April 29: 1 Chronicles 7-10

April 29, 1 Chronicles 7-10

1 Chronicles 7 Here we learn about the genealogy of the Northern Tribes. Part of the idea is to remember that at this time, Israel was still unified even though spread out.

1 Chronicles 8 We get great detail about the Benjamites and Levites and ultimately, where Saul hailed from. 

1 Chronicles 9 This is a recap of the exiles that returned from Babylon, because of their breach of faith with the Lord. Since they are coming back to dwell as a people in God’s land, they are warned to remember all that the Lord has done for them and to praise Him. The chapter ends with another recap of Saul’s lineage. 

1 Chronicles 10 Starts the second half of 1 Chronicles with a retelling of the story of the death of Saul and his sons. If you would like to reread this, we covered this in better detail here. The main point of the Chroniclers writing here is to show us that Sauld died because he disobeyed God with the sacrifice and even sought a medium to tell him what was going to happen. What did he not do? He did not seek the guidance of God, therefore the Lord put him to death and gave the kingdom over to David. 

To sum it all up:

• Let us not be like Saul and not seek Him - Yahweh. It is foolish to try to do it on our own. We are not that strong, nor are we intended to be. We are made strong in God, through Christ and the Holy Spirit. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin.

April 28: Psalm 81, 88, 92, 93

April 28, Psalm 81, 88, 92, 93

Psalm 81 SHOUT TO GOD! PRAISE HIM! This Psalm is a celebration of what God has done for them in the form of a feast. God is worthy of our praise, because He is God. In our distress, we call to God for refuge and rescue. We are to have no other gods in our life, only the Lord our God. Even though God has done so much for the Israelites, they do not listen to Him, so He gave them over to their stubborn hearts. God would rather take over our enemies and bless us, but we tend to be disobedient. 

Psalm 88 Trials. Tests. Temptations. When you are in a trial, continue to turn to God at your core and believe Him to help you though it. Even like the Psalmist here, we can fear God abandoning us, but He is not going to do that. When you feel like that, cry to God for help.

Psalm 92 How great is our God and worthy to be praised! Declare His love when you wake up, all day, and when you go to bed. This Psalm is set apart to be sung as a reminding, especially on the Sabbath. But, the stupid and the fool will not praise Him or submit to Him and they are doomed to destruction forever, and our enemies will be scattered. God is the only real God forever. 

Psalm 93 Do you ever view God as a King, of royalty? Well, you should! He is our King and is. He is Creator God and sits on His throne in Heaven. God is trustworthy and and majestic! Worship Him today!

To sum it all up:

• We are not to be like the Israelites and not listen to God. He will not be messed with! We are to lean on Him with everything in us knowing that He is the only One that can rescue and redeem us.
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin.

April 27: 1 Chronicles 6

April 27, 1 Chronicles 6

1 Chronicles 6 The tribe of Levi. Obviously, by the amount of information that we get in this chapter. The Levites were set apart in the tribes as true servants of Yahweh and are considered to be somewhat of the spiritual center of Israel. I like my what ESV study notes said about the recurring theme of Chronicles, “One of the insistent themes of Chronicles is that God’s grace is not nullified by human disobedience, but rather God creates fresh opportunities for each generation to trust and obey.” What a freshening way to look at why and how God brings things together. God never gives up on us! God had made sure that the Levites had numerous areas for pasturelands and their families, and they were in pivotal areas.

To sum it all up:

• When we view God’s grace as another opportunity to see him work it reminds us that God never gives up on us! 
• God knows what He is doing. Trust His hands and plans in your life, even if your season or outlook is less than desirable. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 26: Psalms 73, 77-78

April 26, Psalms 73, 77-78

Psalm 73 Do you ever look around  and notice how it seems that there are some people that get all the good stuff and have what seems to be an ‘easy’ life? This Psalm discusses that. Here we see the Psalmist envious of the arrogant because they were so prosperous and had an easier life. When we compare ourselves to other, we are bound for failure. Not following God can look alluring from the outside, but then we, like the Psalmist, are to turn to God for discernment. God has them and us where He wants us. Their money and plush life can be destroyed in a second - so we are to look look to God who is our Refuge and our Strength.

