Bethel Baptist Church

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 23:1-7 What people say while they are dying is very significant.  They don't talk about the weather or the stock market or the game on television.  They talk about eternal matters. David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” wrote a song just before he died.  The book of Psalms contains 73 Psalms bearing David's name, but this song is found only in the book of 2 Samuel.  The content of this song is highly instructive for us.  This poem does not contain the ruminations of an old king as he looks back on bygone days of glory and the excitement of “the good old days.”  This song is an account of the majesty of the infinite God.  David lauds what God had done in his life, namely to take David from the shepherd's field and place him on the throne of Israel and inspire him to write sacred Scripture for the ages (2 Sam 23:1). But outshining the glory of what God had done for David during his life is what God would do through David, long after he was gone.  God would raise up a King who would rule in perfect righteousness and the fear of God (2 Sam 23:2-5).  In contrast, the unrighteous, God will “thrust away like thorns” which are worthless (2 Sam 23:6,7). How full are our hearts when we consider the majesty of God both in what He has done in our lives and, even more wondrous, in what He will do in the ages to come . . . because of Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf!  Do we not declare, with David, that this King is the source of “all our salvation and all our desire” (2 Sam 23:5)?  Let us meditate on our Lord until we can honestly say it.     

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 24 - (1 Chronicles 21) We know David for his great victories and songs . . . and for his great sins.  One rather obscure passage about one of David's sins is 2 Samuel 24 (repeated in 1 Chr 21).  David wanted to number his army, but not for the usual reason, which was to fight a war.  It seems that David simply wanted to see how many men he had for personal delight (2 Sam 24:3).  What he did, displeased the Lord (1 Chr 21:7) and God severely judged the people of Israel (2 Sam 25:15-17).  One lesson we can draw from this story is that it warns us not to take pleasure in our strength or victories apart from our delight being firmly and centrally rooted in our God.  We can delight in our bank accounts or in the value of our house or in the longevity of our lives or in the attendance in our church or in the number of missionaries we support   . . . and find more pleasure in these things than we do in the Giver of these things.   We are so programmed to evaluate everything in terms of numbers that we have the tendency to feed our delight more on our accomplishments than on the excellencies of Christ.  The subtleties of pride are particularly beguiling when it comes to us in this way. A second lesson from this story is drawn from the fact that this sin of David's pride does not appear to be a “youthful indiscretion.”  That this story is found in 2 Samuel 24 indicates that this grievous sin was committed near the end of his reign and life.   To be older is no automatic safeguard against sin.  We must be ever vigilant, even ruthless, to guard our hearts against pride or greed or lust or sharp tongues.  “Your word I have hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psa 119:11). 

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 22 (Psalm 18) Someone once said, “There are two main things we need to learn . . . how to live and how to die.”  Having conquered the fear of death, in Christ, sometimes it is life which defeats us . . . namely the multiplied sorrows, sicknesses, emotional turmoil, losses, anxieties we all experience. David knew the strains of life intimately.  In his song in 2 Samuel 22:5,6 he describes his trouble in the following way . . . “waves of death ... torrents of destruction … cords of Sheol … snares of death."  David's experience was filled with heartache.  But this song, which is virtually repeated verbatim in Psalm 18, is not a song of despair.  It is a hymn of joy and strength.  There are many images presented in this song of strength, but two of them are particularly comforting.  It is the idea that the Lord is our ‘rock' and our ‘lamp'.  When David calls God his ‘rock' (2 Sam 22:2,3,32,47), it is a term implying refuge.  For many years, David hid in the caves as he ran from his enemies.  To hide in the rocks of Palestine meant safety.  David understood, as we must, that God, alone, is security.  He is our rock. A second image in this wonderful song (and there are more images) is the idea that God is our ‘lamp' (2 Sam 22:29).   The reality of this figure of speech is that God is our guide, showing us the way to live.  He enlightens the darkness of doubt and confusion and spiritual ignorance.  May the Lord deeply teach us that Christ, alone, is our security that we might know safety in our souls.   And may we learn that Christ, alone, is our light, that we may have understanding as we live our days.

Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 29:10-20 Near the end of his reign, King David desired to build a temple for the Lord.  For 400 years, since the exodus from Egypt, the central place of worship in Israel had been the tabernacle.  The tabernacle was a tent which the Jews carried through the wilderness.  Now David wanted to build a permanent structure as the main place of worship for Israel. His desire was denied by God.  David could make the plans, but could not be the builder of the temple because his reign had been characterized by the bloodshed of war (1 Chr 28:2-6).  David's son, Solomon, whose name means ‘peace', would be the builder.  Though David was not allowed to build the temple, before he died he laid elaborate plans, including the personnel to oversee and care for the temple and its activities.  There were 38,000 Levites to oversee the operation of the temple, caring for everything from singing to counting money to baking bread for the Table of Showbread in the Holy Place (cf. 1 Chr 23-27).  When David had finished preparations, he addressed the people and Solomon (1 Chr 28) and prayed a stirring prayer in 1 Chronicles 29.  In David's prayer, we see a reflection of the purpose for the temple.  First, it was to be a reminder to the people of the person of God and so David lauds the character of God in his prayer . . . God's greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty (1 Chr 29:10-13).  Second, the temple was to be a reminder of the necessity of humility before the Lord and obedience to Him (1 Chr 29:14-19). Churches exist today, whether they have buildings or not, to reflect to our world the matchless glories of God and the pleasure of worshipping him in holiness and wonder and joy.

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 18 When David gave way to his lust for Bathsheba and his pride to cover his act through murder, there were some things he had not considered, namely the long term consequences of sin.  Sinning against the living God is a more serious matter than we usually think it is and the dark effects of sin are both sure and destructive.  David's sin had terrible effects that he had not considered in the passions of his heart.  First, his sin had an effect on God's name.  “. . . by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme . . .” (2 Sam 12:14).  Second, his sin had an effect on others: Bathsheba, Uriah, Amnon, Tamar, Absalom.  God told David of these results when He said, “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (2 Sam 12:10). Third, David's sin had a long term, destructive effect on himself.  In 2 Samuel 18 we see David in utter anguish and sorrow over the death of his son Absalom, 12 years after his sin with Bathsheba.  “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!  . . . And the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!"  (2 Sam 18:33; 19:4). Let us take to heart the stern warnings in the Bible concerning sin's consequences.  “He who sows iniquity will reap vanity” (Prov 22:8).  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). 

Scripture Reading: Psalm 3 (2 Samuel 13-16) Sometimes we can read the stories behind our hymns, like the loss of Horatio Spafford's four daughters before he wrote “It Is Well With My Soul.”   The stories enrich our understanding of these songs.  One of the things that makes Psalm 3 interesting is the superscription before verse 1, which tells us the background behind the Psalm.  It reads “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.”  The story is found in 2 Samuel 13-16 and it is the heartbreaking account of rape, revenge, and an extremely strained relationship between David and his son Absalom.  It was strained to the point that Absalom orchestrated a coup to take the throne of Israel for himself, in opposition to his own father.  As a result of this treasonous conspiracy David is forced to flee his own throne and country, running for his life from his own flesh and blood.  His cry to God in this terrible circumstance is recorded in Psalm 3. David's strength and hope lies in (1) the nature of God (Psa 3:3), who is a deliverer and comforter; (2) the faithfulness of God in the past, when God answered David's prayers (Psa 3:4); and (3) the reign of God over this situation (Psa 3:8; cf. 2 Sam 15:25,26; 16:11,12).  The result of this consideration in David's heart was courage and the shattering of the grip of fear.  “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people” (Psa 3:6).  This Psalm is a great encouragement to us as we face difficulties of every kind.  Let us not live in fear.  Let us learn to say, as George Whitefield said, "We are immortal until our work is done."

