Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 4 & Psalm 6

 

God is Listening to You

Here’s an astonishing truth – The Creator of the Universe hears the prayers of those He has befriended. This truth is confirmed in 1 Peter 3:12 - "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.” Imagine that! God’s ears are attentive to your prayers. This is one of the most amazing and shocking facts in all the Bible. The truth of God’s listening ear is repeated often throughout the Bible. Here are just two of those references:  "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:12-13) And,  “God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" (Psalm 67:20)

God hears everything, including prayers. He is God. Nothing gets by Him. He is sovereign over everything He created. So, the question is not whether God is aware of your prayer (He is), but whether God is tuning in to your prayers with an intent to answer them. To know this, you must consider the following conditions to having your prayers answered.

First, you must be His child, follower, and disciple. Nowhere in Scripture does God promise to answer the prayers of those who have not placed their faith and trust in Him. The ears of the Lord are only attentive to the prayers of those who have been made righteous through their faith in the redemptive work of Christ.

Second, you must not harbor sin in your heart.  Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Unconfessed sin and unrepentance blocks your communication with God. He is there. He wants to hear. But sin is “jamming” the signal.

Third, you must not ask for things just to satisfy your own selfish desires. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:3)

Fourth, you must ask in accordance to His will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) God loves you too much to grant requests that are inconsistent with His plan and purpose for your life.

Finally, you must ask in faith. Jesus said, “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)

In today’s key verse (Psalm 6:9), David the Psalmist, takes a moment to reflect on the amazing truth that "the Lord has heard my plea and accepts my prayer." Get your prayer life aligned with God’s plan and you too will be rejoicing and celebrating God’s answered prayers for you!

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 3

 

The People Were Pleased

Monk and poet John Lydgate once said, “You can please some of the people some of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all of the people all of the time.” A very insightful quote about how difficult it is to please everyone.   Trying to please everyone is actually a characteristic of our fallen human nature. The psychologists say it is a disease called co-dependence. It's unhealthy and hurts those who try to be everything to everyone. Examine your Bible and you will see that there is not a single verse that tells you to try to make everyone happy.   It does say, however, that we should do our best to please God.

David was relatively new at this king thing. He didn’t really know the proper political protocols in many situations. He didn’t know how to please the people. In today’s chapter he was rebuked by Joab for his “blunder” in not imprisoning his sworn enemy, Abner, when he had the chance to do so. David wasn’t a “polished” monarch with decades of experience. But David’s heart was set on pleasing the Lord. And because of this, the Lord made it so that the people were pleased at his actions. In fact, verse 36 says “Everything the king did pleased the people.”

Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”  It is an astonishing thing, but when God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand. They will recognize the quality of your character and the soundness of your decisions. This doesn’t mean that if your ways please the Lord, you will never have an enemy. Everyone will not agree with all you do but they will be “at peace” with you.

So why are we so worried about pleasing other people? If you are worried about pleasing other people, you need to change your priorities and put all of your focus on pleasing God.  He is the most important Person in your life.  When we please God we may not be pleasing everyone around like David, but we are staying in tune with the reason we were created.  God creates us, He saves us and He gives us life.  Your value comes only from God and will never come as a result of people pleasing. The only applause we should be seeking is that of His nail-scarred hands.

 

Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 2

A Turbulent Transition

After the death of Saul, David “inquired of the Lord” (2 Samuel 2:1). He didn’t simply waltz into king Saul’s throne room and take over – even though God had chosen him for this assignment. He “inquired” of the Lord first. This was a common practice in David’s life. In this case, David sought God’s guidance about the where, when, and how the transfer of power should take place. David knew that when we seek the counsel of God, He gives us inside information and insight on every situation we may encounter or find ourselves in. David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord directed him to go to the town of Hebron where he would be inaugurated as the next king of Israel.

Verse 4 says, “And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.” This is actually the second time David was anointed as king. It was Samuel the prophet who first anointed him as king at God’s direction – even though Saul was still on the throne (1 Samuel 10:1). God’s intention was to replace Saul with David as the new king of Israel. But not everyone in Israel was submitted to that intention.

It is noteworthy that verse 4 doesn’t say the “house of Israel.” This is the first sign of a political division in the nation. David was anointed as king of “Judah.” Meanwhile, Abner (the commander of Saul’s army) had other plans. He took Saul’s son Ishbosheth and anointed him as king. The house of Judah followed David, while many other tribes followed Ishbosheth. So the kingdom was divided.

This political division led to a turbulent transition for king David. Abner and his men fought with Joab (the commander of David’s army). First in hand-to-hand combat, which escalated into all out war between the factions. There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. It was a turbulent transfer of power caused by two groups of people with conflicting political ideologies.

