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The Life of David Part 1: You Were Made to be Extraordinary

8/16/2016

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For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart 1 Samuel 16:7 on photo of Tenacious Bush Sunflower in Black and White
For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart 1 Samuel 16:7
​I want to begin a series looking at the life of David. David is first mentioned in the book of Ruth. Ruth 4:16-22 read,
Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
 
David was Israel’s greatest king, and a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). We read first that his lineage contains Ruth, a Moabite, not a Jewess at all. Ruth was born a Moabite but out of love and faithfulness to her husband and her mother in law she chose to follow the One True God. Her life’s circumstances were difficult. She lost her husband and followed Naomi to a foreign place because of her faithfulness. In a picture of wonderful redemption Boaz married Ruth and that union created Obed, who led to Jesse, and then David.
God chooses to use ordinary people to do His work. He uses the small, the weak, the broken, the humble, the willing, and the unwilling. Ruth was an ordinary woman who worshipped a foreign God, but The Lord chose her and brought her to know Him through a family of Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah, Naomi and her sons, one of whom married Ruth. When Ruth was widowed rather than choose to be released from her responsibilities to Naomi and return to idols, she stayed true to The Lord and remained with Naomi. That simple woman gave Naomi a reason to keep going after losing her husband and both her sons. That commonplace woman worked hard and proved to be extraordinary, caught the eye of Boaz and became part of the lineage of Jesus our Christ.
God doesn’t look at us the way we look at one another or ourselves. He sees the true us, the us with unlimited potential, the us He made us to be. He knows we were made in His image and can be made in the image of Christ to glorify Him.
The next time we see David is 1 Samuel 16. The Lord had rejected Saul as king of Israel because he had stopped following the commandments and had set up a monument to himself (1 Samuel 15). Samuel was sent to Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint one of his sons as the new king in Saul’s stead. He went in the guise of sacrificing to the Lord (Verse 2). Jesse had eight sons and Samuel did not know which of them would be God’s elect king. He looked at each son. 1 Samuel 16:6-10 reads,
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
Jesse’s elder sons each looked outwardly good. Eliab was so impressive that Samuel assumed God had selected him, but God said no. He sees the true person and though Eliab looked remarkable to Samuel, he nor the other six were God’s anointed. Verses 11-13 continue the narrative.
Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
 
Not one of his brothers or even his own father had considered including the youngest son in taking part in the sacrifice. He was out tending the sheep and they didn’t think of including him. But God did. God invited him, chose, him, and anointed him. He didn’t leave him alone from then on to struggle through either. His Spirit rushed upon David and stayed with him from that day forward. Because David had the Holy Spirit on him, he was able to be courageous, faithful, authentic, and passionate for The Lord. This ordinary boy became an extraordinary king.
Believer, you have the Holy Spirit indwelled in you! He is not just on you, He is in you! And He will not leave you. You have the power of God on your side and within you. Ephesians 1:16-21 in The Living Bible reads,
I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him! 19 I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven, 21 far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. Yes, his honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come.
You don’t have to look good to the world, God knows who you are and what great intention He has for you. He will make the way for you to do whatever He has purposed for you. Isaiah 46:8-11 says it this way,
Remember this and stand firm,
    recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9     remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11 calling a bird of prey from the east,
    the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
    I have purposed, and I will do it.

You were not meant to live a common life, you were made to live an exceptional life in which the supernatural power of God is natural to you, the power of love abounds through the Spirit more and more, the Kingdom of God is impacted and God is glorified. You were anointed to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, God’s very own!
Deuteronomy 7:6-8 says,
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
 
You were made for more than this world, you were made for eternity, you were made for God and by God. Live with the courage and confidence of who you are in Christ. 
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Genesis 14 Faith Enough to Give

6/15/2016

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And he (Melchizedek) blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,     Possessor of heaven and earth;  and blessed be God Most High,     who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:19-20
And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:19-20
​Genesis 14
There was a massive war taking place in the area where Lot lived in Sodom. Several kings had come together and attacked the countries of other kings. Verses 1-2 list the warring factions,
In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)
As the war continued on, the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim decided they had been oppressed for too long and joined forces to fight their enemies as one. Verses 3-12 in The Living Bible describes the long war.
These kings (of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela) mobilized their armies in Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead Sea). 4 For twelve years they had all been subject to King Chedorlaomer, but now in the thirteenth year, they rebelled.
5-6 One year later, Chedorlaomer and his allies arrived and the slaughter began. For they were victorious over the following tribes at the places indicated: the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim; the Zuzim in Ham; the Emim in the plain of Kiriathaim; the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the desert.
7 Then they swung around to Enmishpat (later called Kadesh) and destroyed the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazan-tamar.
8-9 But now the other army, that of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar), unsuccessfully attacked Chedorlaomer and his allies as they were in the Dead Sea Valley (four kings against five).10 As it happened, the valley was full of asphalt pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some slipped into the pits, and the remainder fled to the mountains. 11 Then the victors plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and carried off all their wealth and food, and went on their homeward way, 12 taking with them Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and all he owned. 
The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah and their allies had at first been victorious but when they fought their main oppressor, Chedorlaomer they found themselves losing in the unfamiliar terrain. Some ran away afraid, some fell into pits, others fled to the mountains. Their enemies paid them back by raiding their cities and taking everything and anything they wanted, including people. One of those people was Lot.
But all hope was not lost, one of Lot’s servants escaped and made his way all the way back to Abram. Verses 13-16 describe what happened,
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram.14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
Abram had an army of just over 300 men, I doubt they were much against the armies of Chedorlaomer and his allies but Abram had what they didn’t. He had the Lord guiding him. He divided his men and attacked at night, he not only defeated them but when they ran, he pursued, and he took back everything they stole including Lot. So Abram went to meet the king of Sodom. Verses 17-20 read,
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
    Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 and blessed be God Most High,
    who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