Psalm 77 This Psalm is great for us in a time when things are tough. We are to cry to God when in trouble, especially when we are exhausted at our core. These are  not fancy words, this is Life Truths. Do you ever feel that God is distant and forgotten you? When that happens, you need to take some time to remember what God has done for you - never forget what Yahweh has done! It strengthens your faith when you look back and realize that God has never failed you. God’s ways are the best ways. His strength is sufficient for everything and anything. 

Psalm 78 When reflecting on life and what God has done, take the lessons that God has taught you and apply them. Remind your kids what God has done. This is what He did… The Israelites did this so that the next generations didn't forget the greatness of our God. Even when we are disobedient, God still takes care of us - even if we are being disciplined, this is God taking care of us. In spite of all God did for the Israelites, they still sinned against God - we can learn from their mistakes!!!

To sum it all up:

• Money, fame, fortune are not something to be envied. We are to be content with where God has us and where He has brought us. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 25: 1 Chronicles 3-5

April 25, 1 Chronicles 3-5

1 Chronicles 3 We learn about the sons of David, first about his oldest kids that were born to him while he was King for seven and a half years. He had six sons born to him there between his wives. He reigned for 33 years in Jerusalem and he had a bunch more kids then as well. The Chronicler also takes time to introduce us to the children of Solomon, David’s son who becomes King and lists his lineage as well. As you can probably tell, the Chronicler takes great strides in introducing and explaining the lineage of Judah, as 1 & 2 Chronicles is a recap of Judah, as God is now focusing on the people of Judah and how He worked it all together. Pulling the good attributes of the tribe of Judah and reminds us in their obedient times, with a few stark reminders of their disobedience. 

1 Chronicles 4 Is where we learn about the sons of Judah. There is one name that gets a little bit more air time, and that is Jabez. If you recall, about 10 years ago a guy wrote an entire book about this little prayer of Jabez. All I am going to say is that Jabez, in faith, asked God for His protection and also His Divine hand in giving him a larger territory - and God did just that for him!

1 Chronicles 5 Do you remember Reuben? He was the firstborn of Israel (Jacob), and ‘While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it.’ (Genesis 35:22) Because he did this, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph. Even though Judah became strong and David came from them, the actual birthright belonged to Joseph. 

When we learn about the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh (stayed on the other side of the Jordan) were great warriors and one time when they went into battle, and they fully trusted in God. That trust paid off, because God fought the war for them. But they didn't remember this for long, because soon they were whoring after other gods, so God gave them over to their enemies. 

To sum it all up:

• Have you ever screwed up? I have! These chapters are a reminder of God’s steadfast love for His kids and how He works everything out. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 24: Psalm 43-45, 49, 84-85, 87

April 24, Psalm 43-45, 49, 84-85, 87

Psalm 43 Do you ever feel exhausted from the attacks of your enemies? David sure did and prayed God would vindicate him and defend him from ungodly people. I can relate. We are told here to turn to God for refuge, not retaliation and it will sometimes feels as though God is not there or listening. Truth is, He is there and we are to put our hope and trust in Him because He is our salvation.

Psalm 44 If you do doubt that God is there, then this Psalm is a good reminder. Here we are reminded of what God did for the Israelites and how He rescued them. It was by God’s hand that they were saved. Also, here again we see God’s Sovereignty and how he works everything out. We win our battles in His Name, not our own. For His Glory, not our own. We can never be separated from God’s love, ever - even if it feels like it. Feelings can be misleading, God is not. Cry out to God, even when it ‘feels’ He is distant. 

Psalm 45 This is a love song to God, and a beautiful one at that. God is a King of beauty and power and majesty, and He is also just!

Psalm 49 The meditation of our hearts directed by God will be understanding - true wisdom comes from our Father. Do not follow the lifestyle or the teachings of the world, it is foolish. Don’t put your trust in riches because they wither away.

