Take Wise Counsel From Others - If It Makes You Uncomfortable, Then You Are Probably Doing Something Right

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chp 12

Let me start with the following premise: that we are born sinners, and once we accept Christ as our savior God will always be molding as until the day we die.  Sometimes it may feel as if we are in the refiners fire, and other times it may not.  In either state, we are to keep moving (run) as it says in Hebrews:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

To this end, the movement towards Christ and the molding/transformation of our heart includes our acceptance of teaching from others as these people are placed in our lives for a reason.

For Rehoboam, unfortunately, he does not accept this counsel - and the consequences are not good, nor are the consequences for Israel.  Rehoboam fulfills the prophecy of Ahijah in 1 Kings 11:29 that the kingdom established under the House of David, including both Solomon and then his son Rehoboam would be divided. 

 ¹³ The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, ¹⁴ he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

Although Rehoboam would not be able to change God's plans, the words of God for me I see are that wise counsel is critical and that if I am to invite others to pour themselves into my life - I am to listen and follow their advice, even if I don't like it.

My Prayer: Lord, you're counsel is great and your plan for me is great!  Forgive me when I neglect our relationship and when I don't seek you out.  Forgive me when I don't trust you or your words for me.  Please help me submit to you, your plan for me, and help me both seek wise counsel and to take this wise counsel, even if it is uncomfortable.

Easy Come Easy Go

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chps 4-11


Even though the Lord is initially very pleased with Solomon who chooses wisdom over riches, etc, Solomon shows us how God my bless you and then how quickly he can punish you by taking away that which he has given you.


Witness the series of events in Solomons's life as depicted in Kings:

1 Kings 6:39-7:1 (NIV)

He had spent seven years building [the Lord's temple]. It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace. 

The above verse indicates how Solomon sows the seeds of his downfall as he spends more time  building his own palace vs the Lord's temple.

1 Kings 11:1-2 (NIV)

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter---Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. [2] They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.

...

1 Kings 11:4-6 (NIV)

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. [5] He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. [6] So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

...

1 Kings 11:9-13 (NIV)

The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. [10] Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord's command. [11] So the Lord said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. [12] Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. [13] Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

For me, I need to understand how God has blessed as I have a covenant with Him that I follow Him and I am faithful to Him, He will bless me also. At the same time I need to recognize that a blessing by God is according to God's definition, not mine.  I also need to understand that God blesses me at his discretion and he can easily take away.  I need to be thankful for what I have and stay close to Him.


My Prayer: Lord, I know you have blessed me, in many ways tangible and not tangible.  Forgive me for thinking that these were through me or my own doing.  Help me truly praise you and credit you for how are solely to credit for the blessings in my life.  Help me follow you, trust you, love you and be like you.

God's Gift of Wisdom is Available to All

Today's Reading
1 Kings Chps 1-3

As we all know Solomon is anointed king following David and Solomon goes to the Lord and the Lord tells Solomon that he can be granted any wish and Solomon asks for discerning heart and wisdom, for he does not know how to rule.  This is of course is pleasing to the Lord.  What is important to understand is that God does not grant this wish without strings.  The strings are that wisdom is ONLY through an ongoing relationship with and obedience to the Lord:

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 1:10-14)

What we need to recognize is that this same gift of wisdom is available to all of us if we also follow in the ways of the Lord.  We may not have the wisdom of Solomon but Truth is available to all.  We need to love the Lord with all of our heart, pray, follow, trust, etc. 

My Prayer:  Lord, You are great and Your word is great.  Your truth has guided me in all ways.  Forgive me when I neglect you, put others or other things ahead of You.  Help me love you with all of my heart, seek you out, trust you, and follow you.

It is Only Through Authentic Humility That We Can Seek Forgiveness

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chps 13-24

Of course I sin...I am disobedient to the core.  Yet even worse, I am arrogant.  I expect forgiveness...and I often don't even ask for it.   How am I truly to be set free and forgiven if I do not humble myself before the Lord and truly seek His forgiveness.  While David has his moments, he most of the time is humble man, truly remorseful of his sin.  Here towards the end of his reign and life, he seeks to make atonement for his wrongs against God:

“I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” (2 Samuel 24:10)

And as God carries out His wrath against Israel because of David's wrongs, David once againt prostrates himself:

“I have sinned; I, the shepherd,^[c] have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.” (2 Samuel 24:17)

And again, David humbles himself to the point where he is not above anyone and he pays his fellow countryman Araunah to purchase (vs seizing it) a threshing floor to be used to build an altar.

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. ²⁵ David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped. (2 Samuel 24: 24-25)

 
My Prayer: Lord, you are love, compassion, and mercy.  You create these things as an expression of your love for me and I am in awe that you would create these things and express these just for me.  You are truly great and I love you.  Forgive me for my neglect of you Lord Christ as I have worshipped my job and my rest more than I have loved you.  Give me strength.  Give me trust.  Give me energy.  Help me seek you fervently all time the time.