Melchizedek was the king of Salem. Salem was probably another name for Jerusalem, a city that existed long before Israel. The world Salem means peace and Jerusalem means abode of peace. Abram and Lot were not the only people on the earth who worshipped God.
Melchizedek, the king of Salem was not only a king but also a priest. He was a priest before Aaron existed, before Levi was born, and before Israel was conceived. He was a special kind of man, unique in the world at the time.
Now Abram had spoken to the Lord on more than occasion, God could easily have given him this blessing without a middle man but He chose not to. He chose to use his priest, his servant king. Sometimes speaking through His servants to one another serves a better purpose. This was one of those occasions.
Melchizedek is seen here as a type of Christ, meaning that he prophetically foreshadowed Jesus Christ. Melchizedek is one of many Christ-types seen in the Bible. It is a phrase we use to describe the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. So the King of Salem met Abram to reveal salvation.
His name proclaims Jesus. Melchizedek is a Canaanite name which means My King is God or when conjugated in Hebrew, My King is Righteousness. His title declares Jesus, king of peace. His position the King and Priest, like Jesus. His actions affirm it, Melchizedek took bread and wine. Every Believer hears bread and wine and one thing comes to mind, The Lord’s Supper, Jesus body broken for us, Jesus blood spilled for us to forgive our sins and reconcile us to the Lord. The Jewish people probably would associate the bread and wine with Passover, a feast all about Jesus’ Salvation.
In David’s Messianic Psalm 110:4 he wrote,
The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
    after the order of Melchizedek.”

 
So the Lord send his royal priest to reveal Jesus. He sent Him to bless Abram in front of the King of Sodom to show him that he too could serve the Most High God and know victory and peace. God sent his servant king so that Bera king of Sodom could see Abram’s response. The second half of verse 20 reads,
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Abram had not only taken back Lot, but all of his men and possessions and many other men and all their possessions. A tenth of that was not a little something. It was Abram’s to do with what he chose. But he recognized that Melchizedek was a fellow servant of The LORD and he recognized his position as king and priest put him Melchizedek above him. He honored the king and thanked him for the blessing by giving him a small portion of the loot. Abram recognized The Lord in this man and worshipped God by giving a tithe to Melchizedek. The author of Hebrews describes it in Hebrews 7:1-3,
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
But the king of Sodom didn’t see it as a mere 10%, he didn’t see that Abram still had 90%, he saw it as Abram giving away his stuff, his money, and mostly his power. Bera didn’t see the act of worship, he saw money being exchanged. And though he had no right to any of the money or the men, he pretended that he did. It might once have been his, but it wasn’t now. Verses 21-24 read,
And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”
 
Melchizedek’s blessing had declared God, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. The blessing had made it clear it was not men or strength which had rescued Sodom’s people, it was God Most High, who had delivered Abram’s enemies into Abram’s hand. When Bera tried to be sly and pretend he was being generous and letting him have the money, Abram said, ‘God Most High is the Possessor of heaven and earth, He’s got it all, including you, me, and all these men. I don’t want any of this money because you need to know it is not you who made me rich, it is not this fight that made me rich; it is God Most High who takes care of me.’ He wanted nothing for himself, he had already been blessed by the Lord. He made sure that the armies who had fought alongside him were taken care of and let Bera keep everything else.
Sodom had a chance to be saved, but the king chose military strength and money over the Lord. Even though all his army’s power and all his money had not been enough to defeat his enemies and even though he had seen the LORD use a tiny army to defeat his enemies, he still couldn’t trust God. He was too busy trusting possessions.
Giving back to the Lord a part of what He gives us is an act of worship, a show of faith, and a testimony to people who are watching us. We can put our faith in our money. We can put our faith in laws and looking righteous or we can put our faith in God. Some people tithe, not because they trust the Lord and want to worship Him but because that is one of the rules they are taught to follow. If we give out of obligation, is it an act of worship?  When we worship by giving we are giving our money to God, when we give out of duty we are giving money to men. Although the check may be written to the same institution, God understands where your heart is when you give. He knows if you are giving it to please Him or please man. Hebrews 7:8-10 reads,
In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). So if you’re going to give, and I hope you are faithful enough to obey Him, then give to cheerfully to please God for the sake of Jesus Christ.
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1 Kings 2 Jesus is King of kings, the Promises of God Fulfilled

9/19/2015

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1 Timothy 6:14-16 On photo of Sunrise at Daytona Beach by Denise Hogan
to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:14-16 On photo of Sunrise at Daytona Beach by Denise Hogan
1 Kings Chapter 2

What you do, how you live is your responsibility. No one but you is responsible for your choices. Your choices have consequences. A small lie can cause great damage. The devil didn’t make you do it, you chose to do it. Sin has a price that must be paid. That price s death, but the great news is Jesus paid the price for us and He freely gives eternal life to those who ask. (Romans 6:23).