Psalm 84 We are to delight in worshipping Yahweh - it is a privilege and honor to come before Him in praise. We are blessed by God when we come to worship him… Can you say this and mean it to God… “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” How lovely it must be for God to hear His people praising Him with pure hearts…

Psalm 85 God covers all of our sin through Jesus and is steadfast in His love for us. God speaks to His kids but we cannot turn back from what He speaks to us about. This Psalm is a fantastic reminder about the love and steadiness of our Lord. He gives us what we need and guides our paths toward righteousness. 

Psalm 87 The Lord loves the dwelling places of Jacob, Zion - this is where His people were and where they worshipped Him. This is Israel, at least how God desires it to be. Even the foreign nations surrounding Zion say that God established Zion. We are to rejoice in the fact that God sets people and places apart for His Glory!

To sum it all up:

• We win our battles in His Name, not our own. For His Glory, not our own. 
• Don’t put your trust in riches because they wither away. Put your trust where you can get the greatest return on your investment, in God Almighty
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 23: 1 Chronicles 1-2

April 23, 1 Chronicles 1-2

1st and 2nd Chronicles were written by the ‘Chronicler’ and that is just what the author is called, as nobody knows who it was. It was put together and written by a priest, probably around 400 bc. These books are considered a supplement to the books of Samuel and Kings. “The central theme of Chronicles is the significance of the Davidic covenant as the enduring basis of Israel’s life and hope. The Davidic covenant is expressed in the two institutions that derive directly from it: the monarchy and the temple.” (ESV Study Bible) As one of my professors at Regent College pointed out to us, there is very little negative in these books about David - only his shining victories and accomplishments. Why is that? My guess is that this is because the Chronicler is showing the hope of the salvation of the Israelites.

1 Chronicles 1 The beginning chapters of 1st Chronicles is a genealogy. Hopefully by now, you have read most of these names and some of them should be ringing bells, as we have learned about their stories. In this chapter, the list of people is drawn mostly from the book of Genesis, and it serves as a reminder of where Israel came from and their place among the nations. Going back to Adam and tracing through to Israel (Jacob), shows that Israel was a primary focus of God’s from creation. 

1 Chronicles 2 shows us the genealogy of David. We also see that Judah is the greatest in Israel as divine, as David comes from there. We read about Tamar, who slept with her father-in-law, Judah, but see here that this is where David came from! 

To sum it all up:

• God is so faithful. He has a plan - don't doubt it. Look at the faithfulness of God throughout all these generations. This doesn't just happen by chance, but by a Sovereign God who sees beginning and end and everything in between - it all has a purpose. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 22: Psalm 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21

April 22, Psalm 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21

Psalm 6 This is the perfect Psalm to read when you have been disobedient to God and your character has been revealed. In this, you cry out to God for forgiveness and grace. God is our Deliverer because of His love. Can any one praise God from Sheol? What is Sheol? Sheol is the afterlife or the underworld, the place you go when you die. Sheol can either be hell for the wicked or rest for the faithful. I know it is confusing, but contextually it will be clear. This Psalm expresses that if not forgiven by God, he will be in hell, unable to praise God. David also prays against the works of the enemy because God has heard him.

Psalm 8 is a hymn of absolute praise! Look at how amazing Yahweh is with what He has created. God is Sovereign and He has power and dominion over everything. We are to be in awe of this Holy God, especially because God entrusts us with His love. Yahweh knows us for His Glory! Everything is under God’s power and God’s majesty is in the big things and the minor details of life.

Psalm 9 God looks out for the underdog and oppressed. This is also a song of thanksgiving to our God because of how wonderful He is. Our enemies will someday fall because of His power. God fights for a good cause, His causes! The Lord strengthens the oppressed and when we are down and out. Those who put their trust in God will find Him, so Praise Him! The wicked go to hell, the nations that forget God get the same reward. We need to know our place - we are just men and women before a Holy God!

Psalm 10 Do you ever feel as though God is distant from you or hiding Himself from you? It is then that you are to continue seeking Him, because if you love Him, He will never leave you or forsake you. The wicked and arrogant will get what is due to them by God, not by us - because they don't think they need God and can do it on their own. Those that worry about looking good on the outside are thinking that they don’t need God…God will not be mocked! It is all temporary, except eternal life with a Holy God. We cannot fool God!!! Justice is by God and for God, we are only there to serve Him. We are to praise God because He hears us and will give justice to the oppressed… Stay strong!

