Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!” (2 Samuel 7:18-19) David had every reason ... [Continue Reading]
Misunderstanding God (2 Samuel 5:11-6:23; 1 Chronicles 13-14)
When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. (2 Samuel 6:6-7) God has been misunderstood by many over the years, and some have even surmised that the ... [Continue Reading]
Authority’s Origin (2 Samuel 1-4)
David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (2 Samuel 1:14) Authority always answers to a higher authority. It's true. Just think about it. I own my house, but the government could confiscate it at any time. At work you probably have a boss, who has a boss, who has a boss, who has a board of directors. The board of ... [Continue Reading]
God of the Impossible (1 Samuel 13-14)
Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God. (1 Samuel 14:15) God is the One who moves hearts and minds. When I think about how hard it is for me to simply change myself, I come to the realization of just how hard it is to try and change someone else. Why ... [Continue Reading]
On the Throne (1 Samuel 7-9)
But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. (1 Samuel 8:6-7) God allows us to have things that are outside of His plans for our lives. Though He's omnipotent, He allows ... [Continue Reading]
Controlling God (1 Samuel 4-6)
When the [Israelite] soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” (1 Samuel 4:3) There is a human tendency to believe that God can be managed. Rather than seeking to do ... [Continue Reading]
Not Even a Hint (Judges 20-21)
The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” The Lord replied, “Judah shall go first.” (Judges 20:18) At first glance, it's uncomfortable to imagine that God encouraged Israel to fight against the Benjamites - one of the nation's own tribes of people. What could possibly have been worthy ... [Continue Reading]
Connect the Dots (Judges 16-17)
When Micah returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.” (Judges 17:3) Have you ever had a moment when someone said something that was logical to him or her but that, in reality, made no sense at all? You wonder to yourself ... [Continue Reading]
What Will it Take? (Judges 3-4)
Because [Jabin, the king of Canaan,] had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help. (Judges 4:3) Twenty years of oppression is what it took for Israel to turn back to God? Seriously? Twenty years? It's remarkable to me that it took so long for the nation to realize that it was ... [Continue Reading]
The Danger of Frustration (Numbers 20-21, Psalm 90)
He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10) Every person has a breaking point. Regardless of who you are or how patient you seem, there's someone in your life who is capable of pushing you so far that you finally lose it. Moses experienced that ... [Continue Reading]
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