In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.

2 Samuel 11

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. v1

With previous readings of this chapter, my focus has been on David's sin and humanity vs the perfection of God.  Today my focus is on HOW David found himself falling prey to temptation and sin.

First we must remember that since The Fall (Genesis 3), sin entered the world, it is all around us (in the world), and it is "on the prowl".  

This said, God is our refuge and He can protect us from sin.  Yet if we fail to draw near to Him and stay near to Him we risk losing God's protection.  I am not saying that we ever deserve God's protection by virtue of an act - on the contrary, God's protection is only by His grace and we are not deserving.  We are never promised a life of ease and comfort.  Instead we are promised that God can help us overcome the world (John 16:33) either in life or in death. 

One key way God protects us is by providing others in our lives who "sharpen" us (Proverbs 27:17).  

Since the beginning (Genesis 2), it has always been part of God's plan that we are to live together with others who can support, encourage and help us.

David had His mighty warriors (2 Samuel 23) yet David chose to stay home in v1 when Joab and David's mighty warriors all went into battle.  

We CANNOT afford to live life on our own!  We must find others - the right others - who can encourage, support and sharpen us.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has provide many, many "right" others for me and these people have encouraged, supported, and sharpened me.  Thank You Jesus for these people!  I am not worth such love because my sin continues - envy, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please prepare Godly spouses and friends for them.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.

Numbers 11

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. v25

God does not intend for us to live alone - we are to have those around us who help.  See also verse 17:

I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.

God want us to live in fellowship with other believers - that is His design from the very beginning.  

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18

And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. Genesis 9:5

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.  Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

Lord Help me live in fellowship with other believers as You intend.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God who has provided many, many people in my life as helpers - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a blessing.  I continue in my sin - please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.