As David neared the end of his life, he called Solomon to him and gave him some instructions for his reign. Some of his instructions are expected and understandable but some are quite shocking, until we remember that David is a man after God’s own heart and God is a God of justice. (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:21-23, Deuteronomy 32:3-4). How could a king or a god be called just unless he dealt with wrongdoing? In verses 1-3 David counsels his son to always be obedient to God.

“When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,”

It is manly to follow God. It takes strength and virility to obey Him and stay in the way of God rather than go the way of fleshly desires. Obedience to God comes with a promise to prosper in all our endeavors. Not endeavors for selfishness but endeavors which glorify the Lord, endeavors which further the Kingdom of Heaven. What is to prosper? It is to succeed. It is to bear fruit or get results, to flourish and thrive. Psalm 1:1-4 says,

“Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.


3 He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”


David followed this with the promise God had made to him and which he had to pass on to his son and his descendants. Verse 4 reads,

“that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”

David’s progenies would rule for about 400 years with 21 kings. They were Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Joshiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. (Goodnews Christian Ministry, 2007).  That isn’t forever! So what could that mean? Did God break a promise? No, He was faithful, even though many of the kings were wicked. Jesus, David’s offspring sat on the throne, then and He remains now. Jesus, our Savior was King from the beginning and He is King still. He will always sit on the throne. Psalm 9:7-8 reads,

“But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness.”


And because God is just and because He judges with righteousness, David told Solomon he would have to take care of some injustices that still existed. David had spared certain men, he had promised that he would not kill them. But that didn’t mean they would escape punishment. The chapter list those who still had to face judgement for their sedition and betrayal, Joab, Shimei, Adonijah, and Abiathar. David also made sure that Solomon would show kindness to those who had helped him. He told Solomon in verse 7,

“But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother.”

David trusted that Solomon would act wisely. (Verse 6). Even before God blessed him with more wisdom than any other man, Solomon was wise. After David died, Solomon established his reign by following through on the justice David has asked of him. Adonijah came to Bathsheba and requested the beautiful Shunammite Abishag who had served David in his old age to be his wife. He came with a lie, a twisted version of history, and said, “Give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife, I did after all give Solomon the throne that I had.” That was not what had happened and Solomon was not fooled by the distorted words of his older brother. (Paraphrased). Verses 23-25 read,

“Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.”

Solomon knew who had given him the throne. Solomon knew that it was the Lord, not his brother who had made him king. So he had to do the right thing. Furthermore Solomon expelled Abiathar the priest from priesthood for his support of Adonijah. He had Joab killed for his treachery. Joab thought he could appeal to Solomon’s love of the Lord, but Solomon knew better. Verses 28-31 say,

“When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of theLord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”31 The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.”

Joab, in his cowardice tried to lie and “repented” not because he was sorry but because he didn’t want to face justice. Verses 32-33 contain Solomon’s reasoning and prophetic words.

“The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.”

Finally came Shimei’s punishment. He could live as long as he stayed in Jerusalem and didn’t go beyond certain borders. He agreed and made an oath to that effect. But after 3 years Shimei left to chase after two runaway servants. When Solomon found out, he had him killed for breaking his oath to the Lord. Verses 44-46 read,

“The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heartall the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”

Our actions have consequences. Our sins affect people for the worse. Jesus paid the price for our sin but often lets the natural consequences happen. But He took away our condemnation or our blame and sentence. Our sin is not on our heads, it is on Jesus! He, our perfect and good Savior became sin, He took our sin onto Himself and paid the price we owe! (1 Peter 2:21-25). We deserve to die, but Jesus gives us life. He is established as King forever. We owe Him our faithfulness and loyalty forever. 1 Timothy 6:11-16 reads,

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”




References:

Goodnews Christian Ministry. (2007, June 5). The Davidic dynasty - King David, his royal lineage and relation to the Messiah, Jesus. Retrieved from Goodnews Christian Ministry: http://goodnewspirit.com/pdf4518davidicdynasty.pdf

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1 Kings 1 Who made the Promise, The Father who Loves you, or the Father of Lies?

9/18/2015

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Deuteronomy 7:8-9 on photo of plants by Donna Campbell
but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, Deuteronomy 7:8-9
1 Kings Chapter 1

Today we’ll begin reading the book of 1 Kings which opens with King David being very old and frail, knowing it will soon be time for him to die. His sons were also aware of this fact but one son, Adonijah couldn’t wait for his father to pass and let God’s chosen be named king. He decided to make himself king without God’s blessing and without his father’s knowledge. Verses 5-10 describe Adonijah and his plan.

“Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom. 7 He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him. 8 But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David's mighty men were not with Adonijah.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent's Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10 but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother.”

When Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother heard about it they went to the King and told him what was happening. David knew that God had chosen Solomon to reign after him and he knew that he was close to the end of his life, so he couldn’t let Adonijah steal the crown from Solomon. David answered in verses 28-31.

“Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king's presence and stood before the king. 29 And the king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, 30 as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.”31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

David understood his entire life, every triumph, and every good thing was due to The Lord. And he knew that every bad thing had worked to strengthen his character and soul. God had redeemed his soul out of every adversity and so He will ours too. (Romans 8:28-31). God didn’t keep him from adversity but strengthened and bettered him out of all the difficulty and hardship he had faced. And Bathsheba to knew that there was more to life than this temporary earth. Even during a time when the Jewish nation had not been told about eternal life, The Holy Spirit taught her about it. That is how and why she was able to proclaim, “May my lord King David live forever!” One does not have to be a prophet in order to hear what God has to say to her.