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:26-31 With the daily reports of warfare in almost every corner of the world, we may not expect or desire to come to the Bible and read about wars.  But the stories of Old Testament Israel are filled with accounts of the fierce fighting between the Israelites and their enemies.  This is especially true of the reign of King David, who was described as a “man of war” (1 Chron 28:3).  2 Samuel 12:26-31 describes the battles between Israel and the Ammonites.  It was the Ammonites that Israel was fighting when David committed his sin of adultery (2 Sam 11:1).  One question for us is this: what are we to learn for our own lives from Old Testament passages like this, recounting the wars of Israel? One truth revealed in this passage is the faithfulness of God to His promises.  He had promised, "By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies" (2 Sam 3:18).  God's promises and warnings are all true and utterly reliable.  God's faithfulness to His word is illustrated in this passage. Second, God's holiness and justice are revealed in this passage.  The Ammonites were a detestable, idolatrous people.  Their main god was Molech (or Moloch or Milcom) and people offered their children as sacrifices to this god (Lev 18:21; 20:1-5; 2 Kgs 23:10).  So when the Israelites defeated the Ammonites in war, this was God's judgment on the wickedness of these idolaters.  God used war as an instrument of His justice.  These Old Testament stories have relevance to us in that they reveal attributes of the living God who never changes.  This is the same God who reigns over his world today.  Let us come to know Him and rejoice.

Scripture Reading: Romans 3:9-20 This paragraph in Romans forms the climax of the argument of the first major section of the book.  The thrust of the first section of Romans is that the entire human race stands guilty before a holy God.  The pagan man is guilty (Rom 1:18-32); the moral man is guilty (Rom 2:1-16); the Jewish man is guilty (Rom 2:17-29).  What we have in Romans 3:10-20 is a string of Old Testament quotations which, in unambiguous statements, concludes that every human being stands guilty before God's awesome judgment.  "None is righteous, no, not one; . . . no one does good, not even one" (Rom 3:10,12).  So overwhelming is God's evidence of our rebellion that this passage asserts that on judgment day every tongue will be silent and every mouth closed (Rom 3:19).  The guilty will not have a valid defense to offer the Judge. The implications of this section in Romans are far reaching.  If we take this passage to heart and see ourselves in its assertions, it shatters our self-righteous tendencies and works in our hearts a deep humility.  It drives us to Christ in passionate devotion and love and delight because of His provision for our helpless lives and souls.  The mercy of God in Christ is all the more sweet in light of our desperately sinful hearts.  Let us run to Jesus for His mercy and His righteousness.  He is our only hope in the great day of judgment. 

Scripture Reading: John 11:17-44 One of the most memorable of Jesus' miracles is His raising Lazarus from the dead.  And the story includes one of Jesus' most magnificent declarations … "I am the resurrection and the life" (Jn 11:25).  Certainly, this display of authority and power is meant to be an encouragement to believers, reminding them of their own resurrection one day.  In addition to the idea of resurrection, the stunning promise of John 11:26 both takes our breath away and takes away our fear of death … "Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."  Of course, Jesus is not saying that Christians will never die physically, but that they will never taste the reality of spiritual death, namely separation from God.  Upon physical death, believers go from the present reality of life to the unimaginable reality of living in the very presence of God. The emotions of Jesus are on display in this account.  Not only do we read about Jesus weeping (Jn 11:35), but also of a deep indignation within the heart of Jesus.  Twice we read of Jesus being "deeply moved" (Jn 11:33,38).  The meaning of the verb probably implies anger and indignation. The old Princeton theologian, B. B. Warfield, said it this way: "It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death, and who has come into the world to destroy.  His soul is held by rage: and he advances to the tomb in Calvin's words 'as a champion who prepares for conflict'" (Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ, 117).  Christ defeats the enemy death, and we are freed, forever, from fearing this destructive foe.  Let our joy be full and our courage unshakable. 

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 12:13-21 In 2 Samuel 12:13, David heard the words he longed to hear more than any other words ... ”The LORD has taken away your sin; you shall not die.”  This statement is a display of the indescribable mercy of God.  But the next verse is a display of the holiness of God.  In order to demonstrate that sin carries consequences and that God is a God of justice, David heard the following words ... “However, because by this deed [adultery] you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die"  (2 Sam 12:14). When his son became ill, David prayed and fasted for 7 days, pleading with God for the life of his child.  But God did not answer his petition.  Or perhaps we should that God did answer David's request and His answer was ‘no'.  Sometimes God says ‘no' to our requests.  God said ‘no' to Moses' request to see His glory (Exod 33:18).  In profound discouragement and depression, both Elijah and Jonah prayed for God to take their lives and He refused (1 Kgs 19:4; Jonah 4:8).  Paul prayed for the removal of his “thorn in the flesh” and God said ‘no' (2 Cor 12:7-9).  When God says no to our petitions, we must remember that His answer is good (because God is good) and right (because God is righteous) and wise (because God is omniscient).  For Christians, because they have escaped God's wrath as His children, everything God does in their lives rises out of His love, even the pain He brings to their lives.  To understand these things is to learn to hope in God when He says ‘no' and to live with greater contentment and peace.   

Scripture Reading: Psalm 32 It is not a pleasant task to look at ourselves as we really are.  It is so difficult to do it honestly that, in fact, we usually do not do it at all, except when we are forced to.  Our natural tendency is to deny anything within ourselves that is uncomplimentary. But confession of the darkness of our hearts is absolutely necessary.  It is not only necessary for emotional health (even secular psychiatrists would tell us that), but for spiritual life.  There is no forgiveness with the living God unless there is a sincere acknowledgment of sinfulness and a willingness to turn from that sin.  When there is true repentance before God, there is forgiveness.  And this forgiveness is the basis for all joy.  Sin is the fundamental problem of the human heart and until it is dealt with properly, there can be no lasting joy. Psalm 32 is one of the confession Psalms of David.  In it we see a description of a heart tortured by unconfessed sin and the restoration of joy based on humble confession before God and His merciful forgiveness.  It is said that the great 4th century theologian, Augustine (AD 354 - 430), used to weep when he read the 32nd Psalm and had its verses written on the wall beside his death bed.  It would serve us well, now, to remember that when we face death, the only thing that will matter is whether or not we are forgiven by the living God.  "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psa 32:1).

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11, 12 The story of David's adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah cries out to us with great warning.  If David, the man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14), could get to the place in his life that he was capable of such blatant and rebellious sinning, then none of us is immune to the lure of lust and hatred.  We tend to think that we will never be guilty of something like adultery or murder, but we all struggle with lust and hatred.  In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said, “I say to you, that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28) and “. . . whoever says 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire (Mt 5:22).  The difference between lust and adultery and the difference between hatred and murder is not a difference of kind.  It is only a difference of degree.  To compare lust with adultery is not to compare an apple to an orange … it is to compare an apple seed to an apple.  When God looks at the lustful heart He sees adultery in seed form.  The key to breaking the power of lust over our hearts (or any other sin) is to replace lust with a greater pleasure … and that greater delight is God Himself.  It is the power of a superior satisfaction.  When the soul drinks at the fountain of infinite pleasure (God), it stops thirsting for sin.  Once the heart tastes the goodness of God, it is no longer satisfied with lesser delights … and sin's power is broken.

  Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18-29  (also 1 Chr 17:16-27) David's response to God's promise to make a name and a house for David is very instructive to us.  David knew God had promised that an everlasting king and kingdom would come from David's descendants (2 Sam 7:19) and his reaction to this promise is worth our consideration. The first lesson for us is that David knew the ultimate reason that God had made this promise . . . and he cites that reason several times in this prayer: ... because of your promise (2 Sam 7:21) ... to redeem to be his people (2 Sam 7:23) ... to make a name for himself (2 Sam 7:23) ... for yourself (2 Sam 7:23,24) ... that your name may be magnified (2 Sam 7:26) David recognized what we see elsewhere in the Bible, namely, that God does everything He does for His eternal honor, as an overflow of His infinite glory.  “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Rom 11:36).  (Also see verses on the other side of this sheet) David's reaction to the God-centeredness of God's promise is to be profoundly humbled and to be deeply satisfied.  David's humility is immediately obvious . . . "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?" (2 Sam 7:18).  And David's satisfaction in God is seen in the conclusion to His prayer . . . “Now therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you" (2 Sam 7:29). Being saturated with a God-centered heart is the fountain of humility and contentment and joy and hope.  To understand and love the idea that we are here for God's everlasting honor is to understand life at its deepest level . . . and it is to be truly satisfied.  Verses that show God's passion for His glory He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace . . . (Eph 1:4-6). Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory  (Isa 43:6,7). I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, even I, am the one who blots out your transgressions for My own sake  (Isa 43:25). Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God  (1 Cor 10:31). He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake  (Psa 23:3). For my name's sake I defer My wrath, and for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.  Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.  For My own sake, for My own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another  (Isa 48:9-11). Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you  (Jn 17:1). Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven  (Mt 5:16). For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea  (Hab 2:14).

Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:14-21 It is easy for individual churches to become so absorbed in their own local programs that the idea of missions plays a secondary, and not very important, role.  After all, the programs of any church (Sunday School, children's groups, youth work, music, women's and men's groups, building maintenance) take a great deal of effort on the part of many people if they are going to be effective.  This is all well and good and absolutely necessary for the health of any congregation.  But we must not forget that the ministry of a church has twofocuses.  The inward focus is that we care for each other, through teaching and friendships and mutual encouragement.  The outward focus is to care for those outside the church, including those who live in the far ends of the earth. We are moved by world evangelization (and local evangelization) when we consider our personal relationship to Jesus and when we consider who Christ is to the nations, globally.  Personally, He is the tender lover of our souls.  He does not run roughshod over our fragile hearts.  He cares for us in our brokenness and comforts us in our weaknesses (Mt 12:20).  On a global scale, Jesus is the hope of the nations.  "And in His name the Gentiles will hope" (Mt 12:21).  In Isaiah 49:6, God declares that to redeem Israel alone is too small a thing.  The Father says to the Son, "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."  This is the wondrous purpose for missions ... universal and eternal glory for God.

Scripture Reading: Daniel 4 King Nebuchadnezzar was the sovereign king who conquered the remaining kingdom of Israel in 605 B.C. (some 120 years after the northern 10 tribes had already been conquered by Assyria). Tempted to boast in his own strength and military conquests, Nebuchadnezzar had grown arrogant. God sends him a dream with urgent significance for his life, but the king (with all the wise men of Babylon) can't understand the meaning and thus calls on Daniel to interpret the dream for him. In time, the dream comes true and Nebuchadnezzar is humbled by the sickness of insanity, from which he recovers only after he acknowledges the sovereign reign of the Most High God of Israel. So today, our pride can blind us from seeing our own faults and the ultimate sources of our blessings. Pride blinds us to our own temporality or limitations and to the grandeur and eternality of God. There's only room for one person to be on the saddle of your life: if you're calling all the shots, there's no room for God. Today we need a new vision—Nebuchadnezzar's vision—of the eternal sovereignty and glory of God. Replace your self-confidence with God-confidence (not me, my worth, my rights, my kingdom but God: God's worth, God's ability to work in this situation, God's kingdom.) His works are true and faithful (whereas I'm tempted to lie, sugar-coat, exaggerate, tell half the story.) I can't always keep my word; I can't always fulfill my responsibilities. God can. He does. His ways are just: I've failed and sinned, but all his ways are just: both when he gives and when he takes away, as Job said, blessed be His name. He can humble the proud. C.S. Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”  - If you're thinking “I'm horrible”, or “I'm ugly” and always harshly criticizing yourself, that's not humility: you're still thinking of “YOU”. Want to change? Admit you're proud, and ask God for grace to change and grow. James 4:6 “God resists the proud and he gives grace to the humble.”

Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 13  (also 2 Samuel 6:1-11) One of the first things David did after he became king (following the death of Saul) was to move the Ark of the Covenant from the little village of Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem.  The ark of God was the most sacred item in all Israel, representing the very presence of an almighty and holy God.  It was a box, approximately 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, 2 feet high, and made of wood and overlaid with gold.  It had a golden cover with cherubim over it.  For over 60 years the ark had been neglected and now David wanted to bring it to Jerusalem and make it, again, the center of worship. During the transporting of the ark, on a cart drawn by oxen, the animals stumbled and the cart began to tip.  One of the men supervising the task, Uzzah, reached out to steady it and was immediately struck dead by God.  The story illustrates the awesome holiness of the living God.  When the wicked stand before God, He is a consuming fire and the wicked are condemned.  Our reaction of surprise to the story of Uzzah demonstrates that our understanding of the holiness of God is far too superficial and man centered.  The idea that God is holy means that He is: ... (1) set apart from His creation and utterly unique - Hosea 11:9; Exod 15:11; 1 Sam 2:2.  Our response ought to be a trembling reverence - Exod 3:3-6. ... (2) set apart from what is sinful - Hab 1:12,13; Job 34:10; 1 Jn 1:5.  Our response ought to be a shameful confession - Isa 6:1-5.  The holy Ark of the Covenant was defiled more by the touch of the sinful hand of Uzzah than it ever would have been by falling into the dirt of Judah.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 30:1-8 Everyone draws strength from somewhere outside themselves.  The poet was right when he said, "No man is an island."  Situations confront us every day that demand a wisdom and strength beyond the resources of our own mind and heart.  Some people turn to horoscopes for help … or psychics.  Others read the usually-shallow and always-oversimplified advice in self-help books.  Some take pills to help them deal with trouble.  Many people try to bury their pain beneath an avalanche of amusements. In a raid by the Amalekites, David's wives were kidnapped along with the capture of the wives and children of his men.  David and his men wept until they could not weep anymore    (1 Sam 30:4).  In response to this calamity, David did what people of deep faith do … he turned to the living God.  "David strengthened Himself in the LORD his God . . . David inquired of the LORD" (1 Sam 30:6,8).  We must seek the same God David sought.  In all our heartaches, we must fly to Him for mercy and strength.  The power of God is infinite … the mercy of God is unfailing … and the promises of God are utterly reliable.  "This is God, our God forever and ever.  He will guide us over death" (Psa 48:14).  "But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth" (Jn 16:13).  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). 

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 29 One unlikely, but effective, strategy David used when running from Saul was to live in a Philistine city.  David fled to Gath and lived there, serving the king of Gath, Achish, for 16 months (1 Sam 27:6).  He even fought battles for Achish (1 Sam 27:8-12) against the Amalekites. When it came time to fight the Israelites, the Philistine commanders were suspicious of David's loyalties (1 Sam 29:4,5).  David was not allowed to go to battle against Israel, but before sending him back to Gath, Achish defended David in glowing terms -     "I have found no fault in him to this day" (1 Sam 29:3) … "you have been honest … I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day" (1 Sam 29:6) … " I know you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God" (1 Sam 29:9).  These are extraordinary declarations from a sworn enemy of Israel.  Gath was the city that Goliath was from (1 Sam 17:4).  We are all called on to conduct ourselves with such sterling character that even our enemies, in honesty, must admit our integrity.  The reason this is so important is not our own popularity, but the honor of our God.  "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16).  The way we progress in righteousness is to delight ourselves in God, looking into His perfect righteousness.  "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:18).  To become more righteous is the result of the merciful discipline of our heavenly Father.  "For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Heb 12:11).

Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:18-27 Following David's sin of proudly taking an unnecessary census in Israel (1 Chr 21:1-17), God sent a pestilence on the land in judgment.  When David repented of his sin, he desired to offer God a sacrifice of contrition.  When King David came to the appointed place, the owner of the land, Ornan, offered to give it to him.  But David made a telling declaration . . . “King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will buy them for full price.  I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing'” (1 Chr 21:24).  David was not willing to give God anything that was not a sacrifice to him.  It is a significant principle for us to follow.  Christianity, among other things, is a life of sacrifice.  “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Lk 9:23). To follow Christ means sacrificing our time.  "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5;15,16).  It means sacrificing our energy.  "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor 4:8,9).  It means sacrificing our money for the sake of the kingdom of Christ.  "Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. . . . For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God" (2 Cor 9:7,12).   Following Christ means being willing to sacrifice our very life in His cause.  "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mk 8:35).

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:17-35 Selfishness was rotting the church at Corinth. Like the Greek mythological character Narcissus who loved his own reflection so much that he died while glaring at it, narcissism plagued the Corinthian church. They used Spirit-enabled gifts to feed their own ego rather than build up one another or glorify God. They prided themselves for their tolerance and inclusivity as they gave a permissive 'pass' to a man in their church claiming to be a believer while he was actively engaged in flagrant incest. They even abused the Lord's Supper as a chance to gorge themselves and get drunk, all to the exclusion of loving God or loving the poorer working-class believers who arrived later. Arrogant strife evidenced itself in a divisive party mentality as each group congratulated themselves for following their favorite church leaders. You would almost think someone snipped an article about a church in 21st century America. As Paul challenged the Corinthians, we must consider how our selfishness is hurting the church today. Look into your own heart and search your own motives. Why do you do what you do? Why do you come to church, give financially, sing, pray, read Scripture, memorize the Bible? Is it for God, or is it for you to get some praise of man and boost your ego? Look out on your brothers and sisters and take note of how your heart attitudes and misguided expectations evidence themselves in how we mistreat one another and how we treat the worship of our holy God. Do we take Communion too lightly? Look and see how our selfishness could be bringing the Lord's judgment on our church. Look for ways to intentionally show loving care for one another just as He cared for us. Look back to what the Lord's table truly remembered. In the most selfless act, He who was rich became poor for us that He might bring us to God. He allowed himself to be betrayed by his most trusted friends. He shared a meal signifying deep, trusting friendship with those who would abandon him and repeatedly disown him, just as they showed the same self-interest that led them to vie for power and secretly steal from Jesus during the last 3 years. He paid the greatest sacrifice for our sins as he willingly, joyfully surrendered his life that we might find true life in His wrath-quenching sacrifice. Then look forward to the coming kingdom of our Lord where He will make all things new. Look forward to the joy of being in his presence forevermore. Look forward to the time when time will be no more. Look forward to sharing the intimacy of a family meal around the table with our Lord welcoming us: the ones who once defied him as treacherous enemies. Also look out at the dying world around us and seek to show forth the life-giving power of his sacrificial death & resurrection. Proclaim the victory of his death! Look out at the church and remind each other of His coming and the certain reward He will bring for all those who love his appearing. Remind each other to persevere since in the Lord our labor is not in vain.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20 How big is your view of God? Then, how does your view of God color or affect your life? Too often, our theology is divorced from our lifestyle. If your theology doesn't change your life, how much do you really believe it? In one of Jesus's last discussions with his disciples, Jesus gives one of the clearest statements about himself, claiming all authority in heaven and on earth. He wasn't just a prophet, nor even an angel. No, Jesus was no less than the divine son of God, and he emphasizes his supreme authority in order to introduce one of his most supreme commands: as disciples, we are commanded to make other disciples. You might be theologically well informed at this church, but are you obeying one of our Lord's most important and strategic commands to make disciples (not just donations)? Jesus also states that the reason why we should obey this command is the same motivation for everything we do in all of life: the glory of the triune God, that is, do it to make God look supreme. This passage simply can't let us see Jesus or the Holy Spirit as any less glorious, less powerful, less divine, less immortal, or less infinite than the Father. Last, Jesus gives powerful reassurance with this weighty command: Jesus promises us that he will be with us until the end. We will never be alone, whether we're showing the love of Jesus to a stranger, telling a neighbor about the loving sacrifice of Christ, or out in the desert of a Muslim country where our visa and maybe even our lives are constantly in jeopardy. Who have you told about Jesus? What disciples have you made?  What are you doing to intentionally get to know unbelievers? If we're not careful we can become isolationist so that the only things we ever do are always with believers. How many unbelieving neighbors/family members/friends do you have and do you ever try to invite them over, go out with them, go shooting, go for a walk? In what ways do you support others who are going, and leaving houses and land and family and comfort and the familiar, counting it all as rubbish that they might make Jesus Christ known to a people that have never heard? (1 John 3:5-8)

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 24:1-7 In 1 Samuel 24 (as well as 1 Sam 26) we have an amazing story of mercy and restraint and faith.  As he ran for his very life from a murderous King Saul, David encountered two occasions in which he could have taken the life of his jealous pursuer.  David's men even encouraged him to kill Saul, but in a display of faith in God and respect for His established authority, David steadfastly refused.  "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed" (1 Sam 24:6; cf. 1 Sam 26:10,11). In this story we have an illustration of a principle which we find throughout the Bible, namely respect for God's established authority.  We see this principle applied in the New Testament to every area of life.  Wives are commanded to respect and follow their husband's authority because this is God's established order (Eph 5:22-24; 1 Pet 3:1-6).  Children are commanded to respect and follow their parents' authority (Eph 6:1-3; Col 3:20).  Employees are commanded to respect and follow their employer's authority (Eph 6:5-8; 1 Pet 2:18-20).  Citizens are commanded to respect and follow governmental authority (Rom 13:1-7).  People in the church are to respect and follow church leaders' authority (Heb 13:17; 1 Thess 5:12,13).  One display of the spiritual darkness of our land is an increasing spirit of rebellion against authority in every realm … in families, in schools, in law, in the workplace, in churches.  But it is a mark of Christians that they exhibit the spirit of submission to every legitimate authority because they recognize that all valid authority is established by God (Rom 13:1).  So, Christians live obedient lives as unto Him.  May God teach us the glory of obedience to His various arrangements in the ordering of our lives. 

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23:1-14 We see in this story of David's flight from Saul an interesting and very significant dynamic.  David was doing everything humanly possible to elude King Saul, who was bent on putting an end to David's life.  He hid in the wilderness and in the hills (1 Sam 23:14) . . . he received information from Saul's son, Jonathan (1 Sam 23:16,17) . . . his men were carefully monitoring Saul's movements (1 Sam 23:24,25).  The human means for David's safety are clearly displayed in this story.  But above these human means there was an invisible hand that ensured David's security . . . the hand of a sovereign God.  The last sentence in 1 Samuel 23:14 draws back the curtain shrouding God's movement in this circumstance, so we can see what is going on beyond the characters in the story.  “And Saul sought him [David] every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.”  The Bible reveals a mysterious interaction between human actions and divine sovereignty.  Men are responsible for their lives and the decisions they make and God governs His universe for His purposes.  “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” (Prov 16:9).  “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD, it will stand” (Prov 19:21).  “. . . work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12,13).  Let us pray and plan and work diligently in our lives, all the while seeking the Lord . . . knowing that our Father is the One who works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11). 

