Blog Archives

The Census

3/31/2015

Pride, it affects us all at one time or another. Even the man after the heart of God, David, struggled with it at one time or another. In the Bible reading today we see the pride of David and his kingdom, come out. David takes a census of his people and wants to know how big the army is that he is leading. Even Joab, David’s general struggles with the census and David’s pride at the moment. David lets his pride get the best of him and God responds by punishing the whole land with a plague, and as a result many people die. David responds in humility going to the threshing floor and buying the property to worship God.

God in is His word says that He hates the proud and opposes the proud as an enemy. Why does pride make us enemies of God? Because when we become proud we replace God in our lives with ourselves. We in one sense, when we are proud, become our own god. Pride also in our lives is a doorway to other sins. When we are proud we lie and make ourselves look better. When we are proud we become self-focused and think more highly of ourselves. When we are proud we covet and desire what God has not given us. Becoming proud leads down the road to a multitude of much other sins. So being prideful not only replaces God in our lives with ourselves but also leads down a road away from God.

So what is the opposite of pride? The answer to that question is humility. And as C. S. Lewis said, humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. David showed humility when God got is attention. Do we show humility instead of pride? Humility is putting the needs, desires, and wants of others, including and most importantly God, above your own. Humility is not thinking you are dirt or a horrible person, but rather elevating God and others above yourself in your mind. Humility can have a very confident way about it. Humility knows that it is saved by grace and is a child of the King. Humility keeps God and His view of others in center sight. Humility is the opposite of pride.

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March 30th

3/30/2015

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Today’s thoughts on the Bible reading come from our Elder Clyde

The reading in chapters 19 and 20 was interesting. I noticed much discontentment in the people of Israel. They were not happy with life under David and followed other men to find contentment. This much discontent led to and caused much of the problems for the people and heartache for David. Through all of the plots and infighting many people were hurt and died and even King David was grieved. In the church today discontent leads to much infighting and trouble. What should have been the solution for the people? The Israelites should have been content under the rule of David and found there contentment under his authority that was really given and bestowed on him by the covenant God. This is the same for the church today. The church needs to find contentment under the rule of King Jesus and the leaders He has placed over His church. Because this authority truly is coming from God and true contentment is found only in God.

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Pleasure in God

3/27/2015

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As I was reading the story today of David and Bathsheba and then later Ammon and Tamar, one word kept popping up in my head; hedonism. Hedonism is defined as; the pursuit of pleasure, sensual self-indulgence, the ethical theory that pleasure is the highest good in life and aim of human existence. Synonyms for hedonism are, self-indulgence, pleasure seeking, self-gratification. Man, hedonism sounds very bad. David in the moment he pursued Bathsheba was a hedonist and later his son Ammon followed in his footsteps when he raped his sister Tamar. Hedonism is something the world knows, pushes, and is very good at, just go look at how much money the porn industry made last year alone. Even Christians are hedonist many times throughout the day as they seek their own self-gratification at the expense of others and more importantly the expense of Jesus.

But did you know David was a hedonist before he ever saw Bathsheba? Did you know us as Christians we are supposed to be hedonist in a sense also? David says in Psalms 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord”. See that, we are supposed to find pleasure in God. We are designed by God to find pleasure and pleasure in its highest good, in God. David loved God with all his heart. David was a man after the heart of God. David found his greatest pleasure and pursued that pleasure in God. We too as Christin’s are called to find pleasure and pursue that pleasure in God. Listen to how the Westminster Catechism starts, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” See that, there is enjoying God, finding pleasure in God, pursuing that pleasure in God at all cost. Finding a self-satisfaction in God. The world takes finding pleasure in God and mutates it and says, find pleasure in self. Jesus dies so we can find the greatest pleasurable experience when we enjoy God. And when we enjoy God and are satisfied in Him, He gets the greatest glory in us.

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2 Samuel 8-10

3/26/2015

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I want to share 3 things I picked up from the reading today that I find vitally important to our walk in following Jesus.