And so the people who could, under the King’s decree make it happen, did as King David ordered. Verses 36-40 read,

“And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. 37 As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule and brought him to Gihon. 39 There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.”

Adonijah had proclaimed himself king and his ceremony looked like it might have been approved of by God. He sacrificed animals but not at God’s altar but by the Serpent's Stone, which is beside En-rogel. It looked godly but it wasn’t. It was a lie, a clever deception and rather than be anointed by God, the act was approved of by the serpent, the devil, the father of lies. Adonijah had many people rejoicing with him, but when Solomon was proclaimed and anointed king by David and therefore by God’s chosen, it meant that Solomon was the true king and Adonijah was a treacherous deceiver. If they supported a trader, they too would be guilty of treason. As soon as they heard the commotion they knew what it meant and they abandoned their false king for the true one.

Adonijah quickly realized his position and his sin. He went to the altar and took hold of the horns. This act meant he sought forgiveness and asylum. (Leviticus 4:27-31). The horns of the altar were what bound sin to the altar and made atonement possible. The horns of the altar represent the atonement for sin, they are a representation of Christ and without the horns of the altar there is no forgiveness in the sacrifice, there is no place for the blood and so the payment of sin to be put. (Psalm 118:26-28, Amos 3:13-15). They are what hold back God’s wrath over sin and allow us to come to salvation. (Revelation 9:13-15).

Adonijah realized if he didn’t repent quickly he faced death for his sin, and he could very well face death even with repentance. Rather than flee a sinner, he sought the compassion and absolution of his brother whom he had grievously wronged. Verses 49-53 record what happened.

“Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way. 50 And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’” 52 And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” 53 So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

Adonijah wanted and expected certain things from God. Because he was second born after Absalom[i] and he assumed he was next in line for the throne. (2 Samuel 3:2-5). He knew deep down this wasn’t the case or he wouldn’t have stealthily proclaimed himself king. He would have waited for it to happen the right way.

We all want certain things for ourselves. Sometimes we try and take them on our own, or “speed up” God in our desires. Isaiah 55:8-11 reads,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.


10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”


But God’s plans for us are greater than our own. And what God promises He always delivers. (Deuteronomy 7:8-9). Did God promise you what you yearn for so desperately? Or have you listened to the lies of the enemy and decided that God made that promise? If He said it, it will be. If He didn’t, then what He wants for you is far better than what you could want for yourself.



[i] Absalom was considered the most handsome man in the kingdom. (2 Samuel 14:25-27).He avenged his sister’s incestuous rape by Ammon. (2 Samuel 13).  He tried to steal his father’s throne. (2 Samuel 15). And was killed in his cowardly escape by the vanity of his long hair. (2 Samuel 18:9-15).


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Psalm 72 Glorify Jesus the Righteous King

8/1/2015

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Psalm 72

This psalm of Solomon is a prayer to The Lord as Solomon became king in his father’s place. But his prayer holds more meaning than a simple prayer for himself. As believers we can take this prayer to encourage ourselves as well. And it is messianic prophecy as Solomon describes the ideal king, Jesus. Verses 1-7 describe the Righteous King.

“Give the king your justice, O God,
    and your righteousness to the royal son!
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
    and your poor with justice!
3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
    and the hills, in righteousness!
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
    give deliverance to the children of the needy,
    and crush the oppressor!


5 May they fear you while the sun endures,
    and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
    like showers that water the earth!
7 In his days may the righteous flourish,
    and peace abound, till the moon be no more!”


True righteousness comes only from God. Jesus lived, died, and resurrected to give us His righteousness. The Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Jesus and so more righteous every day. And The Father calls us to be holy as He is holy.

Jesus is the ultimate Judge and He is our justice. He makes us righteous so that we can be reconciled to God, know Him, and have a relationship with Him. Jesus cares deeply about the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the prisoners. He has compassion for all the needy. And He avenges us against the enemy who oppresses the people. We may not prosper financially or in any way that the world would notice but we prosper spiritually and we prosper in the Kingdom of God.

One day the children of God, the faithful followers of Jesus Christ will be forever with Him in the mansions of Mount Zion instead of the tents of this world. There will be no sun to light the day nor moon to light the night. The Glory of God, Jesus Himself will be our light. (Revelation 21:22-24).

We are royalty as well. We are righteous kings and queens in Jesus. He has given us His name in adoption. We walk with His authority and that means we walk with His love and mercy. If we are to be like the King of kings then we walk with compassion and justice for the oppressed, the poor, the needy, the widow, and the orphan. We love them as Jesus loves them. We want the lost to know peace with God. We want the tyrannized to know freedom. We want the persecuted to know justice. Jesus is our Peace, Freedom, and Justice.

Solomon wanted to be a good king. He wanted to rule well. We too want to be the best royal priests we can be. When the Lord asked Solomon what he desired most in order to be a righteous king, Solomon asked for wisdom. God granted him that as well as wealth, long life, and military victory. (1 Kings 3, 1 Kings 4:29-34). He gives us wisdom as well when we ask. He is happy to grant us the gifts that will make our walk that much more glorifying, loving, and effective. James 1:5 reads,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

And 1 Corinthians 12:

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.”

Love is that more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 13). We are to love as Jesus loves us. We do that by being the royal children of God that we are called to be. We manifest the traits of Jesus described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love, patience, kindness, humility, justice, joy in righteousness, faith, and steadfastness, the fruit of the Spirit.

