Now don't get me wrong, I'm not in any way a believer in the concept of karma. However, when Solomon took over the kingship of Israel there were some people who faced consequences for their actions. Solomon's half-brother, for instance, paid dearly for his efforts to take the throne. Others who had been a part of David's leadership team ... [Continue Reading]
The One Who Searches Hearts (1 Chronicles 28-29)
As David was preparing ot pass on the baton of leadership to his son, Solomon, he reminded the new king that the Lord is the One who "searches all hearts and understands every thought and plan." The Lord knows what is unseen, and He is aware of every hidden motive of the heart. The wise choice for this wise king would be to submit to the Lord in all ... [Continue Reading]
Self-Confidence (2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22)
David committed a great sin when he took a census of the Israelites because he was making the assertion that his confidence was in the size of his army and not in the size of his God. From God's perspective, the size of David's army didn't really matter. Remember the story of Gideon and how God used a small number of people to defeat the ... [Continue Reading]
Ready to Worship (2 Samuel 22-23)
One thing that never ceases to impress me about David is his willingness to worship the Lord regardless of his circumstances. That’s not always true of us, is it? It’s much easier to worship God when things are going well and life is happening the way that we want it to happen. But there’s something special about worshipping God when things don’t go ... [Continue Reading]
All That Glitters… (2 Samuel 19-21)
My mom had a saying when I was growing up that “all that glitters isn’t gold.” Perhaps that sentiment can be used to describe the aftermath of the death of Absalom, David’s son. What should have been a moment of rejoicing was really a moment of sadness for the kingdom of Israel in general and for King David in particular. Though the war was over ... [Continue Reading]
A Listening Ear (2 Samuel 16-18)
When David was confronted by the curses of Shimei he had a couple of choices. One option was to have his mighty warriors wipe Shimei from the face of the earth. Another option was to listen to Shimei's words and to take heed. Certainly, the people on David's side were hoping that he would give them permission to destroy the little pipsqueak who was making derogatory ... [Continue Reading]
A Snowball Effect (2 Samuel 13-15)
David's sin with Bathsheba carried extreme consequences. For one thing, a person who no longer has moral authority also doesn't have the freedom to speak truth into the lives of others. Perhaps that's why David never addressed the sin of his son, Amnon, and the violation of his half-sister, Tamar. The story, however, is certainly a strong ... [Continue Reading]
What To Do When You Sin (2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20)
What I’m about to say isn’t in any way an excuse for sin. In fact, I just finished preaching about temptation, and the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus’ death not only provides forgiveness for our sins, but it releases us from the shackles of temptation, and it gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to say “no” in the face of temptation. However, there will ... [Continue Reading]
The Danger of Assumptions (2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19)
When I was in middle school I learned a cute little phrase to remember how to spell the word assume... unfortunately this blog probably isn't an appropriate place to repeat it. However, there is a lot of truth behind the idea that assumptions are often wrong, and this is underscored by the grave mistake of Hanun, King of the Ammonites. He listened to some ... [Continue Reading]
Character Matters (2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18)
Yesterday I spent some time talking about David’s humility. Today another aspect of David’s character can be highlight – his integrity. David wasn’t always perfect in this area of his life, but for the most part, his integrity was very strong. One of the best examples of this relates to his treatment of Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. David was ... [Continue Reading]
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