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 21:1-9 As David ran for his life from Saul's murderous anger, living in the hills of Judah, he naturally became hungry.  By the time David came to Ahimelech, the high priest, he had a few men accompanying him.  When David inquired if Ahimelech had any provisions, the answer was that the only bread available at that moment was the sacred bread displayed in the Holy Place in the Tabernacle.  This bread, sometimes called the ‘Showbread' or the ‘Bread of the Presence,' was arranged in two rows (perhaps in two stacks) of six loaves on a golden table in the Holy Place (Exod 25:23-30).  The twelve loaves represented God's provision to the twelve tribes of Israel.  The bread was changed every Sabbath Day and was only to be eaten by the priests (Lev 24:5-9).  Under the circumstances (i.e., David's hunger), the priest gave David the bread to eat, along with his men.  Jesus used this example in the New Testament when He was teaching the Pharisees about true righteousness (Mt 12:1-7).  True holiness is not a matter of anything external, like ceremonial washing or abstaining from certain foods or animal sacrifice.  True holiness is a matter of the heart.  "I desire compassion, not a sacrifice" (Mt 12:7).  The implications of this principle are far-reaching, particularly for our worship.  Worship is not simply a matter of performing the right rituals … baptism, singing, giving, communion.  Worship is a matter of the heart in a burning in desire for God.  It is a heart of reverence and love for God that makes songs or prayers or eating the bread of the Lord's Supper acceptable to Him.  The essence of holiness is a pure heart that longs for the living God in repentance, delight, and submission.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 18:10-16 After David killed Goliath, Saul saw in him the courage and skill that military conquerors are made of.  "So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war" (1 Sam 18:5). As we continue to read the story, it becomes clear why David had such great victories.  "And David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him" (1 Sam 18:14; cf. 18:12).  The root of David's victories was the hand of God in blessing him.  When the Scripture says, "the LORD was with him," it is not just the blessing of God's presence, but the blessing of God's power to work in David's circumstances. How can we know the hand of God in our lives, our marriages, our families, our church?  James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."  In practical terms, how do we draw near to God?  We see the answer in the Psalms that David wrote. First, confession of sins.  "Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psa 51:7,10).  Second, prayer in general.  "Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I call to Thee, when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Psa 61:1,2).  Third, meditation on the Word of God. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.  And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers" (Psa 1:2,3).  Fourth, remembrance of God's deeds and character.  "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.  I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land" (Psa 143:5,6).

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-33 In light of the multiplied and complicated problems of our world it is clear that what the world needs is a king … someone to rule in divine wisdom and perfect justice and holy compassion.  A king is exactly what God promised to David and through David, in what is usually called the Davidic Covenant. "When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. . . . I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever" (1 Chr 17:11,14).  The baby in the manger is the promised king.  "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:31-33). And one day the King will return and He will establish His kingdom.  It will be a kingdom of peace (Isa 9:6,7) and justice (Jer 23:5,6) and holy sovereignty (Rev 19:11-21) and eternal duration (Dan 7:13,14).   It is the coming of Christ and His promised rule that comforts us in the face of our fears and steels us in the face of our weaknesses. “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15).

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 18:1-16 There is an interesting and significant study in contrasts in 1 Samuel 18.  The contrast is seen in two opposite reactions to David's successes and the reactions came from a father and his son.  One is the reaction of unselfish love and the other is the reaction of consuming jealousy.  King Saul's son was Jonathan.  As the son of the king, Jonathan was the heir to the throne of Israel.  But a deep and abiding friendship developed between David and Jonathan (1 Sam 18:1-4).  In a symbolic show of commitment, Jonathan gave David his royal armor, sword, bow, and belt.  It may have also been a recognition on Jonathan's part that he accepted the divine choice of David to be king(cf. 1 Sam 23:17).  The two men made a covenant of friendship.  Such was the love of these men that when Jonathan was killed in battle, David declared, "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women" (2 Sam 1:26). Jonathan's father, King Saul, had a different view of David.  He saw David as being a threat to his popularity and throne.  He looked at David with jealousy, fear, and anger (2 Sam 18:7,8,12).  When the Spirit of God left Saul, he was then open to demonic influences, whom God gave permission to afflict Saul (1 Sam 16:14; 18:10).  So consumed was Saul by envy and fear that he attempted, twice, to kill David (2 Sam 18:11).  This contrast of love and jealousy confronts us with those competing affections which swirl in our own hearts.  We all love and we all envy.  To grow in selfless love (whether toward a friend or spouse or child) we must be increasingly captured by the love of Christ for us.  This way God will increase our capacity to love others and rid us of the restless, enslaving power of jealousy. 

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17 The details of the story of David and Goliath are familiar.  Goliath stood about nine and a half feet tall ... his armor weighed 125 lbs ... the head of his spear weighed 16 lbs ... he was an undefeated champion in the kind of one-on-one battles he was suggesting with Israel's representative.  In stark contrast to the Philistine warrior, David had refused any armor and his only weapon was a sling and five stones, which he carried in his shepherd's bag.  It is a stirring story of faith and victory.  As we study the text, we must search for clues to help us understand the root of David's faith.  If we can discover what David thought and felt, we can draw close to God in the same way and know a deeper faith in our own souls. One of the keys to David's faith is his zeal for the honor of God.  Three times David makes reference to Goliath taunting God (1 Sam 17:26,36,45).  David has put the honor of God before his own life.  He is willing to risk everything to defend God's name.  David desires "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" (1 Sam 17:46).  To be consumed by the glory of God is to be shaped by it in everything we do.  And it does give us courage. Second, David is utterly convinced of the power of God.  God had shown Himself to be mighty in saving David from a lion and a bear as he watched over his father's sheep (1 Sam 17:34-37).  David knew that the strength of his life was rooted in the omnipotence of God.  David's declaration to Goliath revealed this foundation for his faith.  "... the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear.  For the battle is the LORD's" (1 Sam 17:47). 

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 22:1-10 King Josiah was the 16th king of Judah and shone as one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of the kings of the southern kingdom.  He was the grandson of King Manasseh.  He ruled Judah for 31 years (640-609 B.C.) and the Biblical text gives him the following, rare, commendation … "And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left" (2 Kgs 22:2). Even after the late-in-life reforms attempted by Manasseh, following his conversion, there were still shrines on 'high places' to be destroyed and wooden images to be burned and metal images to be melted down. As was sometimes necessary in Judah's 350 history, the temple was in need of repair because it had been ignored.  In the process of cleaning, a book was discovered.  It was not just any book, but was the 'Book of the Law' (2 Kgs 22:8).  Our text uses the word 'book,' but certainly it was a scroll.  What they found was some part of the Pentateuch … perhaps part of Deuteronomy. Upon hearing the reading of this scroll, Josiah tore his clothes because he recognized how rebellious the people had been.  He instituted widespread reforms and called the people to repentance.  The word of God had become both a mirror and a law to Josiah.  Reflected in the commands of God Josiah saw his sinfulness … and he saw his guidance.  The Scriptures show us both the glory of God and the rebellion of our hearts.  Further, it is a light to our path.  Such a knowledge of God and a light for our journey are critical for life to have any lasting meaning.

Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 33:1-20 Manasseh was the 14th king of the southern kingdom of Judah and was the son of King Hezekiah.  His 55-year reign was the longest kingship in Judah's history, but it was characterized by a level of idolatry and corruption that exceeded the godless nations which God had driven out through the battles of Joshua.  "And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel" (2 Kgs 21:2). His reign was marked by Baal worship, worship of the stars, child sacrifice, cult prostitution, fortune telling, seeking to communicate with the dead, violence (cf. 2 Kgs 21).  The sins of Manasseh's reign endured long after his death.  Fifty years later, when Babylon invaded Judah and took people captive, in the first deportation, it was because of the sins Manasseh had reinforced (2 Kgs 24:3,4). But the account of Manasseh is not only a story of extreme corruption … it is also a story of the grace and mercy of God.  Through a humiliating defeat, by the hands of the Assyrians and a time of captivity, God opened the eyes and heart of Manasseh and the wicked king repented of his profound sinfulness.  God forgave him and restored him to his throne (2 Chr 33;10-13). Manasseh was a changed man and sought to reverse the sinful practices he had brought to Judah (2 Chr 33:14-20).  Such is the grace of God to the repentant.  He truly forgives … meaning, He removes all penalty for sin.  And the heart is transformed from a spiritual deadness to spiritual life.  Manasseh was as depraved as a human being can be … and the grace of God produced in him a heart that genuinely pursued the righteousness of God. 