Something Good Can Come of Something Bad

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chp 12

Clearly David sinned.  Yet even with this sin God is able to create something good and it is always mysterious how he uses us and what we do for his glory.  After God as Nathan said struck down and killed the child born to David and Bathsheba, God shows mercy and does not kill David.  David then proceeds to have another son - Solomon:

²⁴ Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to 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 (v24-25)

My Prayer: Lord, your designs and your plan are great.  I know I sin so please forgive me and thank you for mercy Lord.  Purify me and transform me and help me be more like you.  I love you Lord Christ.

Faith In God vs Man

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chps 10-11

I've been reading about how David was anointed by God and how God was with David everywhere he went.  When I read about people such as David it is tempting to worship the person vs see in the person what God has done and what God is doing.

We clearly cannot have faith in man in the same way that we have faith in God.  In this chapter (11) David commits adultery and murder:

But the thing David had done displeased the LORD (v26).

My Prayer: Lord, it is ONLY You who is perfect, pure and holy.  I on the other hand am unclean.  I sin daily at least in my heart if not with my body and sometimes overtly.  Thank you for your example, your love and of course for your death on the cross and resurrection as it is through these things I can be forgiven and live in eternity with you.  Help me Lord Father, purify me and help me have complete faith, trust and love with all of my heart in You.

Humility Defined As Trusting God Even When You Don't Want To

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chps 8-9

I know that humility is important.  In this story with David, I see humility because David reaches out to a lame son of Jonathan and shows kindness and compassion...is is I suppose humility through lack of arrogance.  David could have had anything.  In fact, the Lord was giving David military victory everywhere he went:

The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. 2 Samuel 8:6

...

The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. 2 Samuel 8:14

Yet, with all of the power that David had, David worked to do what was just, good, and right:

David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 2 Samuel 8:15

More specifically, the humility I see with David is that David focuses on God's glory and not his own.  David's humility results in him "taking in" the lame son of Jonathan - Mephibosheth.  David reaches out to Mephibosheth and ensures that he has provision and care for the rest of his life - despite that he is lame in both feet and he is an offspring of Saul's family - and Saul sought David's death.

 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 2 Samuel 9:7

We must avoid temptation to circumvent God's will and focus on our own glory vs God's glory.  

Right now, I can see that I am trying to circumvent God's will in the rearing of my own son Zach.  I am trying to force Zach into a love of Christ.  This is not my job!  I am to shepherd his heart - and pray that God grows in Zach's heart.  I must trust God and not force my will onto Zach.  This is difficult because I want Zach to love the Lord.

My Prayer:  Lord...Father...you have come into my heart and my life and transformed me and saved me from eternal death and a life of sin here on earth.  You ARE GREAT!  Forgive me for my neglect and laziness regarding my relationship, study, prayer, and quiet time.  I thank you that you can and will forgive me.  And I thank you for my blessings - primarily my family, Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  But there is so much more!  Thank you Lord Father!  I pray that I can humble myself by trusting in you and seeking out your guidance and direction with Zach.  Reveal to me how I can shepherd his heart.

God Cannot Be "Boxed In"

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chp 7


I know I should not do this but I "box" Jesus in; he is part of this part of my life and not part of other parts of my life.  This is so not how God wants it to be!  In fact, God tells David through Nathan that David should not be concerned about living in house of Cedar when God lives in only a tent (as David puts it).

‘This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? ⁶ I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. ⁷ Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’(verses 5-7)

I also see in this passage a foreshadowing of Jesus being in the line of David:

“‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: ¹²When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. ¹⁵ But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

My Prayer: Lord, you are too big to be boxed in!  In my own life I have seen how your blessings have caused my cup to "runneth over"!  Thank you for how you have transformed my life and my heart to be more like you.  Forgive me when I neglect you, don't seek you out or don't listen to you.  Help me come to you always, love you more, trust you more, obey, and follow.  Purify me Lord and help me depend on you and not myself, other people, or earthly things.

Do Not Hide Your Worship

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chp 6

I often say to myself that I am not gifted in evangelism and perhaps this is true or not true and perhaps God is either calling me or not calling me to grow in this area....yet what I say to myself about evangelism makes me think about my worship and what I clear God says about worship as it applies to me being a parent.

Here in 2 Samuel, one of David's wifes Michal, is apparently embarassed for the public nature of David's worship of the Lord:

 ²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

  

²¹ David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. ²² I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

²³ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:20-23)

 Similarly, Moses gives the Israelites instructions that worship of the Lord is to be with all of our heart:

⁵ Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.(Deuteronomy 6:5-9)

My Prayer: Lord, your works in my life alone are great let alone those I have witnessed in the lives of others.  Thank you for helping me with patience as well as other areas in my life - you are great and it is only through You that this transformation occurs.  Help me proclaim and pronounce your love and greatness in a more public manner so that all the world may know and come to know you and accept you.  Help me overcome any shame of my love for you.  If I do have any shame, please forgive me of this and help with this.