This is what happens when the peoples of a nation don’t share a common purpose or political agenda or moral values. In this case, those who “inquired of the Lord” and sought to follow His will, sided with David. Those who chose to ignore God’s intentions and implement their own humanistic government, sided with Abner and Ishbosheth. With two differing views of the future and two political ideologies, it is common for one faction to begin to battle with the other. The “United Tribes” of Israel became the “Divided Tribes.” At this point, the patriotism which led to a common cause get polarized into tribal rivalries that sow resentment and hatred and violence toward one another.

The only solution is for the nation to humbly pray, seek God’s forgiveness, and return to His ways. 

 

Today's Reading - 2 Samuel 1

Mourning Over the Fallen

The battle had pressed hard against king Saul and his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua. The Phillistines struck them down. Israel’s king Saul and his sons have fallen. They were killed in the line of duty as they fought on the front lines against their fiercest enemy. It was a terrible defeat and awful loss.

Now, you would think that David might take this unfortunate turn of events and begin to rejoice a bit in his heart that he can finally rest from the hounding and hunting of Saul. After all, David had spent months (years) running from Saul, hiding in caves and rocks, living a meager existence, and constantly in fear of his life. No one would find fault with David if he was just a little bit happy that Saul was finally out of the picture.

But that’s not how David felt. In fact, David was sorrowful over the heart-rending loss of Israel’s King and Commander in Chief. We are told that he “lamented over Saul and Jonathan, his son.” The word “lamented” in Hebrew means “to strike a musical note of sorrow, wailing, and mourning.” David was truly grieved over the loss of Israel’s king and the loss of his best friend, Jonathan. He began to chant and wail a funeral song to express his grief, “Oh, Gazelles of Israel, struck down on your hills, the mighty warriors—fallen, fallen!  Saul and Jonathan—beloved, beautiful! Together in life, together in death.”

In spite of all Saul’s hostility toward him, David was generous to Saul in the song he composed in his memory.  He cursed the place where Saul died, praised the bravery of Saul, and recalled the prosperity that Saul had brought to the people. It is of interest that David's eulogy of Saul made no reference to his faults and sins.

In the course of his song, David cursed Mount Gilboa, the place where Saul was killed. "Let there not be the dew of heaven, or rain fall upon thee. Let there not be wheat fields grow upon thee." It is very interesting that if you go to Israel even today, and look at Mount Gilboa, it's a rocky, barren, desolate mountain. All around it the mountains are just covered with trees and lush, beautiful greenery. But Gilboa stands out because of its barrenness.

David mourned over the fallen. His grief was genuine. He truly was broken-hearted to see his fellow Israelites, his brothers, his companions struck down. This is a reminder to all of us that we should not rejoice in the calamities or suffering of others. Even if they have been our opponents in life. The loss of life is a mournful thing.

 

Today's Reading: Psalms 128, 129, & 130

Who Could Stand?

If God kept records of our wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? Who would ever survive? Think about that. What if God wrote down every time you had an evil thought, or a selfish motive, or hurtful words, or broke His commandments. How would your list look? If He were to call you into His judgment hall and ask you to defend yourself, would you succeed? Who would? Not a single one of us. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standards. We all have a “rap sheet” that is miles long, with indictment after indictment. No mortal could stand justified in the sight of God.

To truly appreciate God’s grace and forgiveness, it is vital that we all have a sense of our own sinfulness. We must grasp the truth of our own guilt and the depth of our own depravity. We must understand that if God decided to charge us with iniquity, that we are guilty as charged. If He should judge us as we are - we would have no hope. If you don’t understand the problem of your own sin, then you don’t understand God’s grace and forgiveness.  If you’re still entertaining the delusion that you are a “pretty good person” or that you’re “not as bad as the next guy,” then you’ve missed the whole point of God’s salvation. God doesn’t save us because we’re “pretty good” or because “we gave it a great big try.” God saves us even though everyone of us is undeserving of His salvation.

Which brings us to the awesome truth that God doesn’t save us because of some goodness within us, He saves us solely based upon the GOODNESS THAT IS WITHIN HIMSELF. If the Lord should mark our iniquities, none of us would stand. But listen to the rest of today’s verse – “With You there is forgiveness that You may be feared.” What an amazing and astonishing truth! There is forgiveness with God! The most holy and pure Creator can and does take depraved sinners and forgives them for their sin and transgressions. We are justified in His sight because of His great act of forgiveness.

Jesus went to the cross and died in our place to take the punishment for our sins. Because of this, and ONLY because of this, God offers us forgiveness, and cleansing, and salvation, and eternal life. He takes the vilest sinner and blots out the record of his/her wrongdoing based solely upon his/her faith in the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus took your “rap sheet” and your punishment upon Himself.

Realizing that we are forgiven, as grateful worshippers we are now ready to enter God’s temple in holy worship. The importance of the occasion fills us with such a sense of awe that we are genuinely humbled before God. We confess that we cannot understand all about God and his ways, though at the same time we rest in the knowledge that “with You there is forgiveness.” Because the Lord no longer keeps an account of our iniquities, we can stand!