Jesus is Judge and King over all the earth. There is nothing He does not have sovereign authority over. Verses 8-11 read,

“May he have dominion from sea to sea,
    and from the Rive] to the ends of the earth!
9 May desert tribes bow down before him,
    and his enemies lick the dust!
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
    render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
    bring gifts!
11 May all kings fall down before him,
    all nations serve him!”


Every person on earth whether they acknowledge Jesus as Lord or not must submit to His rule. One day every knee will bow to Him. One day every person will acknowledge that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of all. Philippians 2:8-10 reads,

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Even nature must obey Jesus. He created the world and the world concedes to His authority. Jesus spoke and storms stopped and seas calmed. (Mark 4:35-41).The Lord spoke and trees grew and trees died. (Jonah 4:5-11, Mark 11:12-25). He even gave us the authority to command nature as His royal and righteous ambassadors. Mark 11:22-25 reads,

“And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

We are not arrogant in our royalty. We like Jesus are humble. We don’t boast or take pride in great works, because they are not ours, they are Jesus’ works. We know that we are completely in need of God. We can’t even breathe without Him. We can’t have faith without Him. (Isaiah 42:5). The Lord has mercy on those who need it and ask for it. The Lord died for sinners, not for righteous men. A king has no kingdom if people do not submit to his authority. So we submit to Jesus, our Righteous King. He frees the prisoners, provides for the needy, and feeds the hungry. Verses 12-15 describe Him.

“For he delivers the needy when he calls,
    the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
    and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
    and precious is their blood in his sight.”


These verses describe Jesus. Do they describe us? They should. As His followers we should have His compassion, mercy, and longing for justice. We should act in Jesus’ love for people. His love wasn’t lip service it was action. He brought people to salvation. He healed, He spent time, He taught, and He served. He is our King, we should exemplify Him.

Do we long for His name to be known throughout the earth? Do we cry out “Long live the King!” Are we making disciples of every nation? Verses 15-19 read,

“Long may he live;
    may gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made for him continually,
    and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
    on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
    may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
    like the grass of the field!
17 May his name endure forever,
    his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him,
    all nations call him blessed!


18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!


Believer, you and I are the glory of God! You and I are the ones to make Jesus’ name famous. Our ancestors have passed away and passed the job onto us. David worshipped God. He brought light to Israel. When David died the torch was passed to Solomon. We carry that torch now. Let us light the world on fire for Jesus. Verse 20 says,

“The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.”

David could no longer be the king. That job fell to Solomon. Now it is we who must take on the responsibility and glorify The Lord.

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Psalm 45 Jesus Our Valiant Warrior King Reigns Forever

7/5/2015

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Psalm 45

This Messianic Psalm was a love song used to celebrate the wedding of a king, likely Solomon. But the description given of the king is one far better a far above any earthly king. It is about our King of kings, Jesus. So it is far more than a love song, it is an Agape song.

The Psalmist was excited to write this, he described his heart as overflowing with verses to his king. When the Holy Spirit gives us a word, a praise, or a message, He also gives us the eagerness to share it. He flows out of the fullness of our hearts in delight to touch others. And since this song is prophetic scripture we know it is breathed by God, our Holy Spirit. (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Verses 1-2 read,

“My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
    I address my verses to the king;
    my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.


2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
    grace is poured upon your lips;
    therefore God has blessed you forever.”


Jesus was not a physically beautiful man (Isaiah 53:2). Yet He was far more beautiful than any man has ever been or could be. He was perfect, holy, and loving. That spiritual beauty far surpassed His physical form to emanate to everyone around Him. He spoke with grace to those who needed it. He acted with grace to everyone. All we have to do is acknowledge we need His grace and He gives it to us freely.

Jesus is not only a graceful King, He is a mighty and majestic warrior. He is the King who leads His army. Verses 3-5 describe Him this way,


“Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
    in your splendor and majesty!


4 In your majesty ride out victoriously
    for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
    let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
    in the heart of the king's enemies;
    the peoples fall under you.”


I can picture Him on His strong white stallion leading the angel armies to defeat God’s enemies for us. (Revelation 19:11). His sword on His thigh ready to be drawn. His sharp arrows always meeting their target. He not only charges the enemy, He teaches us to defeat him as well. The great and mighty works of God are possible for us as His children. We are victors and conquerors with Jesus. (Romans 8:37). Satan has so much of the world in chains but they can be freed from that slavery by the blood of Jesus. We have the sword of the Word of God to battle. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the enemy. We are warriors for the Kingdom of God. Jesus gave us the right and authority to use His name in the battles. He gave us the ability to fight and win. Jesus promised us this in John 14:12-14

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Believer, you have the right and the ability in Christ to do free the prisoners of the enemy. You have the responsibility to exercise the gifts God gave you for the Kingdom.

Jesus is our majestic and undefeatable King. Nothing can usurp His thrown. He is righteous, holy, and anointed. He reigns now and forever. One day, we will reign with Him. (Revelation 20:6). Verses 6-9 describe Jesus’ magnificence and His worthiness.

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
    The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
    at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.”


Jesus was anointed by The Father for the purpose of our salvation. His robes are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia because that is what Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea anointed Him with when they buried Him after the crucifixion. (John 19:38-42). But those oils of sadness and death are given to us as a gift, an oil of gladness that erases our mourning. (Isaiah 61:3).

Jesus is our bridegroom and we are His beloved and adored bride. He gives us a place of honor, He takes away our shame and sin and gives us an esteemed place in His Kingdom. He takes us out of the world where we once lived in and gives us a royal position as His cherished bride. We look, not at our past, at our earthly position, but to our new place with Jesus our King. Verses 10-15 say,

“Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
    forget your people and your father's house,
11     and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12     The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
    the richest of the people.


