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Lots goes on in the past couple of weeks worth of reading for John. We go all the way from John 6:43 - 16:33 pretty powerful first day where Jesus tells the people of Capernaum "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh." Everyone was confused and couldn't understand. His disciples start complaining and Jesus is aware they don't understand.
Jesus said to his disciples "Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend into heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
Jesus travels around some more speaking in parables and teaching his disciples. The bible says that on the last day of a festival Jesus stands and shouts to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
The Pharisees continue to be critical and Jesus continues to speak and some believe he is the Messiah others rat him out and claim he speaks blasphemy and others just think he's nuts.
Jesus spoke to the people again "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
Later Jesus tells the people he is going away and where he's going they can't follow. They're wondering if he's going to commit suicide. "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. that is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins."
"When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he."
He continues to point out flaws in what the people are saying and tell them "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. so if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in you hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father."
"Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of god. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God." Ya that statement fired the people up saying Jesus is a devil and possessed by a demon.
Jesus does incredible miracles but the people still don't believe he is the Messiah. He heals a blind man who has been blind his entire life. His disciples ask "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"
"It was not because of his sins or his parent's sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him." This is just like Exodus where God saved the Hebrews from Egypt. God wanted to show His power. Yet they refuse to believe Jesus was the Messiah. The Pharisees hear about this healing and investigate. The parents of they guy healed are afraid to say Jesus is the Messiah they tell them to talk to their son. The sons answer is classic......
For the second time the Pharisees called in the man who had been blind and told him, "God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner."
The blind man replies "I don't know whether he is a sinner, But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!" It's the same when you come to Christ. Until I actually realized he is our connection to God and died for our sins I was blind....now I can see!
Jesus gave his life for us. He says in John 10:18 "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my father has commanded." That's pretty awesome!
Jesus''s friend Lazarus lives in Bethany and becomes sick. Jesus heard about it and said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this." Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. Martha and Mary, Lazarus's sisters, wished he was in Bethany so he could heal Lazarus like he had done so many others. But this was going to be a much bigger miracle. Jesus goes the Bethany and tells Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this Martha?"
"Yes, lord," she said. "I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God."
Jesus has people roll the stone back from Lazarus's tomb and shouts "Lazarus, come out!" And he did, hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Many of the people who were there believe in Jesus when they saw this happen. Some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Jesus continues on teaching and heads to Jerusalem. The people shouted,
"Praise god! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
"Don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming riding on a donkey's colt." His disciples didn't understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.
Jesus says "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. but its death will produce many new kernels-plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity."
"Now my souled is deeply troubled Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus told the crowd, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
Jesus and his disciples gather for the last supper. Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his robe and wrapped a towel around his waist and begins to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
After washing their feet, he put on his robe and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord," and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. do as I have done to you."
Jesus breaks bread and Satan enters Judas Iscariot. Jesus tells Judas "Hurry and do what you're going to do." Judas leaves.
Jesus says "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved, you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." Jesus tells Thomas one of his disciples "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. Form now on, you do know him and have seen him!"
Things that make you go hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Jesus goes on to say "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." So when Jesus died and rose to heaven the Holy Spirit was sent in his place! That hole you may feel in your heart.....I'll bet the puzzle piece that fits EXACTLY is the Holy Spirit which you can have by accepting Jesus into your heart.
Jesus's commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Not a bad way to live I don't think!
We finish up today with John 16:1-33 "The worlds sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged..........At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.........I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world!"
You really should read the entire section I just tossed out some of the strong points:) I truly believe that my life is saved because Jesus gave his on the cross. Just like he says I have trials and sorrows but I also have peace in him and believe that if your struggling, searching for some sort of answer you can have peace in the truth too..........That's the way I see it.:)
May 17 - May 27 War, War and more War
That's one thing that goes on a ton in the old testament is war. David fled from Naioth in Ramah from Saul. He asks Saul's son Jonathan why he wants to kill him and Jonathan won't believe it. Jonathan does finally figure out his dad does want to kill David and tells David "Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord's name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever." So David leaves.
Saul continues to hunt David killing those who help him. During the chase Saul goes into a cave to relive himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that cave.
"Now's your opportunity!" David's men whispered to him. "Today the Lord is telling you, 'I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.'" So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul's robe. David's conscience began to bug him "The Lord knows I shouldn't have done that to my lord the king," he said to his men. "The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord's anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him." So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
Once Saul left the cave David came out and shouted after him asking him why he listens to the people who say he is trying to kill him. David tells him "This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn't true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back in the cave." he tells him "Look my father at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you."
David finishes speaking and Saul says to David "You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil."
Now no one is trusting anyone and of coarse Saul starts to chase David again. He even approaches him and his men in a cave while they are sleeping and Abishai, who is with David, says "Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't need to strike twice!"
"No!" David said. "Don't kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord's anointed one? Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. the Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let's get out of here!"
David climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance. He shouts down again he could have killed Saul and wanted to know why he was chasing him. Saul exclaims he has sinned and will chase David no more. David knows better so he escapes to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hinting him in Israelite territory.
David continues to conquer but only after consulting the Lord! When the Lord gives him the thumbs up and lets him know that He will be with him, David and his men attack.
A day comes when the Philistines attacked Israel. They closed in on Saul and his sons and killed three of his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. Saul was wounded severly and takes his own life by falling on his sword rather then be captured and tortured. His arm bearer does the same so Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
David and his men hear of the death of Saul and all mourned and wept all day for Saul, his son Jonathan and the Lord's army because they had died by the sword that day.
Now that Saul is dead David and his families all moved to Judah and the men of Judah came out and crowned him king over the people of Judah. David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, he sent this message to them: "May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Juday, who have anointed me as their new king."
But Abner the commander of Saul's army had already proclaimed Ishbosheth, Saul's son, king of Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of Sahurites, and all the rest of Israel.
So of coarse eventually there was a battle between David's men and Abner and the men of Israel. David's forces were victorious. There was a long war between those who were loyal to saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker.
Abner, commander of Ishbonesheth's armies, makes and agreement with David to make him king over all of Israel then heads back to his camp. Joab and his brother Abishi call Abner back and kill him becaus Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon. David is furious and says "May the family of Joab be curese in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!"
David makes a vow "May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown." This pleased the people very much. Everything the king did pleased them!
Ishbosheth loses all courage when he hears of Abner's death and became paralyzed with fear. He is then killed in his sleep by Baanah and Recab two brothers who were captiain's of his raiding parties. They cut off his head and took it to David expecting to be praised instead David has them killed for killing an innocent man in his own house.
David and his men then then head to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. David captures the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
David became king over all of Israel he was 30 years old and reigned for 40 years. And David became more and more powerful because the Lord God of Heaven's Armies was with him. He asks the Lord "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
The Lord replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you." David conquers the Philistines. He then leads his trouops to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God. On their way the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord's anger was aroused against Uzzah and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. No one was to physically touch the Ark of God.
David was angry because of Uzzahs death and instead of taking the Ark home to the City of David he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. The Lord blessed Obed-edom's houshold and everything in it because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought it home to the City of David.
Now you may or maynot know about the story of David and Bathsheba. David is walking on the roof of his palace and noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." David sends messangers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She becomes pregnant. David writes a letter to Joab instructing him to "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is firecest. Then pull back so that he will be killed." So he stationed him close to the city wall and he Uriah the Hittite the wife of Bathsheba was killed.
When the period of mourning was over David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. She gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms liek a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of th rich man. but instead of killan an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."
David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He musty repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the workd of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on , your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own. This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."
Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
Nathan replied, "YA THINK?!?!?" Ok no he didn't he replied: "Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you and you won't die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die."
And an illness came upon the child he had with Bethsheba and David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. On the seventh day the child died. David washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes and went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and ate.
His advisors said. "We don't understand you, while the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the chiild is dead, you have stopped your mounring and are eating again."
David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live' But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me."
David then comforted Bethsheba and she became pregnant with a son. They 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")
Throughout all of this reading I kept going back to why things would happen and wouldn't understand why the Lord wouldn't just raise his hand and wipe evil from the earth and we could all live in Pleasantville. I think there is a bigger picture that we couldn't even fathom! How that plan unfolds is mostly up to God. The plan will unfold as Stovall preached this past week the in our "Suffer Well" series our mistakes or bad choices will NOT change the outcome of God's will if we seek Him. I don't think God wants to be a puppet master and make us do what he wants. He created us to worship him but he gave us free will to make choices. We don't always choose wisely. When we don't there is a stirring up inside us like what happened to David when he had a chance to kill Saul. Now it's even stronger with the Holy Spirit stirring inside of us it's just a matter of if we listen or not.
It is written that the earth to Satin that's why you hear quotes of "Be in the world not of the world." And the Lord shows his power through everyday people like David and us. But as you can see by his HUGE mistake with Bethsheba there are consequences for bad choices. And the punishment seems to be right at the heart sometimes. We might think it's not fair that the son had to die because David was a meathead but David had to live with that scar on his heart for the rest of his life. I'm sure that made him even more passionate about doing the Lords will.
When people say "If there was a God then why is there shootings in schools and needless death." My thought is we fight so hard to keep God out of School and open this Pandora's box of believe whatever that He's letting us make the choice. All throughout the battles when they wouldn't seek God's direction or would want a king to rule them and fall away from God and worship idols things got messy! Then they would turn back to the Lord and God would take them back in his arms and clean thing sup. The world is messed up.....I say be in the world with God and do what you can to make it better but realize that life is just a mist in eternity and true peace comes in being part of the body of Christ....Well that's the way I see it:)
Saul continues to hunt David killing those who help him. During the chase Saul goes into a cave to relive himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that cave.