 

Today's Reading: Psalms 121, 123, 124, & 125

The Lord Our Keeper

Some people I know are “keepers.” They tend to hold on to the things that come their way. They protect their possessions and keep them safe. They know where things are and never lose anything. They know how to hold on to things. These are the types of people you want to trust things to. If you are going out of town and you need someone to keep something for you while you’re gone, this is the type of person you need. Someone who holds on. Someone who won’t lose that which you’ve entrusted to them. Someone who is a keeper.

Our God is a lot like that. He is a “keeper.” Here in Psalm 121, David declares that God will keep you from evil; keep your life; keep your going out; and keep your coming in. Once you’ve been placed into His hands, He promises to keep a tight grip on you. In fact, there are dozens of Scripture verses which speak of God’s keeping ability.  Here is a sample:

• The great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love.  (Neh 1:5)
• Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Ps 121:4)
• You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. (Ps 12:7)
• For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. (Prov 3:26)
• He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock. (Jer 31:10)
• The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Ps 121:8)
• Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy. (Jude 1:24)
• Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. (Gen 28:15)
• I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you. (Isa 42:6)
• I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. (Rev 3:10)

We are so blessed to have a Mighty God who is the great “Keeper!”  He is able to keep you. He is able to keep that which you have entrusted to Him. Jesus taught us, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” He has a strong grip on your life and you are safe in His hands.

May the Lord bless you and keep you! (Numbers 6:24)

Today's Reading: Psalm 18

His Way is Perfect

In this happy song (Psalm 18), David is recalling his recent troubles and difficulties and is reflecting upon God’s faithfulness to deliver him from them all. His heart cries out in praise and wonder for the God whose “way is perfect.”

Perfect. Think about that word. The Hebrew root word is “tâmîym” and it means to be without blemish, complete, full, without spot, undefiled, upright, whole. This word describes the character and attribute of God as being completely flawless and impeccable. God’s ways are not just “pretty good” or even “excellent” – His character and His ways are completely and utterly without flaw or blemish or fault of any kind.

David, here, is rejoicing that God has delivered him out of the hands of king Saul. As he looks back on the Lord’s work in his life, he declares that His way had been completely perfect and flawless the entire time. Although there were moments when David’s faith was rattled and he wasn’t sure how things would turn out, he now realizes with crystal clear clarity that God – who can see the end from the beginning – was working things out according to His perfect plan the whole time. His way is perfect!

We, as flawed humans, can be so short-sighted. We look only at our current pain and difficulty and we cry out for immediate deliverance. But what we can’t always see is the masterful and genius hand of our God working things out according to His perfect ways. What a blessing it is to look back on the work God has done. We may not have recognized it at the time, but as we reflect on the things we have come through, we can see that God’s way has been perfect, His word is true, and He is a shield for those who take refuge in Him.

It is a blessing to be able to look back and see God’s hand at work in our past. It is a greater blessing to trust Him here and now with our present. Knowing that His way is perfect and His word is true should have tremendous impact on the way we live our lives in the present. We should live with great peace and confidence in Him. Even when troubles and difficulties come our way (and they will), we can trust our Mighty Creator to carry out His perfect plan in His perfect time. His ways are “perfect” (without blemish, complete, full, without spot, undefiled, upright, whole) – we must live like we believe it! His word always proves true – we must trust Him through every trial.

In the end, we will look back and – like David – rejoice that God carried out His masterful plan just as He said He would!

 

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 31

Saul's Tragic Ending

The story of king Saul, the first king of Israel, is fascinating and disturbing. It is a story that started out so well, with Saul being chosen and anointed as Israel’s first king. In his early days as king, Saul lived an exemplary life of trust in God and obedience to God’s will and he was blessed with peace and prosperity. Saul began his kingly career with a number of advantages. He was from the right tribe, from a wealthy family, looked like a king, had access to God's word through Samuel, and was led by the Holy Spirit. Moreover, God used Samuel to give Saul specific instructions on how Saul should act. Saul had every opportunity to succeed.

He started out so well. Living a life of trust and obedience.  Until the day his heart began to be lifted up with pride and he began to seek his own will and his own comfort which resulted in restlessness, fear, and irrational thinking. He valued his own agenda over God's agenda. Saul had done foolishly, not obeying the commandments of the Lord. From that day on, it was just a matter of time for Saul.

In chapter 31, we read of Saul’s tragic ending. In the heat of battle with the Phillistines, Saul’s sons were struck down by the enemy, and he was badly wounded by an archer’s arrow. Even in this moment, we don’t read of Saul calling out to the Lord. No, instead we read of Saul taking his own life by falling on his sword. Saul and his sons were dead and Israel’s cities were occupied by enemy forces.