13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
    with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
    as they enter the palace of the king.”


We are no longer who we were. Though we do not deserve it, Jesus gave us virtue. He looks at us and He doesn’t see ugliness, sin, or shame. He sees us as virtuous, beautiful and humble royalty. We have the privilege of being in Jesus presence.  Only His bride may enter the most intimate of places with Him. Only His bride may know Him so personally. That relationship is exclusively ours with Him. But the people looking on should see that special closeness and desire it. They should see the gifts God gave us, they should notice the favor we’ve been granted and want it too. And they can have it, we can lead them to the King’s palace and teach them to submit to Him and be saved. Our royal position is not meant to be horded and secreted away. We have the royal obligation to give our Lord and King heirs.

Believer, do you see Jesus as the Valiant Warrior King? Do you see yourself as His royal bride? He is and you are. It is a joyful position and it is one that carries great honor, privilege, and responsibility. But we are able because Jesus loves us so passionately that He gave us His Holy Spirit. In Him we can. In fact we should not be able to withhold our exultation. Like the psalmist our hearts should overflow with Him.

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Psalm 3 Remember Who God is. Remember Who The Enemy is. Let Your Actions Display Your Faith.

5/24/2015

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Psalm 3

David was God’s anointed king. He had many enemies. Even his own son Absalom wanted to kill him. You can find the history in 2 Samuel. Absalom was the second born of all David’s sons. His older brother Ammon had raped his sister Tamar and Absalom got his revenge by inviting all his brothers to a feast then killing Ammon once he was drunk. After a three year exile to his mother’s family, he returned to Jerusalem but as unable to see his father. After repeated attempts though Absalom regained access to David the king, whom he now bitterly hated. Absalom decided he was going to be king, regardless of the fact that Solomon had been prophesied and chosen to be the next king. Absalom’s revolt was successful, the people turned to him, even though David was still alive. And David and his entire household, his servants and those still devoted to him fled, in grief and mourning to save their lives. This Psalm was written about that time. Verses 1-4 read,

“O Lord, how many are my foes!
    Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
    there is no salvation for him in God. Selah


3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
    my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy hill.”


David, the rightful king of Israel had about 500 men with him, but Absalom had the rest of the army, about 12,000 men and many people who had been duped into believing him and following him. But David didn’t need a vast army, he had God, The Lord of Hosts. David called out to The Lord and knew without doubt that his Lord The Almighty heard him.

We too have many enemies in this world. Some hate us for no real reason, others hate us because they blame us for all the perceived wrongs of the church and Christendom. Some hate us because we wronged them. But most have been duped by the prince of the power of the air, Satan. They follow him as king and lord instead of The King of kings, The LORD.

But we have nothing to fear. We don’t have to fight them. They are not our enemy. The Lord our God has us in His protection. He is a shield surrounding us. He is our triumph. All we ever have to do is ask Him and in our faith, He is our Succor, our Strong Tower, our Rock, and our Peace. We do’t even have to ask, just trust that He is I Am.

David fled from Absalom rather than fight him. He trusted God. He knew God’s promises regarding himself and Solomon. He trusted His Lord so much that he could lay down and sleep in a cave while an army led by his vengeful acrimonious son sought to murder him. Verses 5-7 describe it.

“I lay down and slept;
    I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
    who have set themselves against me all around.


7 Arise, O Lord!
    Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
    you break the teeth of the wicked.”


We have nothing to fear from the enemy or any of his subjects. The children of wrath may hate us and may strike out to harm us. The minions of the devil may try to ensnare us, but they can’t touch us. We’ve already won the war. We are still in the battle. The battle is not for ourselves but to free the prisoners of war who are ignorantly in bondage to our enemy. We are invulnerable to him and his attacks. 1 John 5:1-19 reminds us,

“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

David knew this. He exhibited the humility of the Lord in his submission to The Lord’s authority, while his son consistently showed his pride in himself, his charm and his good looks. Eventually Absalom’s huge army and David’s small one came to battle in the forest at Ephraim. Although it should have been an easy win for Absalom’s men, he fled in terror on a donkey. His long hair, the symbol of his arrogance got caught up in the branches of a tree. He remained stuck in the tree until Joab, the leader of David’s army had him executed. The battle ended and soon after David was restored to his throne.

David mourned his son, prayed for his soul and forgave the armies and Amasa their leader for their treason. He even gave Amasa, Joab’s position. It was David’s faith in God, his heart for God that allowed him to forgive so completely. Even his once enemies now swore their allegiance to him. He could have been vindictive. He could have put Amasa to death and not punished Joab. If he had done that, none of the once devoted to Absalom would have sworn allegiance to David. Because of David’s mercy they devoted themselves to him. But Joab knew his king’s heart and killed Absalom anyway. He followed his will rather than the king’s. He had to be disciplined for his wrongdoing. Amasa on the other hand didn’t know the king’s heart and in his ignorance followed his leader faithfully. The king forgave him and gave him an honored place in his army.

Remember The Lord’s heart for His creation. He doesn’t want us to avenge Him. He wants them to come to Him. He wants them to know Him and be with Him. God longs for them to know His salvation. How can they know it if we don’t tell them? How can they experience the love of God if we don’t show them? We can live out the joy and love of grace and make disciples for our Father. Verse 8 reads,

“Salvation belongs to the Lord;
    your blessing be on your people!”