1-David understands God’s salvation comes through judgement. David acts as God’s judge punishing the wicked in chapters 8 and 10. But in David conquering the evildoers, he is bringing salvation to the people of God. God bringing salvation through judgement is an important truth for us to think about always, but especially right now during the preparation for the “best Friday every”, Good Friday. God poured His judgement out on sin, onto His own Son. And in God pouring judgement out on Jesus covered in sin, His people can and will have salvation through it. Never forget God uses judgement for salvation.

2-We are Mephibosheth. David comes down off His throne to look for the grandson of the enemy, who is lame, crippled, and a broken man. David finds the man who is broken and makes him as if he was one of his sons and lets him eat at the table of the king. Jesus Christ is our king David and we are His Mephibosheth. Jesus Christ came down off His throne, because of His covenant, to take us, the broken, lame, crippled grandson of the enemy (sin), and Jesus seats us at His table to eat with Him the King and God calls us His son. We are the Mephibosheths in this world and there are many more around us…do we help other Mephibosheths find a seat at the table of the King?

3-2 Samuel 10:12, “The LORD will do what is good in His sight.” This is a line from Joab the general of David’s army. Joab has no idea how the battle that day will turn out. Joab has no idea of they will win the battle or if he will even die. But Joab does not sit on his bottom and wait. Joab makes a decision and does it. Joab knows that it is his job to decide and let God control the outcome of the day, even if that mean he will die in battle. This truth is the same for us. Which car should I buy? Should I start to teach a Sunday school class? Should my child play this sport? Which job should I take? Which church should I attend? These are all questions we ask, but unlike Joab sometimes we are ruled by fear and “wait” for God to show us. We need to follow Joab and make a decision and let the results of the day up to Him. Joab knew he had to do something and let the results up to God, because God controls all for His good pleasure. We need to do the same thing. Act and in faith in God, let Him control the outcome.

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David begins reign

3/24/2015

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In the reading today the house of David is established finally as King over all of Israel. God kept His promise to David in that He would make him King. But even now as we see David become King there is still a comparison between him and Saul. Remember in 1 Samuel, Saul is called arrogant, prideful, and seeking to kill David. In the reading today we see David get the news of Saul’s death, Abner’s death (Saul’s general), and Ish-Bosheth (Saul’s only living son). And how does David respond? David weeps, laments, and even writes a song about them in memorial.

David is the picture of true humility in these chapters. David does not think about his own problems, weakness, stresses, frustrations, family, safety, comfort, or kingdom. David thinks and morns for 3 men that have driven him deep frustration. David is thinking more about these men, some might call them David’s’ enemy, than about himself or his own condition. This is humility. Not thinking less of yourself but thinking more of others, even others who drive you nuts and frustrate you. So put this in our terms. Humility is not self-pity or a self-lowering but an others focus and lifting up. Think of Jesus, in humility He came to earth of us. Jesus did not moan or talk about His human brokenness and frustrations. Rather he focus on saving and reconciling us back to God. He was focused only on us, never on himself. That is humility like David showed too.

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the end of saul

3/23/2015

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In the Bible reading today, we read of the sad ending to not only the life of Saul, but also his 3 sons, including Jonathan. I find it interesting in Chapter 28 that it is not only the ghost of Samuel that stresses God rejecting Saul but it is even Saul himself that recognizes that he is no longer in the favor of God. There was some questions yesterday after the teaching time by a few people about what I meant when God rejected Saul and then related that same rejection to Jesus on the Cross. I was told that “God does not reject people, and God never rejected His own Son, not even on the Cross”. I would like to hopefully clarify some of this up, because I believe I did a poor job explaining the truth in God’s rejection.

1 Samuel 15:23 God states to Saul, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord (sinned), he has rejected you as king.” Mark 15:34 Jesus states, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”.