Psalm 14 Only a fool says there is no God. This is not about intellectual ability but about morality, and someone who rejects wisdom and ignores the fact that God cares about human life. The Lord is looking down from heaven to see who is seeking him, and really - nobody is seeking Him. This is a stark reminder about how much we need God because He is the one drawing us to Him, not the other way around - what an amazing Gift!

Psalm 16 When you sing to God and pray to Him, you are trusting Him with your life. As he is our refuge and our Redeemer, and we are NOTHING without Him! We must delight in the Lord, find our joy and hope in Him. The Lord should be everything to us, no exceptions - nothing should be more important than Him. If that is where you are, then your heart shall be glad and your whole body can rejoice. We are to anticipate God’s goodness, because He is so good!

Psalm 19 The heavens declare the Glory of God - just look around at what God has Created and Sustained!

The law, precepts, testimony, commandments, and rules of God are so perfect in every way. They revive the soul. They give complex concepts understanding. They enlighten our eyes and lives and are all together amazing. Loving God’s laws is better than all the money in the world. Get this information in your heart, as you have been warned, and if you keep them, there is great reward for you from God. We are also told here that we can go to God to keep us from sins so that we can be blameless. I love the ending in verse 14, ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.’

Psalm 21 We are to give thanks to Yahweh for bringing us through our trials. It is in His strength that we can rejoice because He answers our prayers. God gives good gifts to His kids and His majesty and splendor is shared with us. For those who trust in the Lord will not be moved. The Lord will deal appropriately with those that oppose Him, plan against Him - they will not succeed even if it seems like they do temporarily. Be exalted O GOD! We love you!

To sum it all up:

• Pray against the enemy. Know that God’s forgiveness is not limited to what you think it is or isn’t.
• We need to know our place - we are just men and women before a Holy God! 
• We are to anticipate God’s goodness, because He is so good!
• ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.’ LIVE THIS OUT EVERY DAY:)
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him, not sin.

April 21: 2 Samuel 1-4

April 21, 2 Samuel 1-4

2 Samuel 1 We are reminded again about the news of Saul’s death. However this time, we hear about a non-Israelite that attempted to take credit for the death of King Saul. He had a big story about how it all happened and was expecting to get on the good side of the ‘new’ King, David. But the proof was little hints on how this non-Israelite told the story and that was by using the word ‘chance’ in his story in verse 6. This idea of ‘chance’ shows something deeper and in the Hebrew there is no word for ‘chance’ as all things come from the hand of God. We already learned how Saul really died, and this guy seemed to have found the crown of Saul and made up a story to appease the new king - David. However, the reward that this guy received was death, with his blood being on his own head for the lies that he told. David and all Israel lamented over the death of Saul & Jonathan. David wrote a song for all of Judah to memorize. In the song, David still chose to honor Saul as God’s anointed, regardless of how many times Saul tried to take David’s life. In it David also honors Jonathan, expressing his love for Jonathan. This is not at all to be construed as sexual love for Jonathan, rather Jonathan’s self-denial and putting David before his own needs/inheritance of the Kingship, as he would have succeeded Saul on the throne, shows the Brotherly love they had for each other.  

2 Samuel 2 David inquired to the Lord if he should go to Judah, and God told him to go. So, David brought his 2 wives with him and he became King of Judah. Then David blessed the men of Jabesh-gilead that had taken Saul’s body and buried him - they showed sincere respect for Saul. 

Then we learn of Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, taking Saul’s oldest son Ish-Bosheth and made him King over Gilead, to be King for Israel. He reigned for about 2 years - but the house of Judah followed David for about seven and a half years. Then we learn about a sad battle between Abner’s men and Joab’s men (Joab was a commander of David’s army). They let their men battle against each other and compete before them. The battle was in close quarters and basically killed each other, the battle was fierce. Then we are told about Abner (Saul’s commander) being chased by Asahel (who was one of David’s mighty men - one of the best).  Asahel was incredibly fast on his feet, chasing Abner. Basically, neither of them would quit running, until Abner basically stopped dead in his tracks and shoved the butt of his sword into Asahel’s stomach, killing him. So, Joab and another pursued Abner, and then they got the Benjamites to join them in the pursuit. Abner called out to Joab, telling him that if they continued down this road, it would end in sadness (pursuing their brothers). Because of this, Joab called off the pursuit. Numerous men died prior to that.