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 18:1-8 Hezekiah was the 13th king of the southern kingdom of Judah, ruling in the last quarter of the 8th century before Christ (715-686 B.C.).  He was the most Godly king since David ruled, nearly 300 years earlier.  The description of Hezekiah is glowing.  "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. . . . He trusted in the LORD the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him" (2 Kgs 18:3.5). Hezekiah attempted to bring sweeping spiritual reform to the people of Judah (cf. 2 Chr 29-31).  He demolished the 'high places' which had been established as local shrines for worship of Baal and other false gods.  He opened the temple which had been closed by his father, Ahaz.  He gathered the priests and Levites to clean the temple.  He reinstated temple worship and the Passover festival. "He did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.  And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered" (2 Chr 31:20,21). Hezekiah was a born with a sinful nature, like every person, but he is an encouraging example to us that it is possible to serve God faithfully, from the heart.  Let us plead for God to grant us such a heart and life.   

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 14:23-29 Jeroboam II was the 14th king of the northern kingdom of Israel.  He had a long reign of 41 years and enjoyed security, and even the expansion of his kingdom.  It was the most prosperous time in the history of the northern kingdom.  2 Kings 14;23-29 tell us of the material success of Jeroboam II, while Amos and Hosea … prophets contemporary with him … tell us of the spiritual corruption of Israel during this time. There was great expansion of territory under the rule of Jeroboam II (2 Kgs 14;25) and God saved the Israelites from its enemies (2 Kgs 14:26,27), but this was a display of divine grace because Jeroboam II "did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (2 Kgs 14:24). But beneath the surface of material success was a dark spiritual reality.  The land was filled with lying, murder, theft, adultery, and oppression of the poor (Hos 4:1,2; Amos 4:1).  The people had forgotten God's law (Hos 4:6) … and His omniscience and judgment (Hos 7:2) … and His steadfast love (Hos 11:1-4).  Spiritually speaking, they were 'feeding on the wind.'  When we turn away from God, we replace Him with water that does not satisfy and bread that does not nourish.  In His mercy God beckons to us "Listen diligently to me, and eat with is good" (Isa 55:2).

Two major subjects converge this Sunday, both with global significance and both governed by a sovereign God.  The first is the impending presidential election and the second is the persecuted church around the world.  There are many clear Biblical texts that say that when a person gains a position of authority (president, senator, judge, father), he is in that position because God put him there.  "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings" (Dan 2:21).  ". . . the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will" (Dan 4:17,25,32).  To know that the Ruler of the nations will use our voting on Tuesday to work His glorious, holy plan comforts us and speaks peace to our souls.  This truth gives us strength, knowing that the future of our country and our individual lives, rests in the hand of our omnipotent God who "works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph 1:11). Since 1996, one Sunday in November has been designated the "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church."  We are commanded in the Bible to "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Heb 13:3).  There are great benefits in considering, with both mind and heart, that the church elsewhere is suffering.  First, it makes us bolder to share our faith with others (Phil 1:14).  Second, it broadens our perspective concerning what God is doing in our world and how He is doing it.  Third, it sobers us about our own faith, reminding us that we are in a deadly war and must live disciplined lives (2 Tim 1:8; 2:3). The Voice of the Martyrs" is a free monthly magazine designed to inform us about the suffering church the world over.  For a free subscription, call    1-800-747-0085.  The Voice of the Martyrs website address is www.persecution.com

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:1-25 Is it really worth it to follow Jesus Christ? How does your faith in Jesus affect how you encourage other believers? Believers in the first century were being rejected by their families and even suffered the forfeiture of their property for the sake of following Jesus. Like us today, they needed assurance that following Jesus is worth it all. Unlike the Old Covenant given to Moses & Israel, the one & only death of Jesus our Messiah fully succeeded in securing full redemption that relieves our guilt-laden consciences and satisfies the ultimate justice & wrath of our Holy God. Salvation has come by grace alone through faith alone in the all-sufficient death of Christ alone. There is nothing that you or I or any human priest can add to the sufficiency of His sacrifice. Now we can have full confidence in approaching God in worship, knowing that we have a far superior priest who offered a far superior sacrifice for our sins. With such confidence, we must therefore draw near to God with full assurance. We must firmly cling to clear biblical teaching & we must not waver in unbelief. And we must lean hard into gathering with the church for mutual encouragement even more as we anticipate the glorious day of our Lord's return.

Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:13 - 17:6 Jehoshaphat was the 4th king in the kingdom of Judah.  The summary description of his life is given as follows:  "The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David.  He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel . . . His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD" (2 Chr 17:3,4,6). Although he was one of the better kings of Judah and served God, for the most part, there are incidents in his life in which he was guilty of serious compromise … serious enough that two different prophets confronted him about his actions, declaring to him both God's displeasure and judgment.  Jehoshaphat attempted to bring spiritual vitality to the people of Judah by dispatching teachers of the Mosaic law and judges to bring justice (2 Chr 17:7-9; 19:5-11).  Under Jehoshaphat's rule the people of Judah experienced prosperity and peace (2 Chr 17:10-19). Jehoshaphat's weakness was his willingness to align himself with two wicked kings of the northern kingdom of Israel … Ahab and his son Azariah.  He did this through the marriage of his son, Jehoram, to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab (2 Chr 18:1; 21:1,6), military alliance (2 Chr 18:3), and a cooperative ship-building venture (2 Chr 20:35-37).  Because of this compromise, God's judgment fell on Jehoshaphat     (2 Chr 19:2; 20:37). The life of Jehoshaphat is a clarion call to us for wholehearted allegiance to God … beckoning us to resist compromise regarding things we ought not compromise.

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 16:29-33 Ahab was the seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel.  Much like the first king of Israel, Jeroboam, the name of Ahab became notorious as a standard of wickedness.  Subsequent kings in Israel … and even Jehoram, a king of Judah in the south … were compared to Ahab in terms of his wickedness. "Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.  And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him" (1 Kgs 16:29,30).  Ahab's wife was Jezebel and she was completely given to the worship of Baal, the shameful deity of the Canaanites.  "Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him" (1 Kgs 16:33).  This summary statement sets the stage for what happens in 1 Kings 20,21.  Upon being besieged by the Syrians, God sends a prophet to tell Ahab that He would save Israel from them.  It is pure divine grace.  Ahab had not sought the Lord's help, but God spared Israel … twice … from the Syrian armies. Upon Elijah's prophecy of the death of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kgs 21:17-24), Ahab contritely humbled himself and God postponed widespread destruction in Israel until after Ahab's death (1 Kgs 21:28,29).  It is the prominent theme of the Bible … the wickedness of the human heart, on the one hand … and the merciful grace of God toward rebels, on the other hand.  Of course, the apex of the display of God's mercy is the giving of His Son, that Jesus might bring us to God by His sacrifice for us. 

