Tag: king david

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Open Communication

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“Then Moses said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded you to do, so that that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” Leviticus 9:6

Holy God, it amazes me that you, in your infinite and powerful ways wants to talk to me.  That the God of the universe wants me to come to you each and every day with my needs and my fears.  Today I come to you with praise and thanksgiving that you love me so much.  Amen

I heard a description of an early  “church service” the other day.  The first half was open to anyone and featured scripture reading and the teaching of the gospel.  Then the pastor would call out, “the doors, the doors” and it was the message to those who were not baptized or confessed believers to leave.  The doors would then be closed and the second half of the service commenced.  This is when the holy gift of communicating with God began.  The church membership would have an “upper room” type meeting with breaking of bread and prayer to the Most Holy One.

What I like about this is that shows reverence to the second greatest blessing God bestowed on us (the first being Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins) – a loving, two-way path communicating with God.  A gift given to believers by Jesus and spurred on by the Holy Spirit that lives in the children of God.  I’m not suggesting only believers should pray, it’s just an acknowledgement of the seriousness of this gift we’ve been given.

In the Bible verse today, we see the seeds of God’s desire to communicate with us in the priestly ministry of the ancients.  God spoke through Moses on how to address Him through sacrifices and other holy activities.  He tells the priests in training that when they take these steps, they will see God’s glory revealed to them.  The same is true with the gift of prayer.  

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1

The disciples, just as in Moses’ day, desired to learn how to communicate with God.  How to open up the heavens so they could see the glory of the One Almighty.  And so Jesus taught them the prayer I mentioned yesterday, what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.”  It starts with reverence, placing God in our hearts and minds rightly where He belongs.  It moves on to acknowledging God as the provider of all our needs and our submission to Him.  We then ask for forgiveness and to forgive others.  And finally for daily guidance.

The gift of prayer is God’s message to us that we are not believers of a god who is unable to do all things, or a god who can’t be trusted, or a god to whom we need to beg to hear us.  Before we pray we need to be fully informed of how we view Him.  If we don’t believe He is merciful then we might believe He will punish us if we bring our sins to Him.  Our prayers should always include a request for wisdom about Him so that when He answers our prayer – which He always does – we will understand the answer and see the glory in His ways.

Today, I want to leave you with this beautiful prayer from King David showing us how to glorify and praise God in all His magnificent ways.

Psalm 63

1 You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.
9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
    they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
    and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
    all who swear by God will glory in him,
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
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The First 3,000

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Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:41

My husband and I are back in the process of a church search.  For some of you, your church has been your lifelong home.  For others, you know all too well the difficult path of church searching.  We spent the last seven months trying out a church and realized it just wasn’t the right fit.  Great preaching and friendly people but there were a number of pieces missing that we didn’t see being resolved any time soon.  We left on friendly terms as we began our journey to the right home.

And this search led me to think about the first church.  That fateful day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls turned their hearts and lives over to Jesus when the Holy Spirit was delivered to Earth.  There could’ve been more.  Others stood in the temple that day and heard the sound of the violent wind.  They heard the Jews from every nation speaking to each other in their native tongues.  But they hardened their hearts.

Some however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”  Acts 2:13

The 3,000, selected by God, were urged by Peter to recognize what had just occurred.  He quoted the prophet Joel in explaining how the Holy Spirit would be poured out just as it had happened.  He reminded the Jews of David’s words when he spoke of God’s promise to fill them with the joy of God’s presence.  When Peter had his brief history lesson the 3,000 asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

He answered with the message of the Gospel.  And he went on to plead with them to abandon their corrupt generation.  Imagine.  3,000 people all at once starting on their new beginning.  It must’ve been glorious!

But their baptism wasn’t the end of their stories.  What came next was an intense learning period.  They “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship.” (v2:42).  They ate together, worshipped together, studied together, prayed without ceasing, worked together to help those in need.  And they multiplied.

You don’t get the impression from reading about the first church in Acts that a bunch of individuals were saved then when to their own homes and began an intensive self-realization study.  Or went about their work day as though nothing spectacular just happened.  No, their common goal was to spread the news of Jesus Christ dying for our sins.  Remember, they spoke in many different languages.  So, they were preparing to go back home to make even more believers.  Preparing to go do difficult work.  That first church was all about discipleship.  I wonder how many of our churches can truly say the same?  I haven’t been a member of one yet.  But it’s what I’m looking for now.

The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions and the nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we must become.