Saul’s life teaches us a critically important life lesson – trust and obey God from beginning to end. A life of arrogance, self will, and stubbornness will only lead us to destruction. God’s grace will eventually time out and judgment will set in like king Saul if we choose a life of pride and self-will.  It didn’t have to be this way for Saul. At any time, he could have repented and turned back to a life of trust and obedience, but his thirst for power stifled his ability to humble himself before the Lord.

Think of how this principle applies to you. How many advantages has God given you? How has God blessed you? Be careful not to take His blessings for granted. Stay committed to Him. Stay the course of a life of trust and obedience.

“Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”

(Songwriters: Louisa M. R. Stead / John H. Sammis)

 

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 30

Time for a Self-Talk

All of the people were distressed. They had just returned to Ziklag and found that while they were gone, the Amalekites had raided their city, burned it down, and had taken all of the women and children captive. David’s men were so distraught that they began to blame David for the horrible situation and they began to talk of stoning him. The people were greatly distressed. David was understandably greatly distressed as well.

But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. There are times in life when the only place you can get encouragement and strength – is in the Lord.  David encouraged himself in the Lord. How did he do that? Basically, he had a “self-talk.” He began to talk to himself and ask, ‘why am I so distressed if the Lord is with me? Why am I cast down?’ In essence, David gave himself a “pep talk” to remind himself of God’s presence. Perhaps this is when he uttered the words in Psalm 43:5, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary doesn’t come to me as the Beatles allege. No, when I am in distress, it is the Holy Spirit who comes to me and moves me to rekindle my strength in the Lord. Like David, I begin to ask myself, ‘why am I so bummed out? If God is on my side, why am I in such distress?’ It is so important in those moments to turn our eyes off of our problems, off of the world, off of ourselves, and back onto our Mighty God!

Are you in distress over something in your life? Is your soul cast down? Then it’s time to take a few moments and strengthen yourself in the Lord. Have a self-talk. Ask yourself why you’re so down. And then speak to yourself words of encouragement, hope, and exhortation. God has not forsaken you. He has not left you to handle your problems on your own. He is with you and has promised to be with you until the end. Rekindle your confidence that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

David took the time to strengthen himself in the Lord. The reality is that the strengthening didn’t really come from within himself. He didn’t “pull himself up by the bootstraps.” His strengthening really came when he turned his focus back onto God and let God’s mighty power infuse divine strength back into his soul. When we do that, our troubles are diminished and our hearts receive strength and courage. The troubles of this life will “grow strangely dim” as we turn our eyes upon Jesus.

 

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 28 & 29

 

Saul's Unanswered Prayer

No answer. 

Not “yes.” Not “no.” Not even “maybe.” Silence. The Lord did not answer him. King Saul was terrified of the Phillistine armies which had amassed in great numbers to fight against Israel. He recognized that he needed God’s help to defeat this strong enemy. So he prayed. He inquired of the Lord. But the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by the prophets. The Lord was silent.

Saul, as we have seen, was far from God. After starting out well with humility and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Saul had drifted away from God. He let pride and selfishness cloud his relationship with God. He no longer sought God or worshipped Him. But now he is in trouble, so his first instinct is to turn back to the Lord and inquire of Him. So often we see people who have not submitted themselves to the Lordship of Christ and have no relationship with Him turn to Him in times of crisis. It seems to be a natural human instinct in times of great distress to seek God’s help. Yet, the stark reality is that many of these prayers go up toward God but He does not listen.

The Lord did not answer Saul. Why? I think we can find the answer to this in Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Saul had built up a wall between himself and the Lord – a wall of sin, pride, and disobedience. This wall was blocking his communication channel with the Lord. In reality, his prayers never made it to God’s ears. He did not hear.  “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-3)

There are many reasons for unanswered prayer. Sometimes God simply wants us to wait. Other times, He has an alternative plan to reveal to us. Still other times, His answer is simply “no.” But in this case, there was no answer at all because Saul’s sins prevented God from hearing him. Tragically, instead of dealing with the sin and pride issues in his heart, Saul made the sad mistake of turning elsewhere for answers. He turned to the dark spirits, calling on mediums and necromancers (a conjurer who supposedly communicates with the dead).

For the follower of Christ, when our prayers seem to be unanswered, we must make sure that our hearts are right with God. That we are not harboring any unconfessed sin or pride or iniquity in our heart. Having confessed and forsaken our sins, we must trust fully in God’s timing for His answers to our inquiries. As he promised, “Call on me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)

Today's Reading: Psalm 63

 

Better Than Life

What is better than life itself? After all, without our life, we cannot experience or appreciate anything in the created universe. Life is the most precious thing, right? Well, actually, David here tells us that God’s “steadfast love” is BETTER than life. Because, without God’s love, life would be empty and meaningless.  It is the love of God that makes life worth living.  It is the love of God that brings joy and satisfaction to our spirit. It is the love of God that causes our hearts to sing with rejoicing and praise. Nothing is better than God’s steadfast love!