There are several references in the gospels to the fact that Jesus spent time in prayer.  Luke 5:16 indicates that as a regular course of action, Jesus slipped away from the crowds (which always seemed to be around) to pray. The account of the feeding of the 5,000 recounts that the hours preceding the miracle was filled with activity.  The multitudes had followed Jesus and His disciples and He "began to teach them many things" (Mk 6:34).  He also "cured those who had need of healing" (Lk 9:11).  Then came the miracle of the bread and fish.  After such a busy day, "He went up on the mountain to pray" (Mk 6:46).  It sets an example for us not to allow busyness to crowd out prayer. Luke 6:12-16 recalls the choosing of the 12 apostles.  Before Jesus made the decision concerning whom He would choose for these positions, He spent all night in prayer.  It sets an example for us to pray when we are faced with decisions in our lives. One of the most memorable occasions of Jesus praying is the night before the crucifixion, knowing what He would face the next day.  He prayed three times in the garden of Gethsemane, at least the first time, for an hour (Mt 26:36-46).  It sets and example for us to pray when we endure the many trials of life.  When we stop to think about who Jesus is, the notion that He would feel the need to pray is astounding.  He was omnipotent and sinless, enjoying perfect communion with the Father … and yet He was compelled to pray.  It is a great encouragement to us to pray.  If Jesus, being God Himself, prayed to His Father as a matter of course and especially at critical times in His life … how much more essential is it for us to do the same?

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 12:25-33 Following Solomon's death, the tribes of the northern area of Israel withdrew from the rule of Rehoboam, his son.  No longer was there one, unified kingdom of Israel.  Now, at the hand of God, there would be two separate kingdoms … Israel, with 10 tribes, in the north … and Judah, with 2 tribes, in the south. The people of the northern kingdom chose a man named Jeroboam to be their king.  Jeroboam was a very capable man whom Solomon had put in charge of the labor force in Israel.  When Jeroboam became king in the northern kingdom, in an attempt to keep the people from relocating in the south, he devised an entire alternative religious system, He established new worship centers (Bethel and Dan) to rival Jerusalem and the temple.  He formed a new priesthood and a new autumn holiday to rival the Feast of Tabernacles.  His sinful legacy was so effective that he became the standard of wickedness.  Subsequent kings were compared to him.  They are said to have "walked in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin" (cf. 1 Kgs 22:52). Jeroboam rejected the word of God, given in the Mosaic Law.  When someone rejects the authority of the Bible, there are no restrictions to harness the wicked impulses of the heart.  It is a dangerous and destructive way to live.  Let us learn to say, "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life" (Psa 119:93).

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 12:12-20 At the end of his life Solomon became idolatrous, having been influenced by his many foreign wives.  God was angry with him and the penalty was that Solomon's son, Rehoboam, would not be able to rule over all of Israel. The nation would, in fact, be divided into two kingdoms.  Rehoboam would be given only one tribe of the 12 Jewish tribes, namely the tribe of Judah.  The tribe of Benjamin would eventually join Judah in the formation of a southern Jewish kingdom.  The summary of Rehoboam's life is as follows:  "When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.  . . .  And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD" (2 Chr 12:1,14).  Though Rehoboam's heart did not seek God, there were times when Rehoboam obeyed God (1 Kgs 12:21-24) and times when he humbled himself before God (2 Chr 12:6,12).  Rehoboam's life was characterized by a fundamental rejection of God, while appealing to God in times of need.  It is a common response of an unbelieving heart, but Christians still have the same tendency.  How easy it is to be passionate about God when we suffer, but careless and half-hearted when we feel strong.  May God help us to pursue Him bothin times of pleasure and pain.  

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 11:1-13 In our modern vernacular, we would say that Solomon 'had it all.'  He had money.  He had fame.  He had power … and honor … and position.  He had the best food … the best clothes … women at his beck and call … a luxurious house … 4,000 horses … 12,000 horsemen … and a kingdom of peace. In Ecclesiastes 2:9,10, Solomon said, "I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem.  Also, my wisdom remained with me.  And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.  I kept my heart from no pleasure." Having asked for wisdom, Solomon had also been granted unsurpassed wisdom from God.  "I now do according to your word.  Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you" (1 Kgs 3:12). Solomon's long prayer at the dedication of the temple he had built for God is contrite and God-exalting (cf. 1 Kgs 8:22-53).  God appeared to Solomon on two occasions in a dream (cf. 1 Kgs 3:5; 9:1). The tragedy of Solomon's life is recorded in 1 Kings 11:4 … "When Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father." The warning of the life of Solomon is that, in spite of spiritual graces, the heart's neglect of eternal realities will lead to the withdrawal of divine blessing, at the least, and eternal ruin, at the worst.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:161-168 Saul was the first king of Israel and he ruled for 40 years, but on more than one occasion he was grossly disobedient to God (cf. 1 Sam 13:1-14;    15:1-33).  The result of this rebellion was that God gave the kingdom of Israel to David (1 Sam 13:14; 15:28; 16:1).  David is described in 1 Samuel 13:14 as "a man after God's own heart."   What it means to be a person after God's own heart is made clear in Acts 13:22, where the Lord says - "I have found in David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will."  To be a man or a woman after God's own heart is to be someone who is whole-heartedly obedient to Him.  In the Old Testament, David is the standard of obedience for Israelite kings.  Subsequent kings are compared to him and are described as being obedient like David was (cf. 1 Kgs 15:11; 18:3; 22:2) or being disobedient in not following David's example (cf. 1 Kgs 11:4; 15:3; 16:2). But what was the root of David's obedience?  How can we learn to be whole-hearted like he was?  The wellspring of David's obedience was that he found pleasure in God's commands.  "I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart" (Psa 40:8).  "O how I love your law!  It is my meditation all the day" (Psa 119:97). And the deepest root of David's delight in God's commands is his delight in God Himself.   ". . . in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore" (Psa 16:11b).  "I love you, O LORD, my strength.  The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my rock in whom I take refuge . . ." (Psa 18:1,2).

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 15:1-23 Saul was the first king of Israel and, though Israel's desire for a king was a 'great wickedness'      (1 Sam 12:17), Saul was chosen by God Himself (1 Sam 9:16; 10:24).  He was handsome and tall (1 Sam 9:2) and "there was none like him in all the land" (1 Sam 10:24). On more than one occasion, God had granted Saul divine empowerment by His Spirit (1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:23).  Saul's kingship, however, was characterized by disobedience to God … and coming very near the beginning of his rule. On two occasions, at least, Saul sinned greatly and rationalized his acts with the logic of darkness.  In 1 Samuel 13:8-14, he violated a command of God to wait for Samuel to meet him at Gilgal, where they would offer sacrifices (1 Sam 10:8).  His rationalization was the urgency of moment and the desertion of people in the face of an impending battle (1 Sam 13:11,12).  On another occasion, following the defeat of the Amalekites, Saul had not destroyed all the animals and Agag, the king (1 Sam 15:1-9).  Pleading that he had, in fact, obeyed God, Saul's rationalization was he spared the best animals, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD (1 Sam 15:15,21,22).    God's well-known reply, through Samuel, to Saul's rebellious logic was to say, "To obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Sam 15:22).  Samuel did not mean that people should not sacrifice, but that there is a kind of sacrifice that is not true obedience.  True obedience comes from the heart … the heart of faith.

  Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 8:1-9 For almost 1,000 years, beginning with God's covenant with Abraham, there had been no king in Israel.  That is to say that there had been no human king.  God Himself had been their king (1 Sam 12:12).  During the end of the life of Samuel, the last great judge, the people clamored for a king, like they had seen in other nations (1 Sam 8:5).  This request was a "great wickedness" (1 Sam 12:17).  The people were showing an extreme ingratitude for all that God had done for them.  Though the request was yet another form of rejecting God (1 Sam 8:7), God granted their desire.  The result would be an eventual divided kingdom and 450 years of most wicked kings, leading the people away from the living God to serve lifeless idols. There are profound lessons to be gathered from this account. One reminder, from this story, is the natural tendency we all have … even now, as Christians … toward ingratitude.  How thankful we should be, every day, for God's abundant goodness toward us. A second lesson is the merciful grace of God toward rebellious people.  God still held out His mercy toward the people who were rejecting Him.  In His grace, God has saved us, drawing us away from the darkness of our rebellious hearts.

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1: 1-11 Bethel Baptist Church is privileged and delighted to host Reverend Ian Leslie while Pastor Cosand enjoys some well deserved rest and recreation.