Now in one sense the statement that was made to me is correct. God never ever rejects anyone who has a desire for Him and comes to Him. In another sense, God is in all places at once, in a relationship (of some kind) with every single person always, and has a love for all people. Remember that 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God desires that all people would be saved.

But in another sense, and here is the part I was trying to stress and did not communicate it very clearly. God does reject and turn His back on Saul and Jesus on the Cross. What I meant to say and what Scripture makes clear is that when God turns His back on both of these individuals He is removing His grace, mercy, and redemptive blessings from both of them. In the case of Saul, God removed it from him the rest of his life. In the case of Jesus on the Cross, God removed the grave, mercy, and redemptive blessing and replaced it with His holy, righteous, perfect wrath, which is why in that moment Christ knew His loving perfect Father was forsaking Him with grace, mercy, and redemptive blessing.

So in the case of Saul, God would and did desire that at some point later after God rejects Him, because He rejected God, that Saul would repent and turn back to God and God would reconcile His grace, mercy, and redemptive blessings back to Saul. But Saul never does and in the reading today we see Saul die a sad Godless death.

In the case of Jesus, He was rejected by His Father in that moment, so that the sheep who desire God will not have to bear the wrath and rejection of God themselves. Jesus Christ in that moment of God turning His grace, mercy, and redemptive blessing from the Son, made an atonement for us.

I pray that explains and clears up some of the confusion from yesterday.

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Friday's Thoughts

3/21/2015

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King Saul sees how God has blessed David. How David was successful against Goliath. How David successfully lead one thousand men in battle. King Saul is aware of how the people respond to David. King Saul hates the popular song of the day that says Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.

In the reading from today, it is evident that King Saul is obsessed with killing David. By chapter 21 his murderous intention is clearly not a secret. When Jonathon questions his father, Saul becomes enraged and hurls a spear at him (I Samuel 20:33). When Saul hears that David talks to and is aided by the priest at Nob, Saul kills 85 priests, and all the men, women, children, infants and animals of Nob.

While all this is happening, Jonathon (at great personal risk) helps and encourages David.

This event shows us a good example of a proud heart and a humble heart and the respective consequences of each.

King Saul had a proud heart when he disobeyed God and did not completely destroy the Amalekites and all their belongings. Out of pride he considered his popularity and his kingship more important God will. Because of this God opposed Saul, even sending an evil spirit to torment him. As James 4:6 says, “…God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Jonathon had a humble heart and was ready to except God’s will. In turn Jonathon was given a very important role in God’s plan. Jonathon helped save David’s life. Also Jonathon encouraged David to continue following God (I Samuel 23:16-18).

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David and Goliath

3/19/2015

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Today in the Bible reading we read through the famous story of David and Goliath. This story is so famous that the world even uses it as a description for the unlikely winning against the favorite. As we watch the college basketball tournament over the next few weeks, we might even hear a David and Goliath reference when an upset happens. That is how famous this Biblical story is.

But I find this narrative very interesting in Scripture. Most Christian, myself included for many years, think they are David. “I am David, with the help of God and my sling and stones I can defeat the giants of my life. With God’s help I will slay the giant of over eating, or the giant of mishandling my money, or the giant of jealousy, or the giant of my crazy sinful neighbor”. Most people that attend church and are Christians think they are David slaying the giants in their lives with the help of God.

BUT WE ARE WRONG. 1 Samuel 17 is foreshadowing and giving us a glimpse of a different David and Goliath. Here is the giant that it is showing us.
Sin/death/brokenness/and even Satan

Here is the David
Jesus Christ our Savior

So let me rephrase now what Christians should be thinking when they read through the story of David and Goliath. “I am a broken sinful person full of fear, like Saul (17:11), and I need Jesus to come and slay the giants of my life, which are the sin I commit and the flesh that controls me”.

Do not miss the point of the story, Jesus Christ our David will come and slay our Goliaths if we just ask Him to and surrender to Him.