This is why followers of Christ praise Him. Because we have discovered something far greater than life itself. We have discovered God’s steadfast love and that’s why our lips praise Him. If you don’t yet know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then you are missing out on the very purpose and essence of life – to know God and be known by Him and to experience His steadfast love in your life. If you’re searching for the answer to the hollowness in your heart, look no further than to Jesus. Turn to Him, call on Him, put your faith in Him, confess your sins to Him, receive His forgiveness and His gift of eternal life. Only by doing so will you understand that His love is better than life.

Jesus once said, “I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). With those words, Jesus revealed that there is a plane of existence that is deeper than just living a physical life of body, mind, and emotions. Life is more than biology. There is an “abundant” form of life where our spirit is made alive and we experience what David refers to as “better than life.” Only in Him can we find this deeper and more meaningful abundant life.

Because His steadfast love is “better than life” something happens to our lips, our hearts, and our hands. Our lips praise Him, speaking and singing out words of admiration and worship. Our hearts bless him “as long as we live,” brining honor and devotion from the depths of our spirit. And, our hands lift upward to express our thanks and celebrate His steadfast love. This is the posture of a true believer: lips that praise Him, hearts that bless Him, and hands lifted up to Him.

In this posture, we find “The Message*” paraphrase of verses 2-4 most helpful… “So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you.”

*© Eugene H. Peterson by NavPress Publishing

Today's Reading: Psalm 35

Shout for Joy

Our Lord delights in the welfare of his servant! This thought alone should cause us to “shout for joy and be glad”!  Psalm 35 is a song by David where he is rejoicing in the work of God turning the tables on those who are pursuing him without a cause. He prays that the Lord will continue to contend with those who fight against him.

Throughout this joyful Psalm, David uses words of rejoicing and praise: “rejoice in the Lord”; “exulting in His salvation”; “I will praise you”; “shout for joy”; “be glad”; “great is the Lord”. David acknowledged the hand of God upon his situation and it brought his heart to a place of shouting for joy.

The word “shout” in this verse is the Hebrew word “rānan” which means to give a ringing cry, to address in a loud tone, to triumph, to shout, to still, to command, to glory. This is a shouting praise. You don’t sing it, you shout it! A shout commands our victory. It stills the enemy. This kind of praise is a battle cry; a cry of victory. Sports fans may recognize this as similar to the shout of victory they express when their team gets the final out of the ninth inning in a decisive victory. Shout for joy! Loudly!

When was the last time you “shouted for joy” to the Lord? I mean really let loose and gave a ringing cry of praise to our God? In today’s Psalm, David is calling for all those who delight in his vindication (“righteousness”) to give a mighty shout of praise to God. In the same way, God calls all of us who love His workings in our lives to shout for joy unto Him.

In the words of the song by Hillsong Paris, we are exhorted to shout our praise to God, “Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the King. Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands. Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand. Nothing compares to the promise I have In You.” *

So, take a moment today to SHOUT for JOY like David to the Lord. Praise Him for delighting in your welfare and defending you from your enemies.  Remember, we are commanded in Psalm 100:1 to “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.” 

 

 

* “Shout to the Lord” lyrics © Music Services, Inc

 

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 27 & Psalm 17

Awaking in His Likeness

David lived his life with an overriding hope and expectation – that one day he would awaken in God’s very presence and “behold” His face. In that moment – and not until that moment – he would be fully satisfied, fulfilled, and contented.

Nothing but God Himself can satisfy the wishes of the human spirit. He made us with infinite capacities and desires for spiritual fulfillment. He alone, the infinite God, can meet and gratify these desires. No soul has ever been fully satisfied except the soul that finds God and is satisfied in Him. During this life, we are granted a “taste” of God’s satisfying presence by the work of the Holy Spirit in our human spirits. But, until we see Him face to face, we will not be fully satisfied to the full depths of our spirit. But that day is coming!  And, oh, what a day that will be!

When we arrive in His presence, He will satisfy our soul by fully restoring us to His image, which, by the fall, had been lost.  During this life, the Holy Spirit is constantly at work within us to make us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  He is molding and shaping us to be more and more like Him each day.  This is the goal and purpose of our life – to become just like Jesus. The Apostle Paul said, "And we with open face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed from glory to glory into the same image by His Spirit in us” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Think of it – our spirits are being changed step-by-step, day-by-day, “from glory-to-glory” into the image of our Creator.  "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, it does not yet appear what we are going to be, but we know that when He appears we are going to be like Him for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2 )

One day, the Holy Spirit’s work in us on earth will be completed and we will finally enter into eternity. Whether by rapture or death, on that day, we will experience two amazing and astounding events: we will see God’s glorious face, and we will be fully formed into His magnificent likeness and image!  WOW! Think of it!  We will see our Maker in His holy presence, and we will resemble Him!