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:10-24 Shakespeare wrote: "Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel."  Solomon wrote: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Prov 27:6) and "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Prov 27:17).  Our friends are crucial to the quality of our lives.  With good friends we are helped immeasurably; without them we are profoundly diminished.  Most New Testament letters end with a 'greetings' section, like we find here in 1 Corinthians 16.  Some of them are short and some are longer.  These tend to be the kind of sections of the Bible that we have the tendency to pass over, if we read it at all.  We usually do not pause to consider some implications rooted in the warm greetings. In this last section of 1 Corinthians, Paul mentions seven people by name.  It is significant to note the basis for the connection between the people listed in this chapter.  The basis for their relationship is not personality or hobbies or economic status.  The foundation of their relationship is their identity in Christ and their service for Him. Let us learn the thrill of friendship and community in Christ, forged in the furnace of common labors … and even common suffering … in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  There is no richer life than that, this side of heaven. 

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:12-18 "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love" (1 Cor 16:13,14).  The five commands here are not at all random.  They reflect some of the issues that Paul has written about in this letter.  So, these two verses form something of a condensed summary of this whole book.  Like a watchman in the imagery, the word 'watchful' here refers, not only to being awake, but to a certain vigilance and expectation and care and readiness.  The word is often used in connection with prayer. "Stand firm in the faith" is not saying that we should stand firm on our faith … but the faith … namely the body of truth revealed to us in the Bible.  We are to hold fast to the truths revealed to us in the Bible. To "act like men" is a reference to spiritual maturity.  It is to live with self-control and a seasoned, heavenly perspective of life.  "Be strong" is a reference to strength of heart to endure trials patiently and with hope.  To do everything in the spirit of love comes from being enthralled with Christ's love.  The source of living in the way described in this passage is our God.  To deeply commune with Him is to drink at His fountain of delight and life. Christian, do not seek repose; Cast your dreams of ease away; You are in the midst of foes; Watch and pray . . . watch and pray.

Scripture Reading: John 3:1-15 This Sunday Bethel Baptist Church had the pleasure and privilege of hosting Joel and Misti Diffenderfer at morning worship.  Joel and Misti are a missionary couple called to be church planters in Japan.  To learn more about their mission, visit www.diffnotes.com. You may also reach them via email at info@diffnotes.com.  

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:5-11 As Paul writes about his plans to visit his friends in Corinth, he drops a phrase into his sentence which reveals something of his perspective of life.  The phrase is "if the Lord permits."  "For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits" (1 Cor 16:7). The apostle realizes that everything rests on the will of God.  This is the clear, repeated truth revealed to us in the Bible.  "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD" (Prov 16:1).  "The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps" (Prov 16:9). "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD, it will stand" (Prov 19:21). At every moment of every day, God is actively permitting plans to go forward, or preventing plans from coming to pass.  In this way God governs everything that takes place in His universe … in order to accomplish His own purposes.  Question #15 in the Baptist Catechism of 1689 is "What is the providence of God?"  The answer given is "The providence of God is His most holy, wise, powerful activity by which He preserves and governs every creature and every action." We must learn to defer completely and humbly to the will of God with the realization that He sovereignly and totally governs everything in His universe.  With the sovereignty of God washing over our souls and with the brevity of life ringing in our ears, we are more prone to live life humbly, diligently, and skewed more toward heavenly, eternal realities rather than earthly, temporal vapors. 

NOT UNDER COMPULSION Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 It is an important element of living … in the Old Testament nation of Israel and in the New Testament church … that God calls on His people to give some of their money to His earthly work.  The Bible gives us principles to govern our giving and great motives for doing it. "On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come" (1 Cor 16:2).  "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart; not reluctantly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7). We are to give regularly.  "On the first day of every week . . ."  As regular exercise is more beneficial to the body than exercising only once in a while, so regular giving is more spiritually beneficial to the soul. We are to give individually.  ". . . let each one of you put aside . . ."  The responsibility to give to the Lord's work belongs to every one of us, regardless of economic status. We are to give proportionally.  ". . . as he may prosper . . ."  Some proportion is suggested in this phrase.  The more one has, the more he/she should give.  The Old Testament law stipulated that 10 percent of Israelite incomes should be given to the temple.  Though this percentage is not specifically stated in the New Testament epistles as a law for the church, because it was a workable amount for the Israelites, it should be viewed as a workable amount for us.  The tithe (10 %) should be a goal for some and a starting point for others. We are to give deliberately.  "Let each do just as he has purposed in his heart . . ."  Giving should be planned, prayerful, thoughtful, budgeted, and not impulsive.            We are to give willingly.  ". . . not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  The God who owns all things does not lack for resources.  He wants our hearts, so He does not want us to give anything that is not offered willingly. The motive for giving comes, partly, from a realization of the effects it has on our souls.  God does not need our money, but we have the need to give to Him.   First, giving produces humility.   In giving to the building of the temple in the Old Testament, David declared, "But who am I, and what is my people that we should be able thus to offer willingly?  For all things come from you, and from your own have we given you" (1 Chr 29:14). Second, giving produces joy.  "Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD" David the king also rejoiced greatly" (1 Chr 29:9). Third, giving produces compassion toward the needs of others.  "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone who has need" (Eph 4:28). Fourth, giving produces devotion to God.  "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Lk 12:34).  Giving to God's eternal kingdom unites our hearts with Him.  It follows that if we give regularly to the Lord, we will think about Him more and our hearts will be attached to Him more deeply.  The Almighty does not need our money.  He can make money out of the grass.  The issue in giving is our hearts.   In our giving, let us learn to say, with great joy, "O LORD our God, all this abundance we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from you hand and all is your own" (1 Chr 29:16).

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 Some Corinthian teachers had denied the reality of resurrection.  They had, no doubt, reasoned from seeing what death did to a body that resurrection was impossible.  Paul calls such people 'fools' and then proceeds to cite illustrations of the possibility of human resurrection.  The seed the farmer plants in the ground is transformed into a different 'body'.  Birds and fish and land animals all have different bodies.  Our earthly body has one form and our heavenly body will have a different form.  The death of this body does not preclude a future resurrection. The Scriptures speak of, in fact, two resurrections … one for believers and one for unbelievers.  Jesus said, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (Jn 5:28,29). For Christians death is not as bad as it seems.  Death simply ushers them into the presence of Jesus (2 Cor 5:8) and one day Christians receive resurrection bodies like Jesus possessed after His own resurrection.  But for unbelievers, death is infinitely worse than it seems.  Death ushers them before the judgment bench of the Almighty and they must endure the horrible experience of hell forever.  In the resurrection they are given a body that will be indestructible and able to suffer hell's torment without being destroyed. 

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:22-28     Daniel 7:9,10,13,14      Revelation 20:1-5 There is a sequence of events in 1 Corinthians 15:22-25.  First, Christ is raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:20).  "Then, at his coming," those who belong to Christ will be raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:23).  "Then comes the end, when [Christ] delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Cor 15:24,25). This passage mentions a kingdom and a reigning of Christ.  This is the earthly kingdom prophesied in the Old Testament and specifically detailed in Revelation 20:1-6.  It will be a time of peace and justice, as Christ rules the nations of the earth from the throne of David (Isa 2:2-4; 9:6,7; Dan 7:13,14). The King will come and He will establish His kingdom.  It will be a kingdom of peace (Isa 9:6,7) … justice (Jer 23:5,6) … holysovereignty (Rev 19:11-21) …  and eternal duration (Dan 7:13,14).  The goal of all creation is the everlasting honor of the triune God.  When we are consumed with God's glory then, and only then, will we will work and pray and groan for Christ to have a name in all the earth.   It is the coming of Christ and His promised rule that comforts us in the face of our fears and steels us in the face of our weaknesses.  "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15).