Author: bthemsg

Most of us are familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba as it is found in 2 Sam. 12. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then tried to hide it. When Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) would not cooperate with David’s plan to let him think he was the father of the child, he contrived a way to have Uriah killed in battle. Chapter 11 ends with David taking Bathsheba as his wife as though his secret sin would never be discovered. David must have been greatly relieved and thought he had gotten away with it! But, God would not let David go unpunished for his actions and sent Nathan the prophet to confront him. The price of David’s sin was significant, First, the child would die and then David and his kingdom would begin to experience significant trouble including the prediction that David’s family would fall apart before his eyes.

In the midst of this tragedy though, the grace of God is clearly seen. Notice what it says in verses 24-25,

“Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The LORD loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means ‘beloved of the LORD’), as the LORD had commanded.”

Wow! Solomon was born to Bathsheba? This text implies that Solomon was the next child born to Bathsheba, but 1 Chronicles 3:5 tells us that Solomon was the fourth child born to her. The point in our passage is the focus on God’s grace to David because Solomon would be God’s new chosen servant. God was able to use even David’s horrendous sin to accomplish his purposes! That is amazing grace!

Father, we all sin and often think our sin has no consequences. We can fall into the trap of trying to figure out ways to keep our sin hidden. The story of David is one that shows us that you, as a loving Father, may discipline your children for their sin. We also can clearly see your amazing grace in the midst of David’s failures. Help me to be like David when confronted with sin and repent humbly and quickly as he did. Make me unlike David by helping me to stay close to you and your Word so that I do not fall into sin as David did. Thank you for the reminder of how gracious you are to your children even in the midst of our failures.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

A passage that caught my attention this morning is 2 Cor. 4:10-12. The NLT version makes Paul’s comments a little easier to understand. It says,

“Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.”

What is Paul’s point? Suffering is normal for the disciples of Jesus and can be used by God for a purpose. Barclay wisely observes, “Life is designed to keep a man from pride. However great his Christian glory he is still a mortal man; still the victim of circumstances; still subject to the chances and the changes of human life; still a mortal body with all that body’s weakness and pain. He is like a man with a precious treasure contained in an earthen vessel, which itself is weak and worthless. We talk a great deal about the power of man and about the vast forces which he now controls. But the real characteristic of man is not his power but his weakness.”

The first benefit of suffering is that it keeps us from pride. It shows us how frail we are and that we were designed by our creator to be dependent upon him.

The second observation is that if we want to share in the life of Jesus we will share in the death of Jesus on earth. In other words, suffering in the flesh is normal for the believer and should be expected.

The third statement Paul makes is that others can see Jesus in us when we suffer. He is the source of our strength when we have to suffer for him. We should not try to endure on our own strength. He is the one who can enable us.

Finally, Paul shows us that the fruit of suffering can lead to eternal life for others. The price of eternal life for those who have not yet believed the Gospel is my willingness to suffer if need be to get them the message.

As Barclay also observed, “Paul could go through what he did because he knew that it was not for nothing; he knew that it was to bring others to Christ. When a man has the conviction that what is happening to him is happening literally for Christ’s sake he can face anything.”

Father, as much as I do not want to suffer, I understand that suffering is normal for me as a disciple of Jesus. Thank you that you give me the strength for being faithful through times of trial and showing me that the fruit of my suffering can result in the salvation of others.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

For those of us who have read about the life of Paul, we are not surprised at his suffering because it seems to happen all of the time! Today though I was challenged by the description of some of Paul’s suffering as it is described in 2 Cor. 1:8-9 which says,

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

In this passage Paul is so overwhelmed with intense suffering that he despaired even of living. He had come to the end of himself and felt as though death was knocking at his door. The amazing thing is that we have no record of this suffering and therefore have no idea what this was all about. In a sense, Paul suffered in silence. He did not parade his troubles for others to see. He learned to endure by depending on God alone. His suffering drove him back to God.