While we are satisfied with the Spirit’s immediate presence and work in our lives, we shall be fully satisfied only when we awake in the likeness of our God. Nothing can meet the wants of our nature; nothing can fully satisfy the aspirings of our soul, until that occurs.

 

Today's Reading - 1 Samuel 26

 

Rewarded by the Lord

David has just spared Saul’s life (again!). David now confronts Saul with the fact that he did him no harm when he had the perfect opportunity to end his life. Surely David would have done himself a great favor by getting rid of Saul, who was making his life miserable. Or, would he?

David, in his words to Saul, explains why he did not jump at the opportunity to harm him – because the “Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.” David refused to better his own life if it meant compromising his convictions. He weighed out the situation and came to the conclusion that eternal rewards from the hand of God were far more important than the instant gratification he would’ve gained by killing Saul. He chose eternal gratification over instant gratification because He knew that His Lord was a God who rewards righteous acts.

It isn’t hard to understand what the Lord wants from us.  It’s not complicated. To gain His blessing and reward we don’t have to go through some complicated series of actions or religion. No, the Lord blesses us and rewards us for two actions – righteousness and faithfulness.

Righteousness means to act rightly and in accordance with God’s moral guidelines. That means He wants us to live in accordance with His holy word. When faced with a dilemma, we must do as David did and weigh the consequences of our actions against God’s moral law. We must choose obedience to His word over instant gratification.

Faithfulness means to be firm in your allegiance to God and His expressed purpose for your life. When we came to Christ, we made a promise to be faithful to Him and His calling upon our lives. Faithfulness involves remaining true to that promise and carrying out His plan (to the best of our ability).

The Lord rewards every one of us for our righteousness and our faithfulness. His rewards come in many forms. Sometimes He rewards us instantly with temporal blessings. Sometimes His rewards wait until we enter His eternal kingdom. But you can be sure of one thing – the Lord will reward you for your righteousness and faithfulness. Especially when your action or reaction comes from a decision to choose His ways and His truth over your own benefit and gratification.

David spared Saul’s life because his desire for God’s rewards far outweighed his need for temporal advantage.

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 25

 

Bound in the Bundle of Life

David and his men were hungry. So David went to Nabal, a wealthy rancher and requested some food and provisions. Nabal, (whose name means, “foolish”) did not heed David’s request but sent them away empty handed. As a result, David mustered his men and prepared them to attack Nabal and his men. But then, along came Nabal’s wife, a woman named Abigail.

Abigail, (whose name means “the father’s joy”) brought joy to David and his men when she secretly provided some food and provisions for them and pronounced a blessing upon them. Because of her kindness, David called off his attack and left town peaceably. In the course of Abigail’s blessing of David she said, “The life of my lord [David] shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God.”

To be “bound in the bundle of life” is to know that you are protected and cared for deeply.  When valuable items were transported during biblical times, they were wrapped in cloth, cotton and other soft materials for protection. They were then wrapped again and again to ensure safe arrival. They were “bound” for their protection.  So, when Abigail says to David that his life shall be bound in the bundle of life or “of the living,” she was pronouncing a blessing of safety and protection upon him.  In essence, she was saying, “May the Lord wrap your life in bundles of safety and protection.” Abigail recognized David’s relationship with “the LORD his God.” Accordingly, she invoked a blessing of protection upon David, calling for him to be protected and deeply cared for by the LORD.  Abigail’s reminder of God’s value and protection over him gave David the inner strength to leave the matter in God’s hands.

As a follower of Christ, your life is “bound in the bundle of life” as well.  God wants you to know that He has wrapped your life in many layers of care and protection and He cares for you deeply. His protection over your life ensures that you, too, are safe from every attack and in every battle you face in life. It is now up to you to have the inner strength to leave the matter in God’s hands and trust His protection and deep care for you.

In David’s case, Nabal died shortly after this incident and Abigail became David’s new bride. God turned the tables on a foolish man and blessed David in the process as he was living in the care of the LORD his God.

Today's Reading: Psalm 141 & 142

A Guard Over My Mouth

A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!  It only takes a spark to set off a forest fire. In the same way, a careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can set off a uproar. By your speech you can ruin people’s lives, turn harmony to chaos, or sully someone’s reputation.  The tongue is a powerful thing.

That’s why David prayed that the Lord would “watch over the door of my lips.”  He recognized that the words he speaks are important and have consequences.  Proverbs 15:23 tells us about positive words, “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!”  Contrast that with Proverbs 29:20 which says, “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.”  Our words can be positive and uplifting, or they can be hasty and hurtful.  It is a paradox of human nature that the same tongue can be used for good and for evil.