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Psalm 2 The Anointed King and the Nations

5/23/2015

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Psalm 2

David was God’s appointed king. He was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22). He had been chosen by God and anointed to be the king of Israel and when he was so anointed The Spirit of the LORD came upon him from that day forward. (1 Samuel 16). David was a deeply emotional man who put his many feelings, praises, misgivings, and requests into prayers and songs for The Lord.

In this Psalm he wrote about the nations that seemed to hate Israel and him and their constant desire to come against him. Verses 1-3 read,

“Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”


While David cried out to God about his enemies he also prophesied about the Messiah, Jesus. David’s life often was prophetic and many of the Psalms carry messianic messages. When Jesus came, the world didn’t embrace Him, as so many of the Jewish people expected it to. Kings and nations didn’t hand over earthly rule to Him when He came back then, and they won’t hand it over to Him willingly when he comes again.

There is even more of the prophetic message here. While it is most definitely about Christ, it is also about believers. We are anointed. We are hated because Jesus was and is hated. He warned us that we would be reviled if we truly follow Him. John 15:18-20 reads,

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

The world wants to think that Jesus didn’t come from The Father. They try to prove it and break those bonds. When the world saw ho David was dedicated to The One True God they tried to break those bonds. And when they see us living and walking for Jesus they attempt the same thing. They discount Jesus as merely a man, a good man and even a prophet but not God. They mock us for our foolishness but they can’t break our unity with Him. He is within us. They couldn’t break David’s relationship with God either. They certainly can’t separate God from Himself as they attempt to disprove Jesus’ divnity.

Remember just as the Father and the Son are one, so are we one with Him. In John 17:20-23 Jesus prayed for us,

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

The LORD will have His vengeance on our enemies and His. The Day is coming when His wrath will be released on the world, when all the second and seventieth chances will be over. Verses 4-6 read,

“He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”


The laugh David refers to here is not a joyful one it is scathing and angry. The world treats God and His children with disdain. We do not have to reciprocate the hate. We trust God loves us and has us. He will have vengeance on those who rejected Him and us. Deuteronomy 32:35-36 says it this way,

“Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
    for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
    and their doom comes swiftly.’
36 For the Lord will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants,
when he sees that their power is gone
    and there is none remaining, bond or free.”


Sometimes we may get upset for our suffering, and grieve the way we are treated. David did. God knows we do. We can cry out to Him. But we don’t have to take our own revenge. God has us. Rather we should love our enemies enough to show them who God is. He is Love. He is Truth. He wants them to come to Him. We have to give them the chance to accept Him or reject Him. We do that through love, not retaliation. We do it through kindness and gentleness, boldness and courage, not retribution, war, and hate.

God loves us so much he sent Jesus. He chose us before the foundations of the earth. (Ephesians 1:4). Because He sent His only begotten, we are His sons and daughters. Because the Son of God lives so do we. Verses 7-9 read,

“I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”


The earth and everything in it belong to God. (Psalm 24). All authority has been given to Jesus. (Matthew 28:18). He gave the disciples that authority when He sent them out to do His work. Matthew 10:1 reads,

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”

In Matthew 28 When Jesus gave us the great commission, He didn’t have to give us authority. He sent the Holy Spirit. We have God within us. He has all authority and power over the world, the spirits, the nations, and the afflictions. We have The Lord’s authority because we have the Lord.

There are two choices for each person accept Jesus as Lord or reject Jesus as Lord. Love Him or Hate Him. Both choices have eternal consequences. Verses 10-12 read,

“Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”


We serve Him or we don’t. We rejoice in Him or one day we will regret and mourn that we didn’t accept Him. We take our sanctuary and protection in Him or we run from Him and perish. We serve Him in respect or we run from Him in terror. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling and live eternally or we reject Him and die eternally.

 

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John 19:31-42 Jesus Lamb of God and King of Kings.

1/6/2015

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John Chapter 19 Verses 31-42

Jesus died on a Friday just hours before the Sabbath and the Jews were eager to have the men on the crosses buried before High Sabbath of the Passover began. One of the reasons they had been so keen to have Jesus crucified was because it added to their fervor of proving Him wrong. Being crucified or hung to a tree meant He was cursed by God. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 reads,

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”

Since death by crucifixion took a very long time, the Jewish leaders asked Pilate to hurry it along by breaking the legs of the men on the crosses. With their legs broken they would not be able to lift themselves up to breath and would suffocate within minutes. Then they could be taken down and buried and the Jewish people could return to their homes and their holiday still ritually pure, untouched by the death of Jesus.

Verses 32-33 read,

“So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”

Jesus had been cursed, He had become our curse as the perfect Passover lamb. And like the Passover lamb, He had to be without blemish, flawless, and no broken bones. Jesus died that way so that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike could be saved. The Jewish leaders tried to demean Jesus with the Law by making Him cursed and then further defiling Him by breaking His legs. But instead, they proved and highlighted the truth. He is Christ. Galatians 3:12-14 reads,

“But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

The fact that the men on either side of Jesus had their legs broken highlighted the fact that Jesus did not. Maybe some of those watching thought of the Passover lamb. Numbers 9:12 describe rules regarding the Passover lamb this way,

“They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it.”

Maybe Psalm 34:20 came to mind and they realized it was a prophetic scripture just as Psalm 22 had been.

“He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.”