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Saul and Jonathan

3/18/2015

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As we read through the Scriptures we need to keep the structure in mind. As we read narratives we need to keep what story came before the one we are reading and what story will come next. We need to connect the different scenes together because remember, the Bible is not written for historical purposes but for theological purposes. Many times as we connect the dots of the structure the theology of God will become clearer. Take the reading today for example.

Today we read 1 Samuel 13-15. Chapters 13 and 15 are very similar in that God is rejecting Saul because of his unfaithfulness and disobedience. They sandwich chapter 14 which highlights Jonathan and his faithfulness and trust in God. I will be looking at chapter 15 in the teaching time Sunday, so I do not want to go into to much right now. But take a look at chapter 13, where Saul and the men are quaking in fear because of the Philistines. They have forgotten the promises of God, His faithfulness to His people, and as a result of the fear and lack of trust they disobey God and commit an act of unbelief in the sacrifice. Then Jonathan shows up in chapter 14 full of faith and trust in God and as a result, he and his armor-bearer kill 20 men and drive fear in the heart of the fleeing Philistines. As a result of Saul’s fear, the faithful Jonathan almost has to die, and notice Jonathan is even faithful to the point where he knows he might have to die because of his own father and he faithfully says, “then kill me” because Jonathan has placed God first in his life. Who does the relationship between Saul and Jonathan remind us of? This is just one example form the reading today, of the theology of sin and God and faith that can be found as the structure and connectedness of the stories is in view.

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Pleasure and Glory

3/17/2015

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Reading from 1 Samuel today a verse caught my eye and drove me to think of an important theological point. This verse is Samuel talking to the people of Israel in a farewell address as Saul is about to take the throne and become the center of Israel, rather than Samuel the prophet and judge.

1 Samuel 12:22

“For the sake of His great name the LORD will not reject His people, because the LORD was pleased to make you His own”.

Before I explain why this verse should catch our attention, I would say…put this verse on your refrigerator, on a mirror in your bathroom, tape it to the dash of your car, and highlight it in your Bible. Take this verse and staple it to your memory, it is that important and theologically impactful.

Now, this verse talks about God giving His people mercy. He is not going to reject them and give them what they deserve. Remember the people want a king to rule over them and God (and Samuel) would not desire that because the LORD is their King. So the people, desiring a king, are rejecting God as King. So God could and should reject His people and punish them for their sin, but God in His great mercy does not reject them. This verse also shows the grace of God He extends to His people. God in His grace chose the Israelites for His own. God did not have to choose them and there was nothing in the Hebrew people that would even give God a reason to choose them. But God in His grace chose the people to be His own and give them the privileges for being the people of God. Both of these truths should be familiar to us and comforting to us.

But what I am about to say next might startle us. What is the motivator for God showing mercy and grace in this verse? The motivator for God to show mercy and grace is, His great name and His own good pleasure. Let me say that again, why does God show mercy and grace to people…because He desires the glory of His own name and it brings Him good pleasure. That means, for example, why did Jesus come to earth to die on the cross? Because God cares first about His own glory and it brought Him good pleasure in doing it. This is a startling fact to most Christians today. They think God gives us mercy and grace because He loves us and wants to save us. Let me says first, yes God does love us and does want to save us. But it is not about us and we were not God’s first motivation is His salvation. God was motivated first by what brings Him the greatest pleasure and greatest glory. The cross is first about God’s glory and His good pleasure, we are just benefactors in it. See most Christians today think God does what He does because of us. They think God works and moves because of us. They think God saves and has a plan because of us. But the Bible makes it clear that is not the case. We are merely benefactors and it is never about us first. God does what he does, did, and will do because it brings Him pleasure and is about His glory. Remember, you’re not the star of your own movie. God’s pleasure and glory are the star. God’s own pleasure and glory are why we exist and why God does what He does.

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The Census

March 30th

Pleasure in God

2 Samuel 8-10

David begins reign

the end of saul

Friday's Thoughts

David and Goliath

Saul and Jonathan

Pleasure and Glory

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