Henry Martyn

The act of baptism, confessing our faith in Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit, is typically a public affair.  It’s the starting point of our new beginning.  But after that one time event we call on the power and strength of the Holy Spirit to fill us continually for one mission – to be in service to God.  Those first 3,000 believers would need the Holy Spirit to continue on their mission.  They would most likely encounter adversity, opposition, violence, and yes, success.  Beautiful success.  

We should all celebrate the day of Pentecost, which comes on the 7th Sunday or 50 days after Easter Sunday (June 5, 2022). For the Old Testament Jews, it represented the giving of the Law to Moses.  But the new covenant, for all the world to partake, saw Jesus enter our lives.  And after Jesus’ foretold crucifixion He gave us the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  On that day 1000s of years ago, yet another promise was fulfilled by God.  His Spirit came to live in all of us, permanently.  And we were commissioned into His service.

As my faith and biblical knowledge has matured, my list of “must haves” for my new church has been honed.  I want a church that is biblically strong, always pointing me to Jesus, a joy-filled body of believers, and one whose primary goal is to create well-versed and confident disciples.  I hope you will pray for us in finding such a place.  

The modern church itself needs a new beginning.  As individuals, may we be spurred to greater expectations of our Christian communities.  And may we seek out ways to draw each other together in unity as our forefathers in Christ did on that day of Pentecost.

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Our Furry Friends

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Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;  Proverbs 27:23

I am certainly thankful that the Lord sent His Holy Spirit to be with us always – to comfort, guide, and even giving us those taps on the shoulders when we are about to say or do something we shouldn’t.  Sometimes, however, we need an earthly comfort. A warm and fuzzy hug or a big sloppy kiss.  And that’s why I’m so very thankful God gifted us with pets.

There’s no clear answer as to when we humans started domesticating animals.  Some say the beginning of the 5th millennium BC, while others think it was a bit later in that millennium.  But no matter, we can know it was a long time ago we became shepherds and farmers.  It’s thought that dogs became our companions around 27,000 years ago!  The oldest known dog remains were found in the Americas and are dated to approximately 17,000 years ago.  We’ve certainly have had a long term love affair with our pets!

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 2 Samuel 12:1-3

Now, while this verse is a rebuking lesson for David from the prophet Nathan, it also shows us a glimpse into the everyday life of the people – ones who loved their pet companions.  I can also imagine the shepherds who received the message of Jesus’ birth with their faithful sheep dogs by their sides that fateful night.

I’ve been blessed with two dogs, a few cats, some fish and even a few hermit crabs.  My dog right now, Tucker, brings me so much laughter and joy.  Don’t we all need someone in our lives that, when we come home after a long day, jumps for joy and begs to cuddle with them?  I thank God for this companionship and the love so many of us throughout the ages have received from our furry friends.

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Awaken

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So then, let us not be like others, 
who are asleep, but let us be awake 
and sober.  
1 Thessalonians 5:6

I just finished a study on the book of Numbers.  It finds Israel wandering about the desert grumbling, complaining and disobeying God at every turn.  And God gives mercy over and over at Moses’ pleading.  Until He doesn’t.  There’s so much death in this book because of the unfaithfulness.  Some because God allows the Israelites to try their own path, leading to deaths during wars.  And some because God rains down His punishment with plagues.

It’s so easy for us to read what happened thousands of years ago and judge the Israelites.  They were asleep to God’s ways and character.  

At the end of one of my commentaries was the statement that from God’s point of view there are only three locations in the Israelite journey and only three locations in our own journey.

  1. Egypt: the land of bondage
  2. The Wilderness: the land of unbelief, doubt and falling short
  3. Canaan: the land of inheritance

The question for us is, which location do we currently find ourselves in?

Throughout the Bible we find an underlying message about growing in our faith.  The sooner we recognize where we are and why we are there, the sooner we can move along on our journey.  

For I know that good itself does not 
dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. 
For I have the desire to do what is good, 
but I cannot carry it out. 
Romans 7:18

This statement by Peter is so self-reflective.  He has one foot in the wilderness while reaching with the other into the land of inheritance.  He actively searches his heart and soul, asking God to reveal the blemishes and the blind spots.

We can spend a lot of time, like the Israelites seeing what God is and does.  We can hear the good work He does in others.  But do we, like Moses, truly understand God’s actions?  Do we still ask “why” and wishing we could go back to Egypt?  Or do we ask God to do even more work in us so that we are constantly changing, stripping away our old selves for His glory?

We want to be awake, vivacious, alive in our faith journey.  We need to not just know “of” God but truly know Him – His character, how He works and how much He loves to see us grow.

You either obey, ignore or resist.  

Warren Wiersbe on the will of God

We humans like to blame the outside world for being stuck.  For not reaching our full potential.  We blame our church for not inspiring us.  We blame our circumstances for not having time for God.  We blame fellow Christians who have hurt us.   But the Holy Spirit resides in us.  It is a personal journey lived out for all to see.  King David, in Psalm 51 does some deep reflection on where he is in his faith journey.

For I know my transgressions, and my 
sin is always before me. Against you, 
you only, have I sinned and done what 
is evil in your sight; 
Psalm 51:3-4

The Israelites blamed Moses and God for not quickly and without hardship reaching the Promised Land.  They lacked David’s self-reflection.  They sat for so many years in the Land of the Wilderness.  It took me almost 20 years of wandering to finally wake up and begin understanding God.  So, I have no place to judge them. 

If you are stuck it’s time to look inward.  It’s time to shake off your sleepiness and do a deep dive with God into your own heart.  Only then can He lead you to the Land of Inheritance.

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His Lifeline of Love

madisondooley36 
In a surge of anger I hid my 
face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.
“To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah 
would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry 
with you,never to rebuke you again.
Though the mountains be shaken 
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will
not be shaken nor my covenant of 
peace be removed,” says the Lord, 
who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

I recently stumbled upon these verses while doing a study of Genesis. As you read above, verse nine discusses “the days of Noah” and recounts the covenant God made with Noah after the flood waters receded. Noah then built an altar in remembrance of all from which God had delivered him. In witnessing Noah’s obedience, God established a covenant of peace with Noah, promising him that never again would he wipe out all of mankind in anger (Gen. 8:20-22). 

When God called Noah to build the ark and spared his family from the worldwide destruction, God extended Noah a lifeline of love. Because he had compassion on Noah and truly loved mankind, God created a way out of death by giving Noah clear guidance for surviving the flood.

God showed Noah that while yes, sin had entered the world and man was disobedient, that He still loved His creation. We often get caught up on God’s wrath by sending the flood in the first place. Mass destruction and death seems a bit harsh. But if God was so harsh, then why did he save Noah? He could’ve wiped out all of mankind on Earth and started over, but His steadfast love for Noah and his offspring prevailed. God showed Noah that no matter how bad things got on Earth, His lifeline of love would always be there for those who trust in Him with complete obedience. 

That lifeline shown to Noah, is Jesus. When the Lord states, in Isaiah 54:10, that his steadfast love shall not depart from you – He is talking about His son Jesus. You see, from Noah until now, we as believers all still hold on to the same lifeline that Noah, Abraham, Moses and David held onto.

The covenant God established with all those men was the covenant of His Son. The promise that one day, there would be complete restoration of all sinners who call on His name and that those holding on to the lifeline of His steadfast love, would all be brought into the glories of heaven. 

Though 2020 has seemed like a worldwide disaster – think again. There will be the day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord because of the power of God they see all around them. God’s steadfast love for us believers never expires. We have the eternal hope of God’s love forever – into eternity. 

This is love: not that we loved God, 
but that he loved us and sent his 
Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:10

Until then, we hold fast to His lifeline of love. Hold fast to the God that established His covenant with ordinary people like Noah and Abraham and you and me. Through His son Jesus Christ, he once again established his eternal love with us – until the day we see him again. 

God’s love is abundant to those who trust in Him. He cares for us and loves us as His children – are you resting in that truth today?  Have you accepted your side of the covenant?

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
Isaiah 43:4
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To Be Amazingly Singleminded

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Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 12:22-28

I love the part in these verses that states, “Jesus knew their thoughts.”  How amazing is it that right now, this very second, Jesus knows your thoughts?  He knows the thoughts of believers and non-believers.  What would He think about your thoughts right now?  Are they focused on the worries surrounding the election in the United States?  Are they worried about new virus-related shutdowns?  Are your thoughts of your precarious finances or your failing marriage?  Or, are they thoughts of how God has come through for you before and today is no different?  He has shown the way; he has opened doors before and this issue you face right now can be placed securely in His hands.  

The “people were astonished and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’”  How often when God paves the way to solutions we might not have ever dreamt, that we even ask the question, “could this be Jesus?”  Or do we stand firm in single mindedness and state, “Thank you Lord.”? The Pharisees were so afraid of losing their power and control they wanted to be convinced that Jesus was healing with Satan’s power.  And although when our prayers are answered we might not think Satan had something to do with it, how often do we just shrug and think of it as a coincidence?

I’ve written before of the struggles I have with my parents.  They are non-believers.  My father has stated he is an atheist.  And to put it mildly they are miserable.  They lead small, scared lives.  I was led this year to pray vehemently for them.  When I pray for them, I imagine the wall they have securely built around themselves.  A nice, sturdy brick tower.  I’ve asked God to break that wall down, to soften their hearts.  I know I can’t do it.  It must be God’s actions.  And last week I had the chance to see their faces peeking through a few bricks that had been displaced.   I’ve offered to assist them during this difficult time of isolation.  I’ve brought them meals, puzzles, a Kindle.  I’ve offered to buy a meal service for them.  But each time I’ve been met with annoyance.  But last week I received a desperate text from my mother.  She explained they haven’t been eating right and are very lonely.  So, I made up some meals and delivered them.  They were so grateful.  That may sound normal.  But grateful isn’t normally in their vocabulary.  I lost track of how many times they thanked me.   As I drove away, I caught myself thinking like someone of this world – “well, finally they allowed me to help.  I could’ve been doing that all along.”  I forgot that this was not my doing.  A few blocks away I stopped my car and I prayed.  I prayed a grateful prayer to the Lord on High – the only way those bricks could’ve been removed.  I don’t know if my parents will reach through and try and shore up those bricks again.  But for that day, that moment, I thanked God for allowing me to do His works and be His hands.  It was truly amazing.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

James 4:6-8

We can’t continue to have one foot in for Jesus and one foot out.  Because that equation is actually both feet out.  In math, a positive times a negative is always negative.  The covenant with God is based on trust.  And when we vacillate between trusting Him and not, we allow Satan or worldly “solutions” to chip away at our peace. 

Patterns are pointers.  They can very much reveal where a person is headed.  Positive patterns tend to produce productive outcomes.  Negative patterns can’t help but produce negative impact.  Obedient patterns tend to produce closeness with God.  Disobedient patterns can’t help but produce chaos and destruction.

Lysa Terkeurst, Trustworthy

So, when take for granted the miracles that Jesus works in and around our lives, what we are saying is we don’t trust that it’s Him.  Think of King David.  He was promised the kingdom but not only was it many years before he was made king, he had a target on his back by King Saul.  Put yourself in his shoes.  Many of us may have just given up and thought either God was lying or we misunderstood.  And, at the moment David had a chance to kill King Saul, he sought God’s counsel and remembered His promises.  But what if on the day he were crowned he said, “Finally, I struggled and I fought and I accomplished this.”   David instead said,

Because of your promise, and according to your own heart you have brought about all this greatness to make your servant know it.  Therefore, you are great, O Lord God.  For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

2 Samuel 7:21-22

Take a moment and read the full text of 2 Samuel 7:18-29. You will read of a man amazed by the greatness of God.  A man amazed by the goodness of God.  A man amazed by how God is so trustworthy.  May we, this week in the midst of our fears and struggles and joys be so amazed.  May we stop the car, sit down, stop thinking and look up to the heavens and say “I trust you fully God and I know that it is YOU at work.  I thank you for prayers fulfilled.”

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Gifts of Gold

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Day 11

Have you ever stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon and found it was just too vast and too beautiful to fully take it in?  Maybe you’ve been other places and experienced that God- built gloriousness.  How do you picture God when you come to Him with your requests?  I’m a visual person so it helps for me to create a scene or a face when I pray.  I imagine God’s throne room to be so blindingly beautiful that one glance could never see all there is to see.  It’s a bejeweled palace whose floors are lined with silver and gold. And as I approach the King of Kings, he looks radiantly upon me.  A giant smile on His face, welcoming me.  Love exudes from His every pore.  I can’t help but be drawn forward. I just know that this King will shower me with pieces of gold and much more. 

King David frequently spoke of God as his King.  He looked to Him for gifts which only heaven can bestow. This psalm, by King David, was written while facing formidable enemies as he pled His case before God.

Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 

Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 

Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. 

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. 

Hear my prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. 

When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 

All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 

For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead. 

Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me— they have no regard for you. 

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 

Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did. 

Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Lord God, King of Kings my covenant is secure in you because you are unchanging and your glory will prevail! How do you picture God’s throne?  Join the conversation and praise God today!