Barclay adds great insight when he says,

“Paul saw that the terrifying experience he had gone through had had one tremendous use—it had driven him back to God and demonstrated to him his utter dependence on him. The Arabs have a proverb, ‘All sunshine makes a desert.’ The danger of prosperity is that it encourages a false independence; it makes us think that we are well able to handle life alone. For every one prayer that rises to God in days of prosperity, ten thousand rise in days of adversity. As Lincoln had it, ‘I have often been driven to my knees in prayer because I had nowhere else to go.’ It is often in misfortune that a man finds out who are his true friends, and it often needs some time of adversity to show us how much we need God.”

There is much to learn from Paul and Barclay’s insight. I really do not want to hear it though! When things go well it is easy to live independently of God. I need to learn how to live as dependently upon God in prosperity as I do in adversity.

Father, forgive me for my lack of dependence upon you! I often live in my own strength and ask for your enabling only in trial. May I walk today in prosperity as dependently upon you as I would in times of trouble. I need you and your constant source of strength in my life.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

In hindsight it is often (not always) easier to understand why and how things that happen in life can be used by the LORD to accomplish his plan for us. The problem is that it is hard to see how present challenging circumstances can be used for good at all!

I found the following words of God to David describing this reality when he said in 2 Sam. 7:8-9, “Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.”

At this time in David’s life he is the king of Israel. He is experiencing all the privileges that position holds. He is prosperous and God has given him rest from war because he has made peace with his enemies.

The problem with this story is that there are huge gaps in the life of David from being a shepherd to being king. It is easy to forget all that David had been through to get him to this point in his life. It certainly was not an easy journey for David to move from a simple shepherd to the king of all Israel.

We wish God would move us from one situation to another without the experience of any drama, problems or difficulties. Instead, God put David through many challenging circumstances which he used to grow his character and mature him to the point that he was ready to lead the nation of Israel as king.

If you recall, David was constantly running from Saul who was trying to kill him. David became so discouraged from fleeing and hiding that he decided to live with the Philistines to escape from Saul. He also endured the destruction of the city in which he lived and the capture of all the women and children of his men including his own family. He even endured the rage of his own men who were so mad at the loss of their family members that they wanted to kill him!

From God’s perspective, he was with David all the time and he was taking care of him and leading him, but from David’s perspective, there were some real challenges. Life was hard!  In hindsight all these issues were part of God’s plan to mature David and get him ready to rule as the king of Israel. David needed to learn trust and dependence upon God regardless of circumstances.

Father, thank you for the example of how you worked in the life of David! Help me to remember that you are with me and you are constantly leading me even when circumstances seem very hard. Help me to remember that you can use all of the events of my life (including present circumstances) for good as a whole (Rom. 8:28-29) and help me to be faithful to you in spite of my circumstances. Help me to trust and depend upon your leadership.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

I remember hearing a famous theologian say in his opening prayer, “Father, thank you for saving me yesterday; thank you for saving me today; and I pray that you will save me tomorrow.”

What did he mean? He prayed that way to make a point. He was emphasizing the ongoing work of God in our lives. Salvation includes justification (past act), sanctification (present work) and glorification (future completion). As some have said, salvation means we are saved from the penalty of sin, are being saved from the power of sin and will be saved from the presence of sin.

Paul touches on this in 1 Cor. 15:1-2 which says, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

Two things Paul mentioned are in the past. The first is that he “preached” to them. He communicated objective truth that could be understood and acted upon. The second thing he mentioned is that they “believed.” Both of these facts are in the past tense. He preached and they responded by belief in Jesus. This is referring to justification. The declaration of righteousness in the court of God forever because of my belief in Jesus who died for my sin and was raised to give me life.

The next two things he mentions are in the present tense. After believing, the readers now “stand” in the grace gospel. Barclay clarifies the meaning of this word when he said, “Standing means established and continuing firm in faith as a tree stands when it is well rooted.”

I am so thankful that I presently stand on the rock of God’s grace in my life. I couldn’t make a righteous standing before God on my own works. He had to do that for me through allowing Jesus to die for me. My faith in him has made my salvation secure, well rooted and unshakable (Rom. 5:1-2).

The last thing Paul mentions in 1 Cor. 15:2 is that I am “being saved.” This is a description of the present ongoing work of God (sanctification) in my life as one of his children. He is progressively making me more like Jesus if I cooperate by yielding to his leadership through his Word. When I yield and follow, he makes me more like Jesus. The fruit of this process is the ultimate outcome of our salvation which is glorification.

