The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 15 of Advent, and today John Piper explores how the Christmas season finds many grieving over loss, and this season, our family is grieving over the loss the Marit, our dear niece who within days of turning 15 died of brain cancer.  During these seasons of loss, John Piper encourages us to not be bitter, or to mask our feelings of loss, as he correctly shares that it is when we allow ourselves to feel loss and submit to circumstances orchestrated by God, this is when we will experience God's love and see Him at work. Piper writes: "[w]hat is love for, if not to intensify our affections — both in life and death?"  This is life in abundance now.  We are also encouraged to look forward to Heaven where we are not only reunited with our loved ones who believed.  Rejoice in abundance now and forever!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good, good father - who is with us during difficult seasons and good seasons...and You save a placed in Heaven for us.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You provide such abundant life.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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 love me.  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 provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. 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.

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

2 Samuel 1-5

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David. 2 Samuel 5:6-7

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This afternoon, I continue with the story of "David: Giant Problems and Colossal Collapses*".

*Title of lesson five from the Max Lucado study.

The commentary* of day three starts with Max Lucado discussing how David hears of the death of both Jonathan, a dear friend, like a brother, and Saul, someone who had been seeking David's death.  Yet David mourns over both, including Saul who is God's anointed.  David could have easily killed Saul at least once but he knew that Saul's was God's anointed.  David is not perfect but in his mercy and compassion for Saul, he is a man after God's heart. Lucado points to David's mourning as a season for David - temporary - and he uses Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 to remind us how there are seasons in our life, including times to mourn, but again these periods are temporary and God helps us heal and move on in our lives.  David does and he ultimately finds his strength in the Lord and he takes Jerusalem and unifies the northern and southern kingdoms under his reign.  He defeats multiple parties and Lucado encourages us to find our strength in the Lord to defeat strongholds we see in our lives.  Lucado points to how God helps us fight "against the odds" and find the "nevertheless" moments where God enables us to rise up against and defeat our foes.

I am reminded of the highlighted verse in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 from a post couple of days ago.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has helped me through seasons of mourning and difficulty and ultimately strengthened me to defeat foes in my life - including difficult fights with temptation and sin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love me and how You bless me.  I am harsh with others and often put my relationship with You below my earthly desires.  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 love me.  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 provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  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.