on me and molding me into the man you are calling. I ask that you help us to keep our relationship with you in the forefront of our lives and not just what we do on the weekends or on holidays. Lead us and guide us in all we do. 

Blot out my transgressions

Reading: 2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 51, and 2 Timothy 2

 

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-2, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

 

Thoughts: I grew up singing the he song “Creat in me a clean heart” a song that focuses on the middle portion of this Psalm and restoration that Davis was seeking. God is just, and in the justification David and even us should be sentenced to death and eternal separation from God. Through Jesus God created a way to pay for those sins all the way back to Adam and forward until His return. God loves each of us that he sent his Son to be the payment for our sins that He could blot them out and was us clean. Are we walking in the cleansing or are we using it as fire insurance. 

 

Prayer: Father God you are so wonderful, you take are sins as fare and the east is from the west, you choose not to remember our iniquities. I ask that you help me to walk in the gift you have given me and seek to shine your light and reflect you love and mercy on the world around me. Help me to find my place in your plans oh Lord.  

Soapbox stories

Reading: 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19-20, Psalm 107, and 2 Timothy 1

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:8-9, Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

Thoughts: As I read this today, I had the thought about how so many people do not share their story or things that they have experienced. I spent many years not talking about my faith let alone encounters with spiritual things in my life. We typically will get up on a soapbox and talk about movies, books, podcasts, and other entertainment that we have been consuming, but are we ashamed of our story. We think it is not good enough, it will not have the effect that we think it should, or sometime we do not think we have one. Look at your life and ask God to help you see his hands working and developing your story. With that story you will be able to reach a unique person or group that nobody else can, that is the podium that God has created for you. What is the Soapbox you need to get off? What podiums have God placed before you that have not been stepped up to yet? 

Prayer: Lord God, you are so wonderful, you lead us and guide us, you prepare the hearts of those whom you place in are path. Help me to recognize the podiums that you place before me and the soapboxes that I like to jump on. Help me to speak your truth and your love to the world around me that none may be lost. 

Caught in the crossfire.

Reading: 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18, Psalm 60, and 1 Timothy 6

Scripture: 2 Samuel 9:1, And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 

Thoughts: We have all been hurt by family or friends at some point or another, David had been hurt by someone who was family and king. Most of us who would have been in David’s situation would have written off that entire family thinking, “I’m sorry my friend died but that family got what was coming to it.” David showed God’s love toward Saul’s entire family because of the friendship he had with Jonathan. I have been through break ups where friends choose sides and family issues where because of the actions of one person there is an entire group of people who have distain for who I am. We are called to love as God loves and David exemplifies this by restoring to Mephibosheth his grandfathers land and gave him servants to work it. How can we show love to those who have wronged us and those caught in the crossfire? 

Prayer: Father God you are the one who makes all things, who owns all things and gives to us all we need. you pour your love upon us all and ask us to pour it out on those around us. I ask that you help me to pour your love on the world around us. I thank you that you are still working in my life leading and guiding me every day. 

Your Rod and your Staff

Reading: 2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalm 23, 1 Timothy 5

Scripture: Psalm 23:4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Thoughts: In reading this today I was thinking about the rod and the staff, when looking into the Hebrew for those the staff (mašʿēnâ) was a support come thing to hold onto and keep you sure footed. The Rod (šēḇeṭ) holds multiple meaning the most obvious here it the shepherd’s tool to direct and protect the sheep, but also is the scepter a symbol of authority. Finally, rod also has the meaning of clan or tribe. It is interesting to look at this passage with the full meanings that the Hebrew language brings, we are comforted in these trials because we are directed and protected, by the true authority and His clan, that clan I feel today is His church. We are also comforted by the staff the support that we need, be it a hand hold or an encouraging word. 

Prayer: Father God, you are the comfort, you lead and guide us, you protect us and give us a clan to belong to and together we support one another with your help. I thank you that you are with me and that you have the rod to keep me on track.

Marriage and Contracts

Reading: 1 Chronicles 16, Psalm 105, and 1 Timothy 4

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-3, Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Thoughts: When reading this passage about people being lead astray to the point of forbidding marriage, my mind went to in growing up marriage was a man and a woman. In the Bible marriage was a man and a woman but it was also a covenant with God, that is why God did not want divorce to be a thing. When the no fault divorce was created marriage became just a contract. President Obama added to that contract that people of the same gender could use that contract. There are pushes from many activist groups to break the family up. Between marriage not being what it used to be and the groups actively fighting against good family values, we appear to be on the verge of a forbidden marriage.

Prayer: Lord God, you created marriage from the beginning, calling it good, you brought the husband and wife together to be fruitful and multi. You have made a covenant with us when we get married, I ask that you help us to walk in that covalent and impart your truth to the next generation. Help us to stand against those who want to tear down your statutes. 

A fool for you

Reading: 2 Samuel 6, 1 Chronicles 15, Psalm 122, and 1 Timothy 2-3

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:21, And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 

Thoughts: We all make fools of ourselves from time to time. Sometimes it is because we are trying to impress someone, sometimes we are just getting ahead of ourselves and do something silly or stupid. Just like Michal we can even assume that the foolish this someone else is doing is self-serving or on the silly stupid spectrum. Growing up in a church where you stood or sat to sing a few songs and maybe you would clap on time with the song was how you worshiped, the first time I attended a church that worshiped unabandoned it was odd, and I thought back to stories I had heard about those weird churches that danced and stuff. Are we worshiping God unabandoned? 