The Jews had tried to disgrace Jesus and in doing so had honored Him. They had tried to negate Jesus claims but had attested to the truth instead.

To ensure Jesus was actually dead and prove it to the crowd one the Roman soldiers, who undoubtedly didn’t know scripture pierced Jesus side. Verses 34-37 describe it.

“But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

The soldier’s actions fulfilled the scripture in Zechariah 12:10.

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”

When Jesus was pierced blood and water flowed from His side truly making Him the Passover Lamb whose blood covers with grace. His water purifies our hearts.

The Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers opposed Jesus but their actions highlighted His identity of the Lamb of God, the perfect and ultimate propitiation for our sins. Jesus’ followers actions emphasized His identity as King. Verses 38-42 read,

“After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.”

Nicodemus who was a Pharisee was no longer concerned with what the Sanhedrin or the other Pharisees thought of Him, He had become a follower of Christ. He had previously gone to Jesus at night, secretly asking questions. Now, he no longer deemed his position with the Pharisees as more important than Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea had been a secret follower up to that point, but in giving Jesus honor at his death, when most of His followers had deserted Him, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were outed as Jesus’ followers. They risked their own reputations. Jesus was more important to them, than their standings in the community. They gave Jesus high honor, tribute worthy of a king.

The amount of spices they brought was no doubt expensive. If the perfume Mary had anointed Jesus with was worth a year’s salary how much was seventy five pounds of myrrh and aloes worth? The extravagance of the spices spoke to Jesus’ royalty.

The garden tomb also was something usually given to royalty or the very wealthy. King David had been buried in a garden tomb, the kings Judah were buried in garden tombs. Jesus, the King of kings was buried in a garden tomb.

The Jews tried to disgrace, disprove, and discredit Jesus as Christ, but instead everything they did confirmed His identity and showed He is Messiah, the perfect Lamb of God. They wanted Him cursed and He became a curse for all, so that we could be saved. They tried to take His life, but gave it instead.

Have you accepted the gift of grace Jesus poured out for you on the cross? He loves you. He wants you to be, cleansed, forgiven, and saved. He wants to be your King. He wants you to be His joint heir. He wants to give you the Kingdom of Heaven. All you have to do is ask.

 

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John 12:9-19 Lazarus' Testimony was Powerful, so is Yours.

12/13/2014

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John Chapter 12 Verses 9-19

Jesus’ impact was becoming greater and greater. People were believing in Him. The Sanhedrin, the chief priests, and the Pharisees were not only uneasy with the situation they were upset. It wasn’t just Jesus speaking anymore. His followers were spreading the word about Him. Lazarus was telling everyone what had happened and all the people who believed because they had seen Jesus call Lazarus out of his tomb were telling people.

Verses 9-11 read,

“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.”

Your testimony matters. Your testimony is the proof of Jesus in your life. When you tell people the things Jesus has done for you it impacts them. They have a choice to believe or not to believe. They deserve to be given the option.

Lazarus and those who believed because of his resurrection had such an impact that they created an impromptu celebration for Jesus. Maybe they were the first flash mob. Verses 12-15 describe it.

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
    sitting on a donkey's colt!”

They were excited and wanted to show their veneration of Jesus. They didn’t have it all right, but God forgives our imperfections and eventually they would learn and mature. These enthusiastic worshippers still thought that the Messiah would set up an earthly kingdom. They thought He would free them from Roman oppression and re-establish Israel as a nation. That is why they used the palm branches which symbolize military victory and triumph, peace and eternal life. They were sending a message to Rome while they paid tribute to Christ. But their act sends a message to us as well. Jesus gives us victory over sin and death. He reconciles us to the Father and gives true peace. He gives us eternal life. The spontaneous celebration of Jesus was another step of preparation for Jesus death. He was proclaimed king by the people.

While the people were proclaiming Jesus their earthly king, Jesus pointed them back to scripture and directed them to God by sitting on a donkey instead of a more stately horse. He accepted their laud (as He had every right to do) but gave the glory to God.

John and the other disciples didn’t grasp it all that day, but after Jesus was glorified the Holy Spirit reminded them and revealed the truth of it to them. They wrote it down so that you and I could gain the benefit of their testimony.

The people that had believed Jesus had become a crowd, and the crowd kept telling everyone what they had witnessed and experienced. More people were believing that Jesus was the Christ. And the Pharisees were freaking out. Verse 19 reads,

“So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

The Pharisees saw that everything they were trying to do was futile. People were going after Jesus regardless of the risk of excommunication. They were ready to finally arrest Jesus and carry out their threat to kill Him. Jews from everywhere gathered in Jerusalem at Passover and they were going after Jesus. But the Pharisees had spoken prophetically without knowing it.

Jesus came for the whole world. He gave His life for everyone. Your testimony could be the thing that brings someone to an understanding of their need of Jesus, the goodness of the Father, and the power of the Spirit. Your witness could plant the seed or bring in the harvest. Jesus gave His life for you. He gave His life for the guy across the street and for every soul on this earth. If you believe, Jesus has done a great miracle in your life. He brought you to life from death. Shouldn’t you be telling everyone about that awesome miracle?

Lazarus testimony was powerful. Yours is no less formidable. Jesus saved you. That is something worth telling. How can anyone believe if they never hear? How can they hear if you don’t tell?

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    Donna Campbell

    As I read the Bible every day, I take what God teaches me, what He says, and write it out. I then share that with you. It gives me a deeper understanding of the Word and I hope that it will encourage you as it does me, to put your love and faith into action.

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