We all need a guard over our mouth.  We need someone to watch over the door of our lips.  Why? Because we are all prone to hurtful words spoken in haste.  According to James 3, we all need to tame our tongue.  The problem is that, “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison”  (James 3:6). It is not enough to speak helpful words “most” of the time if we sometimes use our mouths for hurtful or evil things.  We need someone to keep watch over our lips.

Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit!  On your own, you are never going to be able to do anything to bring your tongue under control.  You are going to have to let the Holy Spirit do it for you!  One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to give us the right words to speak.  Luke 12:12 says, “The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say at the moment when you need them.”  Stop trying to control your mouth in your own effort.  It is time to cry out to God and ask that He place a guard over your mouth.

Here’s how to control your tongue: pray this prayer from Psalm 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."  

Then, get out of the Holy Spirit's way and let Him keep watch over the door of your lips!

Today's Reading: Psalm 120 & 140

I Know That The Lord

When you get to know someone – really know them – you can anticipate how they will act in various situations.  You only know someone if he or she actively shares information with you, particularly intimate, private information. You may know certain things “about” someone, like their name, where they live, where they work, etc.  You may even know some things about them like their favorite movie, or where they like to shop, or their favorite sports team.  Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter may help you know “about” someone from the things they post.  But do you really know them?  Do you know their innermost character and “what makes them tick?”  Probably not.

To really “know” someone, you need to spend time with them and they need to share personal inside information with you. They need to “open up” to you and let you know the feelings and attitudes and viewpoints that can’t really be seen from a social media post.  As you get to know them, you can begin to anticipate the decisions they will make and the causes they support. In many cases, you can predict their next move.

I once had a very close friend who was accused of doing something hurtful to another person. Others around him began to charge him and accuse him. But I knew this friend, and based on my personal knowledge of him, I was certain that he could not have done what he was accused of.  I knew what “made him tick,” and there’s no way he could be guilty of the things they accused him of.  It turned out that I was right.  After the truth came out, my friend was completely exonerated. I was not surprised because I knew that he couldn’t have done what they said.

David knew God.  He didn’t just know about Him. He had spent time with God, sitting in His presence and, as a result, David knew what God was like, and could anticipate what He would do. You could say that David knew the Lord’s innermost character and had personal knowledge of the things He would – or would not – do.

In today’s key verse (Psalm 140:12), David said, “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and will exercise justice for the needy.”  How did David “know” this?  Because he had spent time getting to know God and what He is like.  He connected with the Lord in such a way that he could anticipate how He would act in certain situations. Even if someone accused the Lord of wrongdoing, David had intimate knowledge of God’s innermost character and “knew” that those things could not be true.

This is one of joys of becoming intimate with the Lord. When He befriends you and begins to share His private, intimate, innermost character with you, you can anticipate how He will act in your life. You can live a life of confidence and trust and, like David, be able to say, “I know that the Lord will…”

 

Today's Reading: Psalm 52 & 56

In Praise of God's Word

Why did David praise the word of the Lord?  What is it about God’s word that prompted his praise and thankfulness?  After all, David was in a deeply distressful period of his life.  He was at risk daily of being killed by king Saul and his agents. He was living a life of scarcity and loneliness, hiding in caves and mountains. There really wasn’t much to be thankful for at this point in his life. Yet he takes time to give thanks for and to praise the word of God.

David, of course, did not have the full Bible we enjoy today. But he praised the word of God.  Perhaps he had some fragments of the writings of Moses, or Joshua, or Samuel, or the priests of Israel. We don’t really know for sure if David had any form of God’s written word, but we know that he certainly had God’s word written upon his heart. David had grown up as an Israelite boy, where he had been taught the Book of the Law. As a child, David had “hidden God’s word” in his heart (see Psalm 119:11).  But more than that, God had spoken to David on numerous occasions through Samuel, the Judge and Prophet of Israel and again as David inquired of the Lord, the Lord spoke to him directly via the impressions of the Holy Spirit on his heart.  David certainly had God’s word, but why did he praise it?  What prompted his praise and thankfulness?

David praised the word of the Lord because he recognized its power in his life.  He had come to know the word of God as something that was always with him and that he could always fall back on as a form of comfort, encouragement, conviction, guidance, and confidence.  To him, it wasn’t just some empty “religious” words, but it was communication from the very heart of God.  For this, David gave praise.

Spending time in God’s word does some pretty amazing things!  As you turn to His word, your anxiety and fear gives way to peace ruling in your heart. Like David, you no longer fear what man can do to you, because you recognize that God is on your side. Not only do you get peace, but you get wisdom for life causing you to feel more confident to make decisions and act in God-honoring ways. The word of God brings you to the place where God confides in you as His friend. Oh, how God loves to speak to us through His Word!  One of the most awesome benefits to reading the Bible is that suddenly God really becomes real – He’s not just “out there” somewhere, but He is tangibly showing up in your life.  Ultimately, the word of God has power to cause you to know your faith and live out your faith. Instead of just remembering Bible stories or things that others have said, the word really starts to come alive for you. For all of this, and more, we should live in praise of God’s word.