Prayer: Lord God you are worthy of all praise, you are worthy of all love and worship. I thank you that you give us the ability to praise you in so many ways. I thank you that even when we look a fool it can still be praise and worship to you. I thank you that you are leading and guiding us. I thank you for your molding and refining that you lead us through growing us, strengthening us, and helping us to reflect more of you in our lives. 

Teaching without understanding

Reading: 2 Samuel 5, 1 Chronicles 13-14, Psalm 30, 1 Timothy 1, and Luke 1

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:6-7, Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

Thoughts: We all know that person who thinks they are an expert on everything even without study. There are even those in the church who try to teach or be involved in leadership who are not equipped to do so. We need to watch for those who are overstepping and teaching soothing that is off. We also need to be aware if we are the one overstepping our equipping. It is good to learn and to want to pass that information on to others but when we gain knowledge but not understanding and wisdom then we can easily use that knowledge to justify a move in the wrong direction or lead someone astray without knowing. In Romans 14 Paul talks about being a stumbling block to someone because you know that all things are clean but others still have beliefs that it is unclean. If we do not have enough understanding to teach something we should point others to whose who do. 

Prayer: Father God, you give us understanding, discernment and wisdom. You are the one from whom all knowledge and understanding flow. I thank you for entrusting me with what you give me and the ability to see and understand when others are teaching from a place of partial understanding. I ask that you help me to see more, grow more, and seek more of your wisdom and understanding, that I may impart to others. 

What are your desires?

Reading: 1 Chronicles 12, Psalm 37, and Matthew 28

 

Scripture: Psalm 37:3-7, Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

 

Thoughts: Just the other day I heard someone trying to teach men to strive for greatness, physically, mentally, and financially it you want to get a woman and keep her. This man was a vey secular man and then this morning reading through this Psalm, it hit me. As men we are called to protect our families and to provide for them but our primary calling in our family is to be the spiritual leader, we are to be seeking God with all we are and working on emulating him. Loving our wife and children pouring God’s love into them every day. When a husband and wife can seek God together everything else will work 

 

Prayer: Father, I trust in you with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my soul. You lead me and guide me. You are the one I seek after and long for. Your love overflows my heart and pours into those around me. Lead me and guide me in the relationships and help me to pour into those around me. 

 

Motives matter

Reading: 2 Samuel 4, Psalm 22, and Matthew 27

 

Scripture: Matthew 27:3-4,Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”

 

Thoughts: There have been lots of things going on lately that have been described with motivations that may not have been true without being in the head of the person doing these acts or they explicitly say this was my motive it is only a speculation and conjecture on what that motive was. With Judas I remember being taught that because the Bible says he was a thief and he regularly took from the money bag, that he had to be evil and that is why he betrayed Jesus. What if his motivation was to try to have Jesus stand up to Rome and the ruling class to restore God’s kingdom on earth. Most of the Jews at the time were under the teaching that the Messiah was coming to kick Rome out and restore Israel. So when he threw the money back at the leaders he was seeing his mistake still not seeing or understanding the big picture. Where are we assigning motives that are not for us to assign. 

 

Prayer: Lord God, you know our motives and our plans, you know when we seek you or try to force a plan. You have a plan that I fit into. Even the plans you have made known to me I still need to wait on your timing and your leading. Help me not to push your with my own motives

Clouded judgment

Reading: 2 Samuel 3 and Matthew 26

 

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:25, You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.

 

Thoughts: Joab had such anger and hate toward Abner that he was not willing to accept that he was doing anything good or that he could be trustworthy. Not only was there a distrust but the anger and hatred was to the point of murder, the biggest majority of us are not capable of killing someone but are we creating mistrust or a division because of our selfish desires and personal feelings toward some. 

 

Prayer: Lord God you know our harts and you the hearts of those around us. You are working in us all refining and molding us to be more like you. Help us to release the hurt and the pain, to work through is and forgive others as you for give us.

 

Pursuing unto Death

Reading: 2 Samuel 2, 1 Chronicles 11, and Matthew 25

Scripture: 2 Samuel 2:23, But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

Thoughts: Asahel had his one goal, as one of David’s top men he was trying to take out Abner. Even with the warning that Abner gave Asahel, he pursued him. Are we pursuing God in that way? Are we pursing God to the point of death? Asahel was going after his goal so hard that when Abner used the butt of the spear the dull side it still went all the way through him and out the back. It takes a lot of force to push a sharpened stick through meat not to mention any armor or clothing he would have had on. We need to be seeking and pursuing God in that same way, driving so hard after that relationship with Him that no matter what comes at us or attacks us there is no stopping us. We are in a battle for the souls of the world. We are called to spread the Gospel, the evil one will do everything he can to stop us. 

Prayer: Father God, you are the power and authority, we have nothing without you. I thank you for all you have done in my life and all you are doing, the molding and refining. You are the great commander of your armies. Help me to walk out your plan and pursue you and your goals. 

Restoration or remnant

Reading: 2 Samuel 1, Psalm 85, and Matthew 24

 

Scripture: Psalm 85:4,Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!

 

Thoughts: In this Psalm the writer was talking about getting in God’s favor again. The entire book of Judges was about times that God used different judges to strike down enemies and point Israel back to God. Israel when coming out of Egypt was about 2 million people only a quarter of them were counted because they were the fighting men. When Israel was going astray it almost always talked about how there was just a remnant faithful. Israel was letting the world into their views. Are we crying out for restoration, are we the remnant, or are we still running from God’s love.

 

Prayer: Father God, you are so wonderful, you lead us and guide us. You give us the opportunity and ability to return to you when we fall. I thank you are molding and refining me. Lord help me to seek you always and help me to return to you when I loos my way.