Lead Through Humility

Today's Reading
2 Samuel Chp 3

It is counter-intuitive in our contemporary world but we must lead not via bravado but instead by showing a servant's heart; it is through humility that we can become more Christ-like as we shed ourselves and instead invite Christ into our heart.  Although it is an old testament example, David here exemplifies this humility as one of his men Joab kills a former commander of Saul's army.  David admonishes Joab and laments - demonstrating his love of the Lord and his commands.

 ²⁸ Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.

...

³¹ Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. ³² They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.

  

³³ The king sang this lament for Abner:

   “Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
 

 ³⁴ Your hands were not bound,
   your feet were not fettered.
You fell as one falls before the wicked.”

   And all the people wept over him again. 

Paul speaks of humility in Colossians 3:12

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

My Prayer: Lord, you have blessed me with gifts to lead and I am in awe of how you have used me for your glory - it is entirely your doing as you are great and your plan and your works are great!  Thank you Lord for your blessings and your hand!  Forgive me for my own arrogance and need for control.  Help me love and trust you more, and obey you fully.  Purify me.  Help me submit to you humbly so that you can be in control and so that your hands can guide mine with your plan and your works.

David Exercises Restraint Knowing That He Will Be King in God's Time

Today's Reading
1 Samuel 31 to 2 Samuel 1

I know that God has His own measure of time and of course His own plan.  David respects this.  David knows that he is to be king of Israel upon Saul's death.  Yet he does not kill Saul even though he has ample opportunity, and even in Saul's death he does not rejoice.  Initially, he rebukes and then kills the soldier who struck the final blow resulting in Saul's death.  He then grieves the death of Jonathon and Saul.

¹⁴ David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” (2 Samuel 1:14)

...

²³ Saul and Jonathan—
   in life they were loved and admired,
   and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
   they were stronger than lions.

 ²⁴ “Daughters of Israel,
   weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
   who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. (2 Samuel 1:23-24)

My Prayer: Lord, you have given me greater patience and perspective regarding your timing and your will - you know me more so than I know myself and I thank you for your divine teachings and for your guidance and counsel - you are my rock, my shield, and my light.  Please help me lean on you, trust you, love, follow you, obey you and seek you out - more and more each day.

If You Are In Relationship with God, He Will Respond

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chps 25-30

I often hear that God can answer prayer in many ways, including who responds and what the response is.  If only we are in relationship with Him.  Saul is clearly not in relationship with God as Saul continues to pursue David.  As the Philistines gather against Saul, he is filled with fear and sins by seeking a medium to understand God's will and plan:

 ⁴ The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. ⁶ He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. ⁷ Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”  (1 Sam 28: 4-7)

Clearly God does not desire us to seek mediums or spiritists as he indicated so through Moses:

¹⁰ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, ¹¹ or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

Through his sin, Saul separates himself from God and is unable to discern God's will and cannot hear God's words for him.

The spirit of Samuel makes it clear:

Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has departed from you and become your enemy? ¹⁷¹⁸ Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. ¹⁹ The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.” (1 Sam 28:16-19) The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David.

How many times do I go to God and assume that because I don't hear a response that there is no response.  For me the point is clear, if we are close to God he will always respond and we just need to listen for the response and be aware of how it may be delivered - which is often very mysterious unless we are attentive.

In contrast to Saul, David is in relationship with God and he is able to discern - as clear as day.  As the Amalekites talked of stoning David:

But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6)

In drawing near to the Lord, David is able to hear God's response:

...and David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

   

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”(1 Samuel 30:8)

I need to draw near to God so I can understand His will for me - in all things.

My Prayer: Lord, I am amazed at how you have used me for your glory and also blessed me.  I know it is through You that these things happen - you are awesome and you are great!  Thank you for your wisdom.  Forgive me for my neglect of you and for my desire of things in the world.  Purify me of these things.  Help me draw near to you. love you, trust you, follow you and be bold in all of this.

Love and Humility Not Rage, Jealousy, and Revenge

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chps 23-24

Here I see David spare Saul's life, even though God delivers Saul into David's hands.  After cutting off a corner of Saul's robe, David feels great remorse and seeks forgiveness from God .

⁵ Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 24:5-6)

 I see this as a sign of humility for even though David knows he has been anointed by God to be King of Israel, he willingly submits to Saul.  At the same time, this is love for Saul is to kill him and this is is as clear an example as their will ever be in scripture to love everyone, including your enemies.

What comes to mind here is how quickly the mind can become poisoned by anger, and anger produces results that are God-driven.  I read this in James chapter 1:

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

This is something very top of mind for me because I have my plan for my life, including my plan for my children and my family and when I don't see it go my way, I am sometimes enraged and this rage produces bad outcomes in my family and I can see the results.

My Prayer: Lord, you have blessed me with a beautiful loving family - thank you for this rich blessing indeed!  Forgive me for my neglect of you and help me draw closer to you.  Please help me be quick to listen, and slow to talk and of course very slow (or avoid!) to anger.