2 Samuel 3 The house of David and Saul were continually at war. David’s house grew stronger and Saul’s became weaker. David had 6 wives at this point and had a bunch of sons while he was in Hebron for the seven and a half years. In the meantime, Abner was gaining strength in Saul’s army. Abner slept with one of Saul’s concubines and Ish-Bosheth (Saul’s son) was furious, as he should have been. Taking one of Saul’s concubines was an act of taking over Saul’s kingship. But one of Saul’s sons challenges this act of Abner. Abner reminded Abner of his loyalty, but now disgraced, Abner was going to make it his goal to get David onto the throne, because that is what God said would happen. Ish-Bosheth had no words. Abner reached out to David to make a covenant with him. David agreed, as long as Abner got David’s first wife Michal back to him. So, they took Michal away from her husband and he didn't want to lose her, so he followed her weeping, until they told him to go home. 

Abner met with the elders of Israel and told them that David was to be King, as stated by God, and to make it happen. Abner went and met with David, and they had a feast together. Then David sent Abner away in peace.

Joab was furious that David let him leave, as Joab explained that Abner was only trying get on the inside to figure out his military tactics (remember that Abner was previously commander in Saul’s army and that Abner had killed Joab’s brother Asahel, so Joab has a personal vendetta against Abner). When Joab left David, he sought out Abner and murdered him. David was not pleased with what Joab did! David needed Joab, so he cursed him instead of killing him. And David mourns for Abner, showing that it wasn’t his will that Abner (past follower of Saul’s house) had died. Leading the idea that David and all of the people of Israel shouldn’t be against the house of Saul and mourned properly through fasting and mourning. 

The people wept.

2 Samuel 4 When Ish-Bosheth heard that Abner was dead, his courage failed (that was his commander), as well as knowing that it was David’s commander that killed his family member. Ish-Bosheth had two other captains from the tribe of Benjamin, that we will learn a little about in a few… but the narrator throws here in the middle of this Jonathan’s only remaining son, Mephibosheth, he was lame because he was dropped as a little kid by his nurse (we will learn more about him later… so remember this!). 

Moving back to the captains… they came to Ish-Bosheth’s house as he was taking a nap. They pretended to be there on business, only to go into his room and kill him and cut off his head. They took the head to David, expecting him to be very proud of them. Instead, he gives them the reward of death for murdering a righteous man. David was not against killing the guilty, but not cold murder. This act also showed those who followed Saul, that this new king David, wasn’t into killing the opposing kingship. Instead it was David that dealt harshly with those who killed Saul’s family members, and that Saul’s own tribe was responsible for the murder of Saul’s family - not David.

To sum it all up:

• Drama. Yeah, there is a lot of it going on in these chapters - but you will soon see how God ties all of this together and how he is building up His story.
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 20: Psalm 121, 123-125, 128-130

April 20, Psalm 121, 123-125, 128-130

Psalm 121 Here we have a beautiful prayer about the big Power of an Unlimited God. Where are we supposed to look? To the Lord - look up and know that your help comes from Him. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the earth, I think He can take care of you! Plant your feet with Him and He will keep you strong, for now and forever more. 

Psalm 123 Again we are reminded to continue to look to God, who is Merciful and Mighty. When you have had enough, like the Psalmist, look to God knowing that He has got you covered with His love and plan. 

Psalm 124 If the Lord wasn't on the side of the Israelites, or us for that matter, we would be utterly destroyed. We are to give thanks to God for this, continually. God is our Deliverer and worthy of our praise. When we escape trials and hardship, or get through them, it is because of what the Lord has done.

Psalm 125 Your confidence needs to be placed in the Lord and He deserves our loyalty. If you put your trust in the Lord, you will not be let down. Put your trust anywhere else and you will be disappointed. Evildoers are lead the wrong way by God Himself, and He protects the righteous. 