Father, your plan of salvation is nothing man could have thought up on his own. I thank you that you have a plan for me. Your plan is that I stand firm in my relationship with you. Nothing can take me away from your love and grace. I thank you that you also designed salvation so that I can enjoy my relationship with you now by yielding to your leadership in my life. The fruit of this will be your continued transformation of my character and the most fulfilling life possible. You are an amazing God!

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

All of us have made mistakes in life. Sin is a reality even for the believer in Jesus. What are we to do when we sin as disciples of Jesus?

Although this passage was written long before the birth of Christ, the process of addressing sin is beautifully described by king David in Ps. 51:1-4 which says,

“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil din your sight.”

Why is this passage so significant? Notice what the introduction to this Psalm says, “A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN NATHAN THE PROPHET WENT TO HIM, AFTER HE HAD GONE IN TO BATHSHEBA.”

David did not just theoretically write about the topic of confession. This Psalm was a response to being confronted by his sin. He responded with a broken heart and admitted his sin and asked for mercy and God’s forgiveness.

Father, thank you for the real lives recorded in scripture. David was an imperfect man that responded well when confronted about his sin. Even in his failures he is a model to us. Help me to be as quick to confess my sin when I become aware of it so that I can enjoy my relationship with you as you designed it.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

While David was living with the Philistines, he found himself in a very difficult situation. The Philistines were going to war with Israel and David was expected to fight on the side of the Philistines since he was living with them.

As David was heading into battle I can only imagine the turmoil he was experiencing in his heart. He now was going to have to fight his Jewish brothers with the memory that he was also going to be their king one day!

It appears that God stepped in and caused concern among some of the Philistine generals so that they demanded David go back and not fight in the battle because they did not fully trust him. From David’s perspective he must have rejoiced in God’s provision and would have been very relieved as he headed home with his men.

But, when they returned to their city, they found that it had been set on fire and destroyed by the Amalekites and all the women and children were taken captive. There was such despair among David’s men that they were wanting to stone David!

WOW! This new crisis came out of nowhere.  David got out of one predicament only to find himself in another! Why did God let this happen? I can only imagine the anguish, fear, anger and grief that everyone endured and for what?

I think the answer can be found in 1 Sam 30:6 which says, “But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” The meaning of this could be clarified with these translations, “David found strength in the LORD his God” (NCV) or “he felt the LORD God giving him strength” (CEV).

The very reason David was living with the Philistines was because of discouragement. He had lost perspective of God’s leadership in his life. He was tired of running from Saul and took things into his own hands when he decided to leave Israel and live with their mortal enemy.  He thought is would be better to live with the Philistines than depend on God and run from Saul. David forgot that he was in God’s school of character development.

Even though he may have made a mistake in going to live with the Philistines, it seems that this new tragedy of losing all the their loved ones allowed David to get back on track and see God as the source and strength of his life. The proof of this is the action he took by seeking God’s leadership about the situation and then pursuing the Amalekites to save all the hostages at God’s direction.

Father, there are so many things that happen in life that are hard to understand. This story is again an example of the character training program that you had David on so that he could be the king of Israel you desired. It is also encouraging to see that mistakes made can be rectified by coming back to you and yielding to your leadership.  It is never too late to come home to you.

Help me to not lose perspective, but rather trust you to enable me to live faithfully in spite of my circumstances knowing that I too am on a character training program for service in your Kingdom.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

David was a man after God’s own heart and God had promised to make him king, but David found himself constantly running for his life trying to evade Saul and his soldiers who were trying to kill him. Notice a turn in the story from 1 Sam 26:25-27:1,

“Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.”

At the conclusion of chapter 26, David once again had spared Saul’s life. But when we get to the first verse of the next chapter David gives the impression that he is weary of hiding and decided himself to flee to the land of the Philistines so that Saul would not pursue him. Most likely, David was discouraged.

As Wiersbe has observed, “David won a great victory over Saul, only to be overwhelmed by despair. Such feelings are not unusual; you cannot have mountaintops without valleys. However, when you are feeling low, it is a dangerous thing to ‘talk to yourself’ and make important decisions. David should have talked to the Lord.”