 

Today's Reading: Psalm 34

 

Near to the Brokenhearted

We are in the period of David’s life where he has become a prolific writer of musical lyrics that will one day be compiled into the Book of Psalms. The Hebrew word for Psalms is “Tehillim,” which literally translated means “Praises.”  Thus, the Book of Psalms is a compilation of praises in the form of Hebrew poems, songs, and prayers.  David was a poet and harp player and is credited with writing about half of the 150 Psalms found in our Old Testament.  Many of these poems and songs came to be used by the choirs that sang in Israel’s temple worship services.  And many are still sung today as a means of worship by the Christian church around the world.

Psalm 34 is a poem that invites the reader to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Verse 8). It is a song about the goodness of God and all the blessings that He brings to those who seek Him and praise Him continually.  Some of these blessings include: gladness, freedom from fear, radiant faces, not being ashamed, protection, having no lack, living and loving many days, prayers that are heard, deliverance from affliction, and the promise of redemption.  Wow!  What an amazing song/poem.  It is a song that should be always on our hearts.

In verse 18, David says that the “LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”  It is one of the amazing characteristics of our God that He recognizes our moments of disappointment and sorrow and makes it His undertaking to come alongside us with His nearness and saving presence.

We all go through periods in our lives when we are brokenhearted and crushed in spirit.  Perhaps a relationship has broken down, or a loved one has passed away, or an opportunity has been lost, or sickness has afflicted our body or the body of a loved one, or the pain of loneliness has set in.  In one way or another, brokenheartedness is part of the human experience.  When those crushing moments come, we must respond by remembering that our God is near and wants to save us with His grace and love.  There are three key points to see in this promise from God.

First, GOD IS CLOSE.  He is ever present. There is nowhere we can go, or nothing we can go through where God is not there.  If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).  When difficulties and sadness come your way, don’t pull away from God. Instead, let His comforting Spirit encircle your broken heart.

Second, He is near TO THE BROKEN HEARTED. It is often the brokenhearted who see Him best and sense His comforting presence the most. He is not a God who is unaffected by our pain.  He longs to bring comfort and encouragement to our downcast souls.

Finally, HE SAVES THE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT. This statement takes God’s work a step further.  He not only is near, but He wants to intervene in our moments of brokenheartedness. His nearness is there to save us.  He is a mighty saving God and is in the business of restoring your joy, your confidence, your hope, and your salvation. 

Today's Reading: Psalm 31

My Times are in His Hand

David was sad. His life was spent with grief, and his years with sighing. His sorrow had sapped his strength. Cruel enemies pursued him with malicious intentions, even seeking his life. At this sad and grief-filled time in his life, David turned to the best possible resource available to him – his trust in God. He had no other refuge but that which he found by faith in the Lord his God.

Having taken to trusting in God, David makes a wonderful claim – “my times are in Your hand.” By these words, David was acknowledging God’s divine providence, protection, provision, and guidance.  This to him was a most cheering fact: he had no fear as to his circumstances, since all things were in the divine hand of his loving Heavenly Father.

The great truth is this – all that concerns you as a follower of Christ is in the hands of the Almighty God. Your “times” may change and shift; but they change only in accordance with God’s unchanging love, and they shift only according to the purpose of Him with whom is “no variableness nor shadow of a turning” (James 1:17).  Your times, that is to say, your ups and your downs, your health and your sickness, your poverty and your wealth, your joy and your grief – all those are in the hand of the Lord, who arranges and appoints according to his holy will the length of your days, and the darkness of your nights. Storms and calms will vary with the seasons of divine appointment. Sometimes He calms the storm, sometimes He calms you during the storm.  It is all in His gracious, kind, and loving hands.  Whether times are refreshing or gloomy remains with Him who is Lord both of time and of eternity.  We, like David, should rejoice in this eternal truth!

The ultimate results of His work of grace upon us, and of His transformation of us in this life, are in the highest hand. We are not in our own hands, nor in the hands of “the fates”; but we are under the skillful operation of the hands of our Maker, who makes nothing in vain. The end of our life is not decided by the some random “fate” or by accident; but by the hand of love. We shall not die before our time, neither shall we be forgotten and left upon this earth too long.

It is important to note that David's times were in God's hand because that’s where he had placed them. He had by faith intentionally committed all to God. Observe carefully verse 5 of this Psalm: "Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” We, too, as followers of Christ, must be intentional about our trust in the Lord.  We, like David, must commit our spirit to Him and trust that the entirety of our lives are in His loving and gracious hands!