"Now's your opportunity!" David's men whispered to him. "Today the Lord is telling you, 'I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.'" So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul's robe. David's conscience began to bug him "The Lord knows I shouldn't have done that to my lord the king," he said to his men. "The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord's anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him." So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
Once Saul left the cave David came out and shouted after him asking him why he listens to the people who say he is trying to kill him. David tells him "This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn't true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back in the cave." he tells him "Look my father at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn't kill you."
David finishes speaking and Saul says to David "You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil."
Now no one is trusting anyone and of coarse Saul starts to chase David again. He even approaches him and his men in a cave while they are sleeping and Abishai, who is with David, says "Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won't need to strike twice!"
"No!" David said. "Don't kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord's anointed one? Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. the Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let's get out of here!"
David climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance. He shouts down again he could have killed Saul and wanted to know why he was chasing him. Saul exclaims he has sinned and will chase David no more. David knows better so he escapes to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hinting him in Israelite territory.
David continues to conquer but only after consulting the Lord! When the Lord gives him the thumbs up and lets him know that He will be with him, David and his men attack.
A day comes when the Philistines attacked Israel. They closed in on Saul and his sons and killed three of his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. Saul was wounded severly and takes his own life by falling on his sword rather then be captured and tortured. His arm bearer does the same so Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
David and his men hear of the death of Saul and all mourned and wept all day for Saul, his son Jonathan and the Lord's army because they had died by the sword that day.
Now that Saul is dead David and his families all moved to Judah and the men of Judah came out and crowned him king over the people of Judah. David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, he sent this message to them: "May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Juday, who have anointed me as their new king."
But Abner the commander of Saul's army had already proclaimed Ishbosheth, Saul's son, king of Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of Sahurites, and all the rest of Israel.
So of coarse eventually there was a battle between David's men and Abner and the men of Israel. David's forces were victorious. There was a long war between those who were loyal to saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul's dynasty became weaker and weaker.
Abner, commander of Ishbonesheth's armies, makes and agreement with David to make him king over all of Israel then heads back to his camp. Joab and his brother Abishi call Abner back and kill him becaus Abner had killed their brother Asahel at the battle of Gibeon. David is furious and says "May the family of Joab be curese in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!"
David makes a vow "May God strike me and even kill me if I eat anything before sundown." This pleased the people very much. Everything the king did pleased them!
Ishbosheth loses all courage when he hears of Abner's death and became paralyzed with fear. He is then killed in his sleep by Baanah and Recab two brothers who were captiain's of his raiding parties. They cut off his head and took it to David expecting to be praised instead David has them killed for killing an innocent man in his own house.
David and his men then then head to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. David captures the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
David became king over all of Israel he was 30 years old and reigned for 40 years. And David became more and more powerful because the Lord God of Heaven's Armies was with him. He asks the Lord "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
The Lord replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you." David conquers the Philistines. He then leads his trouops to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God. On their way the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord's anger was aroused against Uzzah and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. No one was to physically touch the Ark of God.
David was angry because of Uzzahs death and instead of taking the Ark home to the City of David he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. The Lord blessed Obed-edom's houshold and everything in it because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought it home to the City of David.
Now you may or maynot know about the story of David and Bathsheba. David is walking on the roof of his palace and noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." David sends messangers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She becomes pregnant. David writes a letter to Joab instructing him to "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is firecest. Then pull back so that he will be killed." So he stationed him close to the city wall and he Uriah the Hittite the wife of Bathsheba was killed.
When the period of mourning was over David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. She gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms liek a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of th rich man. but instead of killan an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest."
David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He musty repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master's house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the workd of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on , your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own. This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."
Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
Nathan replied, "YA THINK?!?!?" Ok no he didn't he replied: "Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you and you won't die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this, your child will die."
And an illness came upon the child he had with Bethsheba and David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. On the seventh day the child died. David washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes and went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and ate.
His advisors said. "We don't understand you, while the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the chiild is dead, you have stopped your mounring and are eating again."
David replied, "I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, 'Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live' But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me."
David then comforted Bethsheba and she became pregnant with a son. They 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")
Throughout all of this reading I kept going back to why things would happen and wouldn't understand why the Lord wouldn't just raise his hand and wipe evil from the earth and we could all live in Pleasantville. I think there is a bigger picture that we couldn't even fathom! How that plan unfolds is mostly up to God. The plan will unfold as Stovall preached this past week the in our "Suffer Well" series our mistakes or bad choices will NOT change the outcome of God's will if we seek Him. I don't think God wants to be a puppet master and make us do what he wants. He created us to worship him but he gave us free will to make choices. We don't always choose wisely. When we don't there is a stirring up inside us like what happened to David when he had a chance to kill Saul. Now it's even stronger with the Holy Spirit stirring inside of us it's just a matter of if we listen or not.
It is written that the earth to Satin that's why you hear quotes of "Be in the world not of the world." And the Lord shows his power through everyday people like David and us. But as you can see by his HUGE mistake with Bethsheba there are consequences for bad choices. And the punishment seems to be right at the heart sometimes. We might think it's not fair that the son had to die because David was a meathead but David had to live with that scar on his heart for the rest of his life. I'm sure that made him even more passionate about doing the Lords will.
When people say "If there was a God then why is there shootings in schools and needless death." My thought is we fight so hard to keep God out of School and open this Pandora's box of believe whatever that He's letting us make the choice. All throughout the battles when they wouldn't seek God's direction or would want a king to rule them and fall away from God and worship idols things got messy! Then they would turn back to the Lord and God would take them back in his arms and clean thing sup. The world is messed up.....I say be in the world with God and do what you can to make it better but realize that life is just a mist in eternity and true peace comes in being part of the body of Christ....Well that's the way I see it:)
May 11 - 16 Saul Falls....David Arises
So battles happen and the Lord is with the people of Israel. Saul continues to ask the Lord for His help and guidance in what to do. Then the things of this world take over Saul.
One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the Lord who told me to anoint you asking of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation-men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."
So Saul goes with his men and wipes them out. But he captures the king Agag and keeps him as prisoner. And he kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs-everything in fact that appealed to him and his men. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
So you can see here that they didn't completely trust in the Lord. The Lord says to do one thing and they do almost everything he asks but hey this stuff looks good so let me keep it.
Then the Lord said to Samuel, "I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command." wouldn't want to be in his shoes.
Samuel approaches Saul and he says that he kept all of that stuff to create an offering for the Lord. Sounds like back peddling to me but who knows....only God knows his true heart. Samuel says: "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."
It's that simple. The Lord just wants our obedience to Him just as we want our kids obedience to us. He's a truly loving God and only wants the best for us but things of this world can certainly get us entangled with things we don't need or are even bad for us.
So the Lord is no longer with Saul he picks another to Lead His people named David son of Jesse. Now Jesse had eight sons. The one the Lord picked was the smallest and youngest of the group. Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought for sure he would be the anointed one. But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Isn't that the truth. Humans are so driven by what looks good or intimidating not even noticing that the inner person is downright rotten!
The Lord uses David to kill Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, a giant man. The army of Israel was afraid when Goliath came out and they began to run away. For days Goliath comes out taunting them saying to send one and if he kills Goliath then the Philistines will be their slaves but if Goliath kills him then Israel will be their slaves. David shows up on the scene picks up 5 rocks. There's actually a cool Veggie Tales version of this:) David knows the Lord is with him. David tells Saul " The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from the is Philistine!" On his first throw he hits Goliath in the head he falls to the ground and David takes Goliaths sword and cuts off his head. The Philistine army scatters.
David returns to Saul. After he is done talking with Saul he met Jonathan, Sauls son. There was an immediate bond of love between them, and they became the best of friends.
Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. Saul made him commander over the men of war. When the Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" This ticked Saul off. So from then on Saul kept a jealous eye on David for fear they people would make him king.
Saul tried to make it so David would be killed at war by offering David his daughter for the price of 100 Philistine foreskins. He hoped David would be killed at war but the Lord was with David and he and his men killed 200 Philistines and brought the king the foreskins so Saul gave David is daughter Michal who had fallen in love with him.
Saul realized the Lord was with David and his daughter loved him and that made him more afraid of him. He remained David's enemy for the rest of his life. He tried to kill David a couple of times once with a spear and once by sending his men to Davids house but David had escaped to Ramah to see Samuel. He sent troops to capture David but every time the Spirit of God would come on the troops and they would start prophesying. Then Saul himself went to get him and the Spirit of God came upon him and he tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The Spirit of God is a powerful thing. Does that mean I'll be ripping off all my clothes and praying in the streets. Only if I want to show up on YouTube for about a billion hits. I don't understand certain things in the old testament about the incredible depth of praise and worship with the tearing of the clothes and speaking in tongues. I haven't felt the spirit of that fall upon me but I do know that the Lord is with me and my family and he is first in our lives. I'm human so yes just like everyone else I slip a little from time to time but am thankful that He is a loving, forgiving God and always forgives.
One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the Lord who told me to anoint you asking of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the Lord! This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation-men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."
So Saul goes with his men and wipes them out. But he captures the king Agag and keeps him as prisoner. And he kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs-everything in fact that appealed to him and his men. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
So you can see here that they didn't completely trust in the Lord. The Lord says to do one thing and they do almost everything he asks but hey this stuff looks good so let me keep it.
Then the Lord said to Samuel, "I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command." wouldn't want to be in his shoes.
Samuel approaches Saul and he says that he kept all of that stuff to create an offering for the Lord. Sounds like back peddling to me but who knows....only God knows his true heart. Samuel says: "What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."
It's that simple. The Lord just wants our obedience to Him just as we want our kids obedience to us. He's a truly loving God and only wants the best for us but things of this world can certainly get us entangled with things we don't need or are even bad for us.
So the Lord is no longer with Saul he picks another to Lead His people named David son of Jesse. Now Jesse had eight sons. The one the Lord picked was the smallest and youngest of the group. Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought for sure he would be the anointed one. But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Isn't that the truth. Humans are so driven by what looks good or intimidating not even noticing that the inner person is downright rotten!
The Lord uses David to kill Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, a giant man. The army of Israel was afraid when Goliath came out and they began to run away. For days Goliath comes out taunting them saying to send one and if he kills Goliath then the Philistines will be their slaves but if Goliath kills him then Israel will be their slaves. David shows up on the scene picks up 5 rocks. There's actually a cool Veggie Tales version of this:) David knows the Lord is with him. David tells Saul " The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from the is Philistine!" On his first throw he hits Goliath in the head he falls to the ground and David takes Goliaths sword and cuts off his head. The Philistine army scatters.
David returns to Saul. After he is done talking with Saul he met Jonathan, Sauls son. There was an immediate bond of love between them, and they became the best of friends.
Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. Saul made him commander over the men of war. When the Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!" This ticked Saul off. So from then on Saul kept a jealous eye on David for fear they people would make him king.
Saul tried to make it so David would be killed at war by offering David his daughter for the price of 100 Philistine foreskins. He hoped David would be killed at war but the Lord was with David and he and his men killed 200 Philistines and brought the king the foreskins so Saul gave David is daughter Michal who had fallen in love with him.
Saul realized the Lord was with David and his daughter loved him and that made him more afraid of him. He remained David's enemy for the rest of his life. He tried to kill David a couple of times once with a spear and once by sending his men to Davids house but David had escaped to Ramah to see Samuel. He sent troops to capture David but every time the Spirit of God would come on the troops and they would start prophesying. Then Saul himself went to get him and the Spirit of God came upon him and he tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The Spirit of God is a powerful thing. Does that mean I'll be ripping off all my clothes and praying in the streets. Only if I want to show up on YouTube for about a billion hits. I don't understand certain things in the old testament about the incredible depth of praise and worship with the tearing of the clothes and speaking in tongues. I haven't felt the spirit of that fall upon me but I do know that the Lord is with me and my family and he is first in our lives. I'm human so yes just like everyone else I slip a little from time to time but am thankful that He is a loving, forgiving God and always forgives.
May 3 - May 10 Along Comes A King....Saul
The latest readings we finish up Judges, cruse through Ruth - it's a short book:), and climb right into 1 Samual. In Judges there is more idol worshiping and Israel was without a king so all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. How many of you know that spells Trouble! More towns were conquered, people forgot God and worship more idols or other peoples idols. We her about deception, rape and murder. Lot's of evil stuff goes on when God's not in the midst. The tribe of Benjamin had lost it's way and God was angry. The Israelites attacked the men of Benjamin but were beaten back. They went to fight against them again and were beaten back again. 40,000 Israelites were killed in those two battles. Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord and fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord.(In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel, and Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron was the priest.)
The Lord said, "Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you." And the next day the Israelites destroyed the tribe of Benjamin killing 25,000 of their strongest warriors, leaving only 600 men who escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they lived for four months. The Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns-the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.
Then the tribes of Israel meet at Mizpah and held an assembly in the presence of the Lord. At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the Lord's presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death. So they sent 12,000 of their best warriors and they completely destroyed all the males and every woman that was not a virgin. They found 400 young virgins and they were given to the tribe of Benjamin as wives because the people felt sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap among the tribes of Israel. That wasn't enough women so the remaining men caught a women of Shiloh that came for the annual festival and kept them as wives. "In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes."
In the days of Ruth judges ruled in Israel and a severe famine came upon the land. Elimelech a man from Bethlehem left his home and went to live in Moab with his wife Naomi and two sons. Elimelech died and Naomi's two sons married moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later both her sons died leaving Naomi with her daughter in-laws. They heard the Lord had blessed Judah with good crops again so they took a road heading back there. On the way Naomi said to both girls "Go back to your mother's homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage." They both refused they wanted to go with Naomi and be with her people. While still there Orpah reluctantly did leave kissing them goodbye.
"Look" Naomi said to Ruth, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."
But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"
Things move forward and Ruth eventually becomes the wife of Boaz a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem. God blesses them with a son they name Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.
1 Samual gives a record of Hannah the wife of Elkanah. She is one of two wives of Elkanah but was unable to give Elkanah children unlike Peninnah who had children with him. Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah was deep in anguish and prayed to the Lord "O Lord of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut." From this came the 1980's rock bands...ok just kidding:) When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the lord remembered her pea, and in due time she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.
Hannah nursed Samuel until he was weaned. She then brought the child to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and gave him to Eli to serve the Lord by assisting Elin the priest. Eli's sons were scoundrels and had no respect for the Lord. This cost Eli his heritage the Lord vows to have his family die off at young ages and have both his sons die the same day. Meanwhile Samuel served the Lord. The Lord visits Samuel and tells him "I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgement is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn't disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings."
As Samuel grew up the Lord was with him and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.
So it moves on and Israel is at war with the Philistines. Eli's two sons are both defeated in battle the same day and the Ark of the Covenant is stolen. Talk about robbing from the wrong house! Eli heard the news and fell back from his seat and broke his neck and died. The Philistines took the Ark and placed it by the idol of Dagon in their temple. The statue is found fallen face down in front of the Ark and his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. People started dieing and becoming afflicted with tumors. The Ark of the Lord remained in Philistine territory for seven months in all. So they sent it back with a gift, a guilt offering to stop the plague.
Samuel says to the people of Israel if they are serious about wanting to return to the Lord they have to get rid of all the idols. So they did. Samuel pleaded with the Lord to save them and he did. They defeated the Philistines.
Samuel grows old and the elders of Israel tell him to give them a king to judge them like the other nations have. They just don't get that the Lord is their King. The Lord tells Samuel to do everything they ask so he does. He appoints Saul the son of a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin as king because the Lord tells him to.
New Testament - We're still in John and he is talking about Jesus' journey. A famous quote so to speak is one that's held up at basketball games all the time John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Talk about love for a sinful race that was created in perfection but fell into sin.
John 5:24 "I(Jesus) tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."
Jesus as usual is firing out the parables which are so crucial to our salvation if we would only choose to listen. Written almost 2000 years ago but as relevant today as it was the day He spoke the words! He goes on to do many miracles. In this reading He has the massive fish fry and feeds 5000 with five loaves and two fish and had 12 baskets of scraps left over! Back up Costco we have a bulk producer like you've never seen!
Jesus explains to his disciples "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. and this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
Well that's a lot of reading and I'm catching up I'll post the next stuff soon. As I continue to read and pray I become more and more at peace with things going on in my life and the world understanding that God is in control. That doesn't mean I should just sit around and wait for things to happen. We definitely need to stand up and do with great Fervor the stuff that God places on our hearts! And we should do it all in the name of God. I'm not here to receive praise I'm here to give God the praise for the incredible things He does for me and my family! I've got an incredible beautiful wife and two crazy kids thanks to Him!
The Lord said, "Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you." And the next day the Israelites destroyed the tribe of Benjamin killing 25,000 of their strongest warriors, leaving only 600 men who escaped to the rock of Rimmon, where they lived for four months. The Israelites returned and slaughtered every living thing in all the towns-the people, the livestock, and everything they found. They also burned down all the towns they came to.
Then the tribes of Israel meet at Mizpah and held an assembly in the presence of the Lord. At that time they had taken a solemn oath in the Lord's presence, vowing that anyone who refused to come would be put to death. So they sent 12,000 of their best warriors and they completely destroyed all the males and every woman that was not a virgin. They found 400 young virgins and they were given to the tribe of Benjamin as wives because the people felt sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap among the tribes of Israel. That wasn't enough women so the remaining men caught a women of Shiloh that came for the annual festival and kept them as wives. "In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes."
In the days of Ruth judges ruled in Israel and a severe famine came upon the land. Elimelech a man from Bethlehem left his home and went to live in Moab with his wife Naomi and two sons. Elimelech died and Naomi's two sons married moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later both her sons died leaving Naomi with her daughter in-laws. They heard the Lord had blessed Judah with good crops again so they took a road heading back there. On the way Naomi said to both girls "Go back to your mother's homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage." They both refused they wanted to go with Naomi and be with her people. While still there Orpah reluctantly did leave kissing them goodbye.
"Look" Naomi said to Ruth, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same."
But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"
Things move forward and Ruth eventually becomes the wife of Boaz a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem. God blesses them with a son they name Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.
1 Samual gives a record of Hannah the wife of Elkanah. She is one of two wives of Elkanah but was unable to give Elkanah children unlike Peninnah who had children with him. Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah was deep in anguish and prayed to the Lord "O Lord of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut." From this came the 1980's rock bands...ok just kidding:) When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the lord remembered her pea, and in due time she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.
Hannah nursed Samuel until he was weaned. She then brought the child to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and gave him to Eli to serve the Lord by assisting Elin the priest. Eli's sons were scoundrels and had no respect for the Lord. This cost Eli his heritage the Lord vows to have his family die off at young ages and have both his sons die the same day. Meanwhile Samuel served the Lord. The Lord visits Samuel and tells him "I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgement is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn't disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings."
As Samuel grew up the Lord was with him and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.
So it moves on and Israel is at war with the Philistines. Eli's two sons are both defeated in battle the same day and the Ark of the Covenant is stolen. Talk about robbing from the wrong house! Eli heard the news and fell back from his seat and broke his neck and died. The Philistines took the Ark and placed it by the idol of Dagon in their temple. The statue is found fallen face down in front of the Ark and his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. People started dieing and becoming afflicted with tumors. The Ark of the Lord remained in Philistine territory for seven months in all. So they sent it back with a gift, a guilt offering to stop the plague.
Samuel says to the people of Israel if they are serious about wanting to return to the Lord they have to get rid of all the idols. So they did. Samuel pleaded with the Lord to save them and he did. They defeated the Philistines.
Samuel grows old and the elders of Israel tell him to give them a king to judge them like the other nations have. They just don't get that the Lord is their King. The Lord tells Samuel to do everything they ask so he does. He appoints Saul the son of a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin as king because the Lord tells him to.
New Testament - We're still in John and he is talking about Jesus' journey. A famous quote so to speak is one that's held up at basketball games all the time John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." Talk about love for a sinful race that was created in perfection but fell into sin.
John 5:24 "I(Jesus) tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."
Jesus as usual is firing out the parables which are so crucial to our salvation if we would only choose to listen. Written almost 2000 years ago but as relevant today as it was the day He spoke the words! He goes on to do many miracles. In this reading He has the massive fish fry and feeds 5000 with five loaves and two fish and had 12 baskets of scraps left over! Back up Costco we have a bulk producer like you've never seen!
Jesus explains to his disciples "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. and this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
Well that's a lot of reading and I'm catching up I'll post the next stuff soon. As I continue to read and pray I become more and more at peace with things going on in my life and the world understanding that God is in control. That doesn't mean I should just sit around and wait for things to happen. We definitely need to stand up and do with great Fervor the stuff that God places on our hearts! And we should do it all in the name of God. I'm not here to receive praise I'm here to give God the praise for the incredible things He does for me and my family! I've got an incredible beautiful wife and two crazy kids thanks to Him!
April 27 - May 2 Gideons 300 Destroys Many
In Judges this past reading Gideon and his army fought with the help of the Lord. The Lord said to Gideon "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
But the Lord told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not." Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream." Only 300 of the men drank from their hands.
The Lord told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."
With Gideon and these 300 men the Lord conquered throughout the land. The Israelites said to Gideon, "Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian."
But Gideon replied, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you! However, I do have one request_that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies." Gideon mad a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in the Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family. Throughout the rest of Gideons life, about 40 years, there was peace in the land.
As soon as Gideon diet, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal-berith their god. They forgot the Lord their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them. Nor did they show loyalty to Gideons family. Gideon's son Abimelech sales pitched the people on having him their leader rather then the other 70 sons of Gideon. Then he went to his father's home at Ophrah and killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest, Jotham, escaped and hid. Then he came out of hiding and put a curse on the citizens of Sechem and Abimelech.
Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years then God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolded. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideoon's seventy sons. Abimelech eventually had his head crushed by a stone a woman dropped from a roof and he died. All his followers returned to their homes. God punishe Abimelech for the evil he had done and the men of Shechem so the curse of Jotham was fulfilled.
And again the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon and Philisria. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.
So then over the next 18 years the Israelites were being oppressed. They again cried out to the Lord saying, "We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal."
The Lord replied, "Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonits? When the oppressed you, you cried out to me for help and I rescued you. Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!" They continue to plead and the Lord eventually was grieved by their misery.
This continues to go on and on generations celebrate and live with the Lord and then fall away from the Lord once He's no longer helping them they start getting destroyed and apologize and the Lord comes back and helps them and so on.
Sounds familiar to a lot of what's happening today. We always return to the Lord when things are at their absolute worst. It takes a steady relationship, staying plugged into a bible believing church, hanging out with the right group of friends, prayer and reading of God's word to keep focused on Him. Praise Him in the good times and the bad. It's not easy especially with everything that's going on in this world right now but I can tell you from experience that it's an incredible way to live when the Lord is on your side:)
In the new testament we go from Luke 23 all the way through to John 2. In Luke Jesus is crucified with two criminals. One mocked him and the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
I like this because it just shows that when you ask you shall receive from the Lord.
It was noon and darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. The Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last breath.
A good and righteous man named Joseph asked Pilate for the body then he took it down form the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. It was late Friday. Very early Sunday morning the women from Galilee went to the tomb with spices they had prepared. They found the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men suddenly appeared clothed in dazzling robes.
"Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day."
So they rushed back and told the disciples but they didn't believe them. Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. He went home again wondering what happened.
That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus as the walked they were talking about everything that happened. Jesus appeared to them but God kept them form recognizing him. Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Jesus then broke bread with them and suddenly their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he disappeared.
How cool would that be! Now we break bread with Jesus every meal but to have him seriously sitting there at the table.
On their way back to Jerusalem the two followers ran into the 11 disciples and told them the story of what happened. While they were telling the story Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! Jesus calmed them and explained that he told them everything while he was alive "it was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'" then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power form heaven."
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them and was taken up to heaven.
In John We start of with "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
It goes on to tell how God created John the Baptist to tell about the light but John was not the light.
"The true light came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting form human passion or plan, but a birth that comes form God."
"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one an only Son."
John testified about Jesus when he shouted to the crowds. "Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."
John testified "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
Jesus is talking to a man named Nathanael when he says "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
I LOVE that! Before Jesus it was all about burning in cents and slaughtering goats...etc. Lots of ceremonies and festivals from the law of Moses to please the Lord and be kept from being destroyed. Now all the ceremonial stuff is gone. We have a direct connect with God through our relationship with Jesus! Does this mean we believe any less or care any less because we don't have to do all of the old testament rituals. Absolutely NOT! We believe just as strongly and love the Lord just as much, and appear to be just as wishy washy as the Israelites:) Now salvation is for the Jews and Gentiles...thankfully:)
Jesus goes on to talk about the Temple will be destroyed and in 3 days he will raise it up again. Now everyone is confused thinking he is talking about the rock Temple that took forty-six years to build but he was talking about his own body. After he raised from the dead his disciples remember he had said this and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
But the Lord told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not." Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream." Only 300 of the men drank from their hands.
The Lord told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."
With Gideon and these 300 men the Lord conquered throughout the land. The Israelites said to Gideon, "Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian."
But Gideon replied, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you! However, I do have one request_that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies." Gideon mad a sacred ephod from the gold and put it in the Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family. Throughout the rest of Gideons life, about 40 years, there was peace in the land.
As soon as Gideon diet, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshiping the images of Baal, making Baal-berith their god. They forgot the Lord their God, who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them. Nor did they show loyalty to Gideons family. Gideon's son Abimelech sales pitched the people on having him their leader rather then the other 70 sons of Gideon. Then he went to his father's home at Ophrah and killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest, Jotham, escaped and hid. Then he came out of hiding and put a curse on the citizens of Sechem and Abimelech.
Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years then God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolded. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideoon's seventy sons. Abimelech eventually had his head crushed by a stone a woman dropped from a roof and he died. All his followers returned to their homes. God punishe Abimelech for the evil he had done and the men of Shechem so the curse of Jotham was fulfilled.
And again the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon and Philisria. They abandoned the Lord and no longer served him at all.
So then over the next 18 years the Israelites were being oppressed. They again cried out to the Lord saying, "We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal."
The Lord replied, "Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonits? When the oppressed you, you cried out to me for help and I rescued you. Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!" They continue to plead and the Lord eventually was grieved by their misery.
This continues to go on and on generations celebrate and live with the Lord and then fall away from the Lord once He's no longer helping them they start getting destroyed and apologize and the Lord comes back and helps them and so on.
Sounds familiar to a lot of what's happening today. We always return to the Lord when things are at their absolute worst. It takes a steady relationship, staying plugged into a bible believing church, hanging out with the right group of friends, prayer and reading of God's word to keep focused on Him. Praise Him in the good times and the bad. It's not easy especially with everything that's going on in this world right now but I can tell you from experience that it's an incredible way to live when the Lord is on your side:)
In the new testament we go from Luke 23 all the way through to John 2. In Luke Jesus is crucified with two criminals. One mocked him and the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
I like this because it just shows that when you ask you shall receive from the Lord.
It was noon and darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. The Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last breath.
A good and righteous man named Joseph asked Pilate for the body then he took it down form the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. It was late Friday. Very early Sunday morning the women from Galilee went to the tomb with spices they had prepared. They found the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men suddenly appeared clothed in dazzling robes.
"Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day."
So they rushed back and told the disciples but they didn't believe them. Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. He went home again wondering what happened.
That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus as the walked they were talking about everything that happened. Jesus appeared to them but God kept them form recognizing him. Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Jesus then broke bread with them and suddenly their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he disappeared.
How cool would that be! Now we break bread with Jesus every meal but to have him seriously sitting there at the table.
On their way back to Jerusalem the two followers ran into the 11 disciples and told them the story of what happened. While they were telling the story Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! Jesus calmed them and explained that he told them everything while he was alive "it was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem:'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.'" then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power form heaven."
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them and was taken up to heaven.
In John We start of with "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
It goes on to tell how God created John the Baptist to tell about the light but John was not the light.
"The true light came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting form human passion or plan, but a birth that comes form God."
"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one an only Son."
John testified about Jesus when he shouted to the crowds. "Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me."
John testified "I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn't know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God."
Jesus is talking to a man named Nathanael when he says "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
I LOVE that! Before Jesus it was all about burning in cents and slaughtering goats...etc. Lots of ceremonies and festivals from the law of Moses to please the Lord and be kept from being destroyed. Now all the ceremonial stuff is gone. We have a direct connect with God through our relationship with Jesus! Does this mean we believe any less or care any less because we don't have to do all of the old testament rituals. Absolutely NOT! We believe just as strongly and love the Lord just as much, and appear to be just as wishy washy as the Israelites:) Now salvation is for the Jews and Gentiles...thankfully:)
Jesus goes on to talk about the Temple will be destroyed and in 3 days he will raise it up again. Now everyone is confused thinking he is talking about the rock Temple that took forty-six years to build but he was talking about his own body. After he raised from the dead his disciples remember he had said this and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
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