David had wisely consulted the Lord on previous decisions, but here we are led to believe that David had lost heart and made the decision to flee without consulting the Lord. Why is that likely? First, David’s circumstances had caused him to doubt God’s promises. Samuel had told him twice that he would be king. He would not be killed by Saul even though circumstances were very difficult (18:4; 23:17). Second, the name of God is not even mentioned in this chapter implying David had finally taken things into his own hands.

I certainly cannot find fault with David because he was a great man of faith. He simply was tired, and had lost perspective. He made what probably was a bad decision even though God worked through it. This also shows the amazing grace and patience of God. He worked through David’s weaknesses to accomplish his ultimate will. God also continued to protect him even though he was in the midst of the hated enemies of Israel.

Father, thank you for the example of David here. He was a great man, but he was not perfect! Even so, your grace and protection were still with him because he was one of your men. May your grace and mercy be with me even when I am weak in faith. May I remember to seek your will before making significant decisions. May you also accomplish your will through me as you did with David even when he was imperfect.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

Two of my favorite verses in the book of Psalms are Psalm 42:1-2. These verses say,

“As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?”

This passage describes an intense desire for something. The illustration is that of a deer panting for water. The Psalmist equates that strong desire to his desire to be near God. Most commentators think the description here is for the writer to go to the temple and be near God who was in the holy of holies.

It is interesting that the word “pant” is describing “to long for something, with the implication of recognizing a lack” (Luow and Nida). I often forget this part of the real meaning of “longing for something.” If a deer is panting for water, it realizes it is lacking something—water. As a result, the deer searches for it.

Before I can long for God, I must realize that I have a need for him. Am I thirsty for God? Do I sense a need to be with him and to talk with him and enjoy my relationship with him? Is that a deep need that I know I am missing? If it is, I will make time to seek him out and to enjoy my friendship with him. If not, why not? Am I preoccupied with things that are hindering my desire for God? If so, I need to set aside anything that is hindering me from longing first for God in my life. This doesn’t mean I can’t be a great husband, dad and employee at the same time. It does mean though that I need to get my priorities set so that my first love for God is possible.

Father, thank you for the great illustration we see here in Psalms. Help me to be thirsty for you first and help me to make you the priority that you should be. May you grant that I consistently have a strong desire for you.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff

Paul makes an amazing statement in 1 Corinthians 6:12 when he says, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”

Are all things really lawful for me as a Christian? Can I do whatever I want? Have I been given permission to sin? If you notice in the text, the statement is a quote. It is thought by most commentators that this was a saying in Corinth that Paul is addressing. In fact, some think that Paul may have said this in the attempt to help Christians understand that they are no longer under the Mosaic Law as a standard of conduct. Wherever the quote came from, Paul is correcting the improper application of the principle it contains.

If you remember, this church was known for being “fleshly” (1 Cor. 3:1-3). They were not living as “spiritual” people under the leadership of Jesus. Instead, their fleshly appetites were guiding their behavior. They may have even been using this quote as a covering for evil.

So what does this statement mean? Lenski makes a very helpful observation when he says, “In the first place, ‘all things’ cannot be understood in the absolute sense … What God forbids is never allowed; what God commands, no man is allowed to set aside. Wrong is wrong and is outside of the domain of liberty; right is right and is also outside of this domain.” Paul was addressing things not specifically identified as right or wrong in scripture.

Therefore, Paul is correcting what the readers had adopted as an excuse for all kinds of sinful behavior. Right is right and wrong is wrong, but those things not specifically mentioned in scripture should be governed by the rule of profitability and enslavement. As a believer, I should pursue conduct that is beneficial to me and others and I must not allow myself to do anything that would cause me to come under the influence of something that could end up controlling me instead of God.

Father, thank you for the liberating truth of the Gospel! I have been set free from sin and its penalty, but I have not been set free to sin. I should live as an obedient, loyal follower of you. My conduct should reflect what I know to be true of your will and character. This very helpful principle of doing only what is profitable and not doing anything that could control me, is very helpful. Help me to live freely, but under your leadership in all things.

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff