The Heavens Declare the Glory of the Lord

Psalm 19:1 states:

The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the glories of his hand.

Sadly, we've lost some of the beauty of the night sky with the light pollution that comes with any community of size, but at least in Iowa, we don't need to go far to reach dark skies and see that the heavens do indeed declare the glory of God. When the skies are dark enough to show the Milky Way as it reaches across the sky, we begin to learn the limits of our feeble selves and the true measure and majesty of the Lord.

I'll use two images. This first is a globular cluster known as M13. It can be found near the zenith in the summer very near the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra.

Globular clusters are located on the plane of the Milky Way (and other galaxies) and are compact, gravitationally bound groups of thousands of stars. Don't rush out to see it now, or even when the skies are clear--this little beauty is NOT visible to the human eye, and even in smaller telescopes, is little more than a blur. 

The M in M13 stands for Charles Messier, a French astronomer of the 18th Century. He established a reference chart of objects that other astronomers wouldn't mistake for a comet, and this is the 13th (of 110) that Messier identified in the Northern Hemisphere. Prior to the invention of the telescope in the 1600s, and of larger instruments in the 1700s and 1800s (Galileo's first instrument was little stronger than a pair of common binoculars), these items were unknown to human eyes. They had existed in the skies for millenia and were completely unknown. When I read that the heavens declare the glory of God, it describes things of beauty that we haven't even seen yet, which goes a tiny way in establishing my definition of God--something that is TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY beyond my reckoning or understanding.

Kind of like this. This picture is known as the Hubble Deep Space Field, so named because it was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope early in its mission.

To begin, our Milky Way galaxy is hypothesized to contain about 250 billion stars (of which our sun is considered quite average, and placed on the outer periphery), and it is estimated that there are approximately 250 billion galaxies in the universe. We're getting quite close to the point where numbers begin to lose any meaning (I'm being generous--when discussing anything on the scale of the universe, our minds simply cannot comprehend the vastness involved). You'll see a white dot in the middle left third of the picture with spikes--that's the ONE AND ONLY star in this picture--every other oblong, point, smudge or other point of light is another galaxy JUST AS BIG AS OURS. You need to stop a moment and contemplate the vastness of what I'm describing. Just to add complete insult to injury, here are some more numbers:

--a light year is the distance light travels in year

186,000 miles/sec*60 sec/min*60 min/hour*24 hours/day*365 days/yr=

5,865,696,000,000 miles in a year

--the distance between the Milky and the next nearest galaxy (the Andromeda) is approximately 2,000,000 light years, or

117,313,920,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles (I might be off a zero)

We could say this as 117 million million million miles

--the kicker--there's that much space between EVERY SINGLE POINT OF LIGHT in the picture, and that pictures covers such a small percentage of the sky that I can't even describe it (I'm talking in the millionths of a percent, if not less)

And our God is bigger than all of this. He is more than all of this, and he created all of this. The heavens do indeed declare the glory of the Lord.

Scott

Idleness (May 1)

Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God.  The Lord will do what is good in his sight.
                               2 Samuel 10:12 NIV

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army.  They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.  But David remained in Jerusalem.
                                2 Samuel 11:1 NIV

DAVID REMAINED IN JERUSALEM!!!!!  WHY????

Ok, David is more mature, and probably cannot engage in warfare as effectivley as when he faced Goliath at a much younger age, as a result; he might not participate actively in any  conflict himself; but the troops are his and so his wisdom, leadership skills, and royal presence are gifts the soldiers would certainly miss on any battlefield.  David should have gone with his troops and not remained in Jerusalem.

As a result of the military departure, what is David left with but idle time, and idle hands.  My mother told me that idle hands are the devil's workshop.  Think of the idle time and David's path in reference to James 1:14-15 NIV but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.  Think of Romans 6:23 NIV: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rather than being idle relaxing in Jerusalem, David should have been with Israel's soldiers wearing the full armour of God in order to stand against the devil's schemes. David should have stood firm with the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. 
                                (Ephesians 6)

Be on guard for idleness. 

Where are you, in your life, remaining in the old Jerusalem?

Pray that your eyes are open to idleness in your life.

In Christ,

David P

The Lord's... (April 30)

The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, the world, and all who live in it;

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 
By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
                             From Psalm 24 and 19 NIV

Through our readings, we are learning that God is sovereign and has a plan.  God, by his words, created the earth and all that is in it. 

He has provided law, statutes, precepts, commands and given us fear.  All of these are precious and sweet.

Consider today the attributes of God.  Consider today the effect of the Holy Spirit in your life.  Consider the lessons we have covered so far and how God has been faithful and provided for His people in abundance.
May we speak and think in a pleasing manner and proclaim our Rock and Redeemer.

What should you be taking to God?

Pray for healing words to spread the Good News.

In Christ,

David P

Zion

I can't explain it, but I get a funny sense when I see certain words, and it's uncanny how often I'm correct. I don't say this to boast, but it's happened at least four times in the past three months...

Today's word of that variety is ZION, and what makes these words stick out is when I realize that common words of today are used for the first time in the Bible. As soon as I read "Zion" in 2 Samuel 5:7, I was fairly certain it hadn't been used before. I did seconds of research to determine this was true, and then checked if the readers of that time would clearly understand what the word meant. This is important to me, since I'm a firm believer that we shouldn't just bask in the gift of 3,500 years of commentary and explanation as to what passages of the Bible mean, but seek to see if the people of that time understood as well.

In instances like this, I head straight for my NIV Study Bible, which has this note:

Zion. The first occurrence of the name in the OT (its meaning is unknown). Originally the name appears to have been given to the southernmost hill of the city on which the Jebusite fortress was located. As the city expanded (from the days of Solomon onward), the name continued to be applied to the entire city.

I've often wondered just what Zion means, and the fact I've never received a satisfactory answer would appear to be that there isn't one. At the very least, that's one less thing I need to discuss with God when we meet in heaven. This map of Jerusalem at various times in Biblical history shows where Mt. Zion was/is:

You can refer to this map in the months to come, since it's accurate up to the time of Christ and afterward, but don't lose sleep over the meaning of "Zion"--if it was important for us to know, the Lord would have made it plainly clear. 

Scott

Showing Joy (April 29)

As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window.  And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
                                         2 Samuel 6:16 NIV

The ark, the object containing the presence of God on earth, is an object that a follower of God could very easily be caused to dance with joy when near it.  On the other hand, an individual who was not a follower of God would not be so moved, and perhaps hold with disdain someone moved to dance near the ark.  I suspect the above may be the reason for David's dancing and for Michal's negative feelings about the dancing.

Think about Paul's writing to the Corinthians in Chapter 1 verses 23 - 25 NIV: But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wise than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.  

Those who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ's work on the cross and resurrection see the cross as a place of salvation, redemption, justification,completeness, perfection, eternity, service, humility, joy, love and many other reverent honorable adjectives could be placed to so describe the cross.  On the other hand, those not yet moved by grace through faith in Christ's work would see just a cross and a story.

In response to Christ's work, we who have been saved, need to lovingly show and tell the effect on us Christ has made on our life, family, and eternal home.  Remember Christ is the way, the light and the truth, no one comes to God but by him.

Tell the story, the good news, the gospel message, for time is short; hell is hot, and souls are at stake.

Pray for the opportunity to tell the story.

In Christ,

David P    

Water, Words and Blood (April 28)

David longed for water and said, "Oh that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem."
                         2 Samuel 23:13-17 NIV

Think of water, words, and blood. 

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV) 

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." (John 4:10 NIV)

This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am Lord: with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the Nile and it will be turned to blood. (Exodus 7:17 NIV) 

Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (John 19:34 NIV)

Here in 2 Samuel 23, we learn of David's desire of water from the well near Bethlehem.  He voices this desire in the stronghold, perhaps Masada, near the southern end of the Dead Sea, located probably 50 miles more or less away.  The three mighty men who broke through the Philistine lines put their lives, blood, at risk to get the water.  As a result of that risk, David pours the water as a drink offering before the Lord.

Consider David's leadership role and his words, perhaps foolish words, voicing his desire for water from Bethlehem.  The events perhaps taught David to be careful what he says, for lives were put in harms way in response to his spoken desire.

The mixture of blood and water mentioned here was used elsewhere in scripture.  Think of that mixture being used as a part of God's plan to release the Hebrew from Egyptian bondage.

The mixture of Bethlehem, blood, and water lead me to consider Jesus' birthplace and of what He gave up completing God's plan to release us from our bondage to sin.

How do you put thought into your words as a leader, to avoid foolish words, knowing that they could put someone into harm's way?

How do you put thought into your words as a parent or leader of childern, knowing that foolish words can crush a tender spirit?

How do you show thanksgiving for what the Lord has done to fulfill God's plan to release us from our bondage to sin?

Pray for the Spirit to lead you to speak words that give Him glory and sow seeds that will yield fruits of the Spirit.

In Christ,

David P

 

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables

A year ago, I led a Bible Study on the parables, which was probably the easiest one for me to develop and the one I enjoyed facilitating the most. I used this picture as the cover of that study:

I added a balloon with Christ speaking Psalm 78:2, which states "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old," but I decided I didn't want to muddy the waters by placing Old Testament sayings in Christ's mouth, although he himself did it quite frequently.

What I enjoyed most about the parables (and I'll likely expand on this when we get to them in the New Testament) is that there was rarely anything buried or hidden that wasn't clearly explainable. Christ used imagery that his listeners could easily relate to, and in many ways, Christ's parables were metaphors that explained Christianity, very important for a people who were being asked to completely upend their way of life and way of worship.

David's use of parables is slightly different, since he uses the term as a way to relate the history of Israel. Consider the timing and the events that have occurred immediately prior to this psalm--there had been a mini schism in the kingdom, with David ruling Judah and the sons of Saul ruling the rest. A better way to explain this would be as a civil war. 2 Samuel 5:5 tells us that David ruled Judah for seven years, the time of the internal strife, and all of Israel for 33 years, when the kingdom was re-unified.

As such, David uses Psalm 78 to relate the history of Israel and his rightful place as the chosen of God to lead them. At this point, we're about 450 years removed from the Exodus, and in an age where written materials were not freely available, a constant telling and re-telling of the history of God's people is vitally necessary, since a people that forgets their history is a people poised to become a footnote in history. The most important thing that David relates in this psalm is how important the Lord was in Israel's existence, and to remind the people to never forget it.

Events may seem to be repetitive at this point in the Bible, but while we can gloss over the details, the simple message still holds true today and must not be forgotten. When the people obeyed the Lord, things went well, and when they didn't, things went poorly. It's no different today, and despite our doubts and misgivings and despair over the state of the world, when we remember the Lord, things will go well for us. We may not necessarily have everything we want, but we'll have the Lord, and what more do we need than that?

Scott

Can God? (April 27)

They spoke against God, saying; "Can God set a table in the desert?"
                                 Psalm 78: 19 NIV

This Psalm we read today is a recapitulation of Israel's history.  It has a fatal question: Can God?  Those Israelites saw first-hand God: provide plagues, and a way out; protect Israel from Pharaoh; part the Red Sea; provide for them in the wilderness; saw healing by looking at a snake on a pole; etc.

Faith is defined by Webster as: confidence or trust in a person or thing; belief that is not based on proof; belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion; belief in anything, as a code of ethics; a system of religious belief; the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement; the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

Faith is what allowed: Moses to lead Israel; Abraham to have offspring as numerous as the stars; Jesus to heal so many; mountains to be moved with a small amount of it; etc.

The question: Can God? is a question that the evil one is whispering in our ears daily.  It is a point of doubt, and once established, Satan has a foothold.  

The short answer to the question is "yes."  The long answer has to do with God's will.

When do you ask the question:  "Can God?"

Pray for your faith to be strengthened and that you draw closer to the Lord.

In Christ,

David P    

Scheming (April 26)

Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.  David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

David answered Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of all trouble."

"How much more--when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed--should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you?"
                                                          From 2 Samuel 2-4 NIV

We continue to see David, the anointed king of Judah, displaying his trust and faith in the Lord.  This faith and trust in the Lord is clearly shown in 2 Samuel 4:9; by David's statement that the Lord has delivered him out of all trouble.  

Rather than Recab and Baanah receiving thanks and praise and favor from David for their work in the murder of Ish-Bosenth, David is furious and upset to and including the point of ordering the death of Recab and Baanah.

Think of David's leadership role.  He is continually reliant upon the Lord, not on man's scheming, to deliver him from trouble. 

One might consider that Ish-Boseth was a king in name only as it appears that Abner held the most power, for Ish-Boseth had fear of Abner.  Recab and Baanah do not display any respect for the corpse of Ish-Boseth, for they decapitate Ish-Boseth and bring the head to David.

Think about what might have happend in David's government had he rewarded the scheming Recab and Baanah.  The word corruption comes to my mind.

  What do you think of David's order for the death of Recab and Baanah?

How can others tell that you are trusting in the Lord?

Pray for the opportunity to share your story with others and for the gospel message to reach the end's of the earth.

In Christ,

David P.

The Book of Jashar

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I'm going to take a minor reference to make a larger point about how we study the Bible. In 2 Samuel 1:18, a reference is made to the Book of Jashar, and this isn't the first mention of extra-Biblical sources of history. When we see citations such as this, it does us good to remember just what the Bible is, and more importantly, what it ISN'T. 

To begin, the Bible IS the inspired word of God. In its 66 books, we have everything we need to know to be Christians. In other words, there is nothing required of us to receive salvation that isn't clearly spelled out in the Bible. What the Bible ISN'T is the full and complete record of the history of the entire world, and nowhere in it does it purport that it is. The Bible tells us what we need to know, but makes no claim of being all we know or all there is.

So what? One common method of Bible study suggests that we should just read the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and explain what we need to know when we need to know it. While I don't necessarily find fault with this, I think it can be a limiting experience, and if the true ramifications of this practice were extended to their logical conclusions, we'd run into some obstacles we might not like, such as:

1. Throw away any study Bible, since the notes aren't  part of the Bible, but someone's opinion.

2. Throw away any books on Christianity, since they're not the Bible.

3. You should probably walk out of all sermons, since that's a human stating what the Bible says instead of the Holy Spirit.

4. Martin Luther is not God, so we should no longer refer to his writings. For that matter, NO theologian is God, so sayonara to anything by Francis of Assisi, the Venerable Bede, St. Augustine or anyone else.

5. We should probably close our school, since the teachers aren't God

6. Any meeting, conclave or gathering where someone tells us what the Bible says should probably be off-limits.

Clearly, these are ridiculous suggestions, but that's what happens when the idea that the Bible is ALL we need is extended to meaning that the Bible is all we use. By rejecting any other source than the Holy Spirit, we eliminate the possibility that the Holy Spirit has OTHER AVENUES to work with. In other words, we end up telling the Holy Spirit how to work, which is not something I recommend highly. There are countless learned men and women who have insights into God's word that will resonate with us in different ways, and to suggest that we jettison them for a narrow, almost Phariseeic notion of Bible study is the height of folly. Psalm 111:10 (I'm mentioning it now because we won't read it until September 20th) states it clearly and simply:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom

My emphasis is on the "beginning"--we're expected to expand our knowledge, making sure that as we do this, we do it to glorify the Lord and spread his Word.

My whole point is that we're short-sighted fools if we don't take advantage of the brilliance and commentary that those smarter than us can share as we try to comprehend God. There is a built-in paradox to Bible study in that the more we learn of the Bible, the more we can forget the simple message of salvation and get lost in the details, but that very real possibility doesn't mean we should refuse to augment our study with other material--THAT'S where we can use the help of the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us and separate the valuable from the worthless or detrimental.

Scott

Where do you look? (April 25)

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters.  But David found strength in the Lord his God.  Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." Abiathar brought it to him.

Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me."  But his armor bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance.
                                      From 1 Samuel 30 and 31;
                                               1 Corinthians 10 NIV

David had the Lord and today requests the ephod.  My Holman Bible Dictionary tells me that the ephod was a priestly garment connected with seeking a word from God and used in a wrong way as an idol.  Here David uses the ephod as a source of divine guidance.

David also used the ephod on page 433, when he learned Saul was in persuit and had questions about Keilah's citizens.

Saul, on the other hand: did not follow the Lord; did not keep the word of the Lord; and even sought the guidance of a medium.  Saul made a very sharp left or right turn and did not follow the Lord's path.

Saul exemplifies Romans 6:23 NIV: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  We also can think on Romans 3:23 NIV: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

One might reflect on how neat it would be if we could go to Kohl's and purchase an effective ephod.  I have not seen one on the shelves of Kohl's or of any store.

Instead of an ephod, we have the guidance of God's Word, The Holy Spirit, prayer, pastors and other Christian leaders.


How do you look for guidance for making life's decisions?

How do you give thanks for faith in the work of Jesus, work which allows us to cross over from death to new life? 

Pray for wisdom and guidance and effective leadership.

In Christ,

David P

Easter (April 24)

...for zeal of your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
                                From Psalm 69 NIV

It is Easter! He is Risen!!

The above verses might lead one to reflect on Christ's suffering of holy week.

The Lord's zeal for his father's home upset many of the temple leaders.  Jesus was upset for the sacrificial animals were being sold in the temple, beyond the ruin of the top of the stairway seen in this picture below:

As a result, he overturned the tables of the money changers and merchants.

The sacrifical animals were to be sold on the street below the temple, at the bottom of the stairway.  That street is  shown in this picture below:

As a result of events, Jesus was brought to Pilate.  Events unfolded and Christ was crucified.

History being what it is, a few hundred years later, Christianity became the "official religion" of the Roman Empire.  As a result, of the wide acceptance of Christianity, and the "error" made by Pilate, efforts were made by the Roman Govenment  to blot out any evidience of Pilate.  As a result, for many centuries there was no extrabiblical evidence of a man named Pilate.

One day, archieologists uncovered a stela (an engraving used in construction to record events of the time of construction) referencing Pilate:

This stela gives non biblical evidence to the truth of God's word, and provides secular evidence of biblical truth.

Photos from the Garden tomb are below:

He is risen.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that woever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 NIV

Any questions?  Please ask!

In Christ,

David P

Run! (April 23)

But David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul.  The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines.  Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand."
                                       1 Samuel 27:1 NIV

David continues today with his display of wisdom.  Yesterday, Saul requested that David, "my son," come back, for "I will not try to harm you again."  Saul really gives David no assurance that he would not put David in harms way if the opportunity arose to do so. 

David, after considering the events decides to escape to the land of the Philistines.  Sometimes, the best way to escape is to run.  Consider some other times people ran in the Bible: Joseph from Potiphar's wife in Genesis; David from Saul elsewhere in 1 Samuel;  and those who run to their drinks in
Isaiah 5:11.

As Christians we also run: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 NIV

As we run our race, is it not comforting that no matter where we run or where we are called to that God is there for us?  Even if we find ourselves in "the land of Philistines" God will be there to comfort, strenghthen, equip, encourage, support and allow us to persevere.  Is it not also comforting that we will not "slip out of his hand"?

Where do you look for eternal wisdom, guidance, and protection?

How are you comforted knowing that you will not "slip out of his hand"?

Pray for the Spirit to open your eyes to the dangerous places in your life and that your eyes will be open to God's path, so that you will not veer to the left or right.

In Christ,

David P

Three Verses

I noticed one verse in yesterday's reading and two in today's that have great meaning for me. In order:

Psalm 18:29--With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall. 

This is what happens when perfectly good verses in the Bible are mangled in translation. The essence of the verse is perfectly clear--we can do anything if God is with us, and our enemies are completely helpless. In fact, if you've ever attended a basketball game at Trinity, you've seen a blue banner on the scorer's table with this verse, but the verse instead reads like this:

In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. 

This is the New Living Translation, and I'll have to look again, but I'm pretty sure I changed it to "With my God..." at the beginning. When in doubt, especially when reading the psalms, stick with the version that keeps the simple beauty intact. Advance against a troop, sheesh...

The second verse is 2 Samuel 22:31:

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. 

I don't know what I can add to this--it speaks for itself. My only comment will be that David spoke this after God delivered him from Saul, which underscores the point I've been making for most of the week, that even when the times are tough, David never forgot who his refuge and strength was, and we would do well to remember that in our own lives.

The last verse is Psalm 14:1 and is repeated verbatim in Psalm 53:1:

The fool says in his heart “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 

This has always been one of my favorite verses, and in our modern times when some have decided to elevate themselves to divinity status, I think a modern rewrite would state:

The fool says in his heart " I SURE HOPE there is no God..." 
Mistaken thinking like this will have eternal consequences, which is why it's so important for us to do what we can to spread the message of salvation as far and wide as we can. We're surrounded by fools on a daily basis (I suspect you knew that), and the unfortunate aspect of being a fool is that they usually can't be reasoned with or educated. It's one thing to be mistaken or misinformed--we all are on numerous issues (including Christianity, my friends--I absolutely guarantee that all of us hold some element of belief that is dead wrong--however, it won't matter, because these issues are HOW issues, such as when should we baptize, confirm, etc. as opposed to WHAT issues, where we all agree they're important. I'll probably expand this point somewhere in our New Testament reading). It's not pleasant or fun to talk with fools, and I've spent the better part of my life quarantining myself from them, but when I consider the consequences for them, I probably should change my thinking and do what I can to engage them.

Scott

Disater Avoidance (April 21)

When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.  She fell at his feet and said: "..., my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself.  And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant."
                                     From 1 Samuel 25 NIV

Abigail, Nabal's wife, was a wise woman.  Nabal was a fool, for he did not accept the well wishes of a former faithful steward, David.  Instead, he insulted David and by those insults, prompted David to have his men put on swords and set off for Nabal's with plans to not leave one male alive by morning.

Abigail, sensed the situation and set off with gifts to meet David and his men. Upon meeting David, Abigail gave due respect and spoke wisely, voicing concerns about the  staggering concerns of needless bloodshed.

David could have ignored Abigail, for she was a woman, but through her words and actions did command respect.  David listened and remembered Abigail when he heard that Nabal died (I suspect of a heart attack).

This exchange is an example of communication between a servant and a master, a leader and a servant.  When a concern arises, it is best communicated to the leader and the leader is wise to listen to sage advise from a servant.  Remember we all have servant and leadership roles in our life.  

Can you think of any times when your words and actions resulted in a disaster being avoided?

Who are you sharing the good news of Christ's work on the cross and resurrection for forgiveness of sin with?  Consider that by sharing the good news, the disaster of an eternity in hell might be avoided.

Pray for the Spirit to open your eyes to opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

David P

Chaff

Two things. First, to get blog posts by email, enter your email address in the space at the top of the page and click the "Submit" button. Second, apropros of nothing, here's a picture I took of the flooding:

This was taken at the end of the skybridge, and to properly place it in perspective, that's probably about a foot of water--when not moving, the water was up to the middle of those tires. Nothing runs like a Deere indeed...

In Psalm 35:5, David writes "May they be like chaff before the wind," and since one of my favorite metaphors is the separation of chaff and wheat, I'll describe what chaff is. Everything I know about chaff I read in Wikipedia, which states that chaff is the husk that covers the ripe seed, and is removed by threshing. Chaff has no value, and without the chaff removed, the seed has no value. There's no better description of something completely useless than chaff, even though it did serve a most important purpose of protecting the seed from the elements while it ripened. As soon as the chaff is removed, it virtually disappears, since it has little mass. 

The Chronological Bible suggests this psalm was written while David was fleeing Saul, and David characterized all who torment him as chaff, a minor irritant scattered to the wind at the slightest gust. In other words, David recognized that with the Lord beside him, nothing could harm him. It's the same today, and we only help our enemies when we inflate the value of the chaff that surrounds us in this world.

One last and very important point--consider how chaff is removed, realizing that the seed does nothing to remove the husk from it. While we like to feel otherwise, we can't remove the chaff from our own lives either--only God can do that. David knew it 3,000 years ago, and we would do well to remind ourselves of this when we feel like the world is getting the better of us. Our problems are indeed chaff before the wind--our challenge is to take these brave words and turn them into humble submission.

Scott

How do you Cry? (April 20)

I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.  He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; God sends his love and faithfulness.
                                   Psalm 57:2-3 NIV

We read today 4 Psalms that clearly point to where David is looking for comfort, strength, direction, reassurance, and guidance.  David is in fear for his life, for Saul still is king, misguided, and lives with the evil spirit from the Lord.

David wisely seeks shelter in the stronghold, but in addition to just taking action, he asks of the Lord for; justice, refuge, an end to violence, salvation, closeness, and needs fulfilled.  David also thanks, praises, and exalts God.  In addition he asks for God's glory to be over all the earth.


We can see the message of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 NIV Be Joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus, clearly in David's actions.

What would you do if you were in David's situation?

What words would you cry if you were in David's situation?

Where do you turn for comfort, strength and guidance?

Pray for the wisdom to seek God's will on a moment by moment basis.

In Christ,

David P

Wise vs. Foolish (April 22)

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great.
                                   From Psalm 22 NIV

But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him!  Who can lay a hand on the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?  As surely as the Lord lives," he said, "the Lord will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish."

Then Saul said, "I have sinned.  Come back, David my son.  Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again.  Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly."
                                          From 1 Samuel 26 NIV

In our readings today, one might pick out a contrast between the faithful, hopeful, wise and dependent on the Lord statements of David and the arrogant statements of Saul.  Today Saul does state that he acted like a fool and that he did sin.  In his statement, he does not really ask for forgiveness, repent or mention that he will change his ways in the future. 

We can be impressed by David's trust and respect for the sovereign Lord by recalling his actions and reading today's passage.  David realizes the Lord is perfect and is the source of his greatness.  With this realization, here at the second opportunity to kill Saul, David spares Saul's life, for despite Saul's failings, Saul is anointed.  David considers the question: "who can lay a hand on God's anointed and be guiltless?"

David further impresses us with his wisdom in action, by retreating some distance away before awaking Saul.  I suspect David realizes that Saul, if given the opportunity would act foolishly and kill David.

My dictionary defines fool as: a person who lacks good judgement; a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of.

David in his actions guide us in our actions as we follow Jesus' words of Luke 10:3 NIV Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves, also Matthew 10:16 NIV   I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.  Therfore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

When and how do you look to the Lord for guidance?

How do you look to the Lord for refuge?

Can you think of a time when the Lord was a shield for you when you took refuge in him?

Give reverent thanks and praise today for Christ and his work on the  cross, where his efficient, effective, eternal blood was shed for your sin to make you acceptable to God.

In Christ,

David P

MY David

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It took a couple, but these are the psalms I've been waiting for, the ones where David doesn't merely cry out to the Lord for help, but practically shouts at the top of his lungs. NIV Study Bible notes state that Psalm 22 is the most-quoted psalm in the New Testament, and we'll hear Casey Duling say 22:1 at about 7:30 pm on Friday night.

I'm not suggesting that David doesn't have some justification for his laments, since he is being chased and forced into hiding by Saul for reasons not his own, but there's a difference between crying out for mercy and relief from the Lord and telling God that he's forgotten about him. Of course, David ends all these psalms with the clear expectation that God will come to his aid--17:14-15 show his clear belief in deliverance through the Lord, and even the short Psalm 33 is split into four verses of lament and two of trust, belief and thanksgiving.

We act the same way today, frequently lamenting to God when times are tough and forgetting to thank and praise him when times are good. In our case, we have far less excuse, since we have not only thousands of years of history to show how the Lord will provide for us as needed, but also the ultimate delivery from sin and evil in Christ. But, being the humans we are, we still forget and act just like David, asking God why he has forsaken us. 

In this world, we will have troubles, and to expect otherwise just sets us up for massive disappointment. As these troubles bedevil us, we need to have the faith of David and remember that the Lord will deliver us. It may not be in the manner we expect or want, but God came through for David each and every time he needed help--is there any reason to believe that this won't continue today?

Scott

The Corner of A Robe (April 19)

Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.

                      1 Samuel 24:5 Ph

Today, we read of David sparing Saul's life in the cave at En Gedi, where David found Saul sleeping.  Consider the test of David as he considers his actions in this situation.  David could take matters into his own hands by killing Saul.  Saul at this time is probably unfit to lead as he has an evil spirit acting in him.  In addition, David knows that Saul is trying to kill him.  If David had killed Saul, many benefits would accrue to him, he would; become king, have eliminated an ineffective leader, and  eliminate a person trying to kill him. 

David spares the anointed king's life.  David only cuts a portion of his garment, and does suffer some discomfort by cutting the garment, a symbol of the king. 

Consider David's action allowing God to be in control, resulting in more training time before he was king.  Consider his action showing respect for his governer, for symbols of government and for another anointed one.

David is a role model in showing respect to God; to our community, state and national leaders; and to symbols of governmental leadership.

This happened in a cave at En Gedi, a spring on the western shore of the Dead Sea.

The above photos were taken at En Gedi.

                                         

A stronghold is mentioned, this may have been Masada, a bute about 10 miles south of En Gedi.  One can appreciate how dry the area is and the importance of water.

How do you show Christ's love and respect for leaders in your life?

How do others know that the Lord is your stronghold and your source of living water?

Again consider God's will vs. your will in your leadership roles.

Pray for leaders.

In Christ,

David P