Psalm 128 In the days of David, if somebody feared the Lord they were was blessed by God when they had a great harvest, lots of kids, and a family. It’s not much different now a days. Think about it… sure you may not be trying to harvest food to feed your family and pay your bills, but what about the other ways the Lord provides? It is a combination of you doing what God has called you to do and He puts it all together to bless you and those around you. So, may you have a great harvest, lots of kids and lots of grandkids! Only, fear the Lord and surrender to Him, because He is worth it.

Psalm 129 If God has protected and given you continuous provisions, why would He stop now? I am not talking about prosperity theology, where if you are a good person God will give you whatever you want. I am referring to God sustaining your every breath, making the trees blossom, the sun to rise and set, and on and on. This is what God does. He did it for the Israelites, and He is doing it for the righteous. During your hardships, never forget what God has done for you.  

Psalm 130 Wait and be patient for the Lord, it is worth it. Don’t jump in front of where He is leading you - or you won’t know where to go. Make sense? If He is leading - let Him lead. Cry out to God! Beg of Him to hear you! But then wait for the Lord to lead you, wait more than anything in the world for Him to lead you and go before you. He will redeem you of all your sins and He never wastes a hurt - so let Him!

To sum it all up:

• Trust in the goodness of the Lord and wait for Him to guide you. 
• God is never early and never late. God’s timing is perfect, even if you don’t think so. Remember, you only see in part. You don't know what else God is working on. It is not about us - it is about Him and His Glory!
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 19: 1 Samuel 28-31, Psalm 18

April 19, 1 Samuel 28-31, Psalm 18

1 Samuel 28 The Philistines are getting ready for war against Israel again. Achish, who David had been serving while fleeing from Saul, wanted David to be his servant for life. 

We are reminded here that Samuel had died, which seems out of place, until the next verses! We learn that Saul had enforced God's law of being against those in witchcraft and Saul made it illegal to be a medium, or any form of witchcraft was illegal, and he sent all of the mediums out of the land. But, your convictions only have value when they are tried, and Saul’s convictions were weak. God wouldn't speak to Saul about what to do with the upcoming battle, through dreams or a prophet, so instead of repenting of his wicked ways, Saul wanted to find a different way to know if he should go to battle or not. And so Saul wanted to find a medium to find Samuel so that he could tell him! Saul changes his clothes and disguises himself and goes to a medium. At first she refused to help him because it was illegal, but Saul gave her his ‘word’ that in the name of God, nothing bad would happen to her. Here, Saul trumps the Lord and states that she won't be punished, even though it is punishable through God's law. She agreed and Saul asked her to bring up Samuel’s spirit from the dead. As a side note, commentators and theologians have spent a lifetime trying to explain this little episode. I am going to park it at this spot: God’s Word said this happened, so it did. The lady sees Samuel and she screams, obviously looking different than what she is used to seeing. Then she  somehow knows that Saul is the man in disguise. She is afraid of the law against what she is doing and pleads before the King sitting before her and she knows she was deceived by him (not a man of his word…). Saul bows in reverence to the ground upon seeing Samuel. Samuel asked Saul why he disturbed him from his sleep, and Saul explains that God won’t talk to him and he needs to know what to do in battle. Samuel assured Saul that the reason that God is not speaking to him is because Saul disobeyed God, and has become His enemy, and that David would be soon taking over. Oh, and two more little messages for Saul - tomorrow you and your sons will die and be joining Samuel, and the Israelites will be handed over to the Philistines. As would be expected, Saul falls to the ground and lost all his strength. At the end of this fiasco, the lady and his servants convinced him to eat something before they left.  

1 Samuel 29 Back to David.. recall from chapter 28 the Philistines were getting ready to fight the Israelites and now we learn that they will not let David and his men fight with them, because the Philistine leaders don’t trust David like Achish did, mainly because he had killed so many Philistines in his younger days and may turn on them in battle. David and his men were sent away. Achish reaffirmed his trust in David as David was blameless to him, but regardless, they must leave. We don't see why this is a good thing that the Philistines sent David away, but we quickly learn that it was the Lord's doing, as David was needed elsewhere...

1 Samuel 30 Meanwhile, about 50 miles away, the Amalekites capitalized on the fact that the Philistines and Israelites would be fighting in the the north, so they attacked Judah in the south. They raided David’s town and took everything, including the people and David’s wives, but killed nobody. The Israelites were distressed greatly, but the narrator makes sure that we are aware that David himself was strengthened by God!

David requested the ephod so that he could inquire of God, and God told him that they would win as they attacked the Amalekites. 400 of his men went with him to attack, 200 stayed behind because they were too exhausted to cross the brook. As they were on their way, they ‘just so happened’ (no such thing as coincidence, it is God setting it all up) to come across an Egyptian that was a slave to one of the Amalekites, but was too ill and so they left him to die. He was tired and ill, so they fed him and gave him water - and he felt much better. Low and behold, he knew where the Amalekites were and he would bring David and his men to them if they promised to not make him go back to them. Which according the Lord's law, the Israelites didn't have to give a slave back that didn't want to return to their master if they had been mistreated. Deuteronomy 23:15-16. So instead of taking him back, he joined David and his men, and told them where to find the Amalekites. 

When David and his men arrived, they saw the Amalekites having quite a party - with all the soil from their town. David and his men fought them all night and killed all of them but 400 who escaped. They got back all their people and plundered everything of the Amalekites, including the stuff that was stolen from them. Some of the greedy men that were with David did not want to share any of the plunder with the 200 men who stayed behind, but David made sure that they got an equal amount and made it a rule that if some stay behind in war, they are to receive the same amount of the plunder. Then David shared some of the spoil with his friends from Judah. 

1 Samuel 31 Back to the Philistines! They went to battle the Israelites and the Israelites fled. The Philistines killed Jonathan and Saul’s other sons. The archers wounded Saul bad. Saul didn't want to be in the hands of the Philistines (I can only imagine what they would do to a King), so he instructed his armor bearer to kill him. The armor bearer was too afraid to do it because it was the Lord's chosen King. So since the armor bearer didn't do anything, Saul killed himself by falling on his own sword. His armor bearer did the same thing. The Philistines came and made their home where the Israelites used to live. The next day, they came and cut off Saul’s head, took his armor, and hung his body up. They put the armor next to their idols in the temple. Some Israelites went secretly during the night and stole back his body and gave him and and sons a proper burial. 

Psalm 18 Here we are reminded that God is our Protector, just like He was for David. Can you express, like David, I love you Lord, you are my strength, my rock, my redeemer, my refuge, my shield? If you try to do things on your own, are you capable of having all of those job titles for you and your family? I highly doubt it! We need to be like David - call to God in our distress because he will rescue us from our enemies when they are too mighty. God is our support when we keep our lives pure before Him and purse Him and not sin. For those that are against God or are crooked, God is against them - it is that simple. 

God’s ways are perfect. 

There is no God but our God. 

God’s right hand supports us.

God is the only God of Salvation. 

God rescues us. 

To sum it all up:

• Your convictions only have value when they are tried. How are your convictions? 
• David himself was strengthened by God, is that where you go to find your strength when times are tough, or do you turn to a vice perhaps?
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust Him and pursue Him, not sin.

April 18: Psalm 17, 35, 54, 63

April 18, Psalm 17, 35, 54, 63

Psalm 17 When you are being attacked by a worldly enemy, this song or Psalm is for you to pray. David presents to God his case and plea for justice. God is the only One that can vindicate. David, under attack, asks God to test his heart and then David turns to praising God for who He is. As a father, when I read David’s plea that God would keep him as the apple of His eye, it warms my heart. To think about how I truly love my children, who are the apples of my eye - to only consider that when I feel that way about my kids it pails in comparison to the love that the Father has for us!. David’s enemies have hardened their hearts and David leaves it up to God to deal with them - but David will continue to seek God looking forward to being with Him forever.

Psalm 35 We read about God, the Divine Defender again! God is David’s (and our) Savior and Salvation. Our enemies will attempt to triumph, but they cannot fully because we are God’s chosen. His prayer is that his enemies will fall into the traps that they have set for him, and David will praise God for it! His enemies don’t speak peace, but vileness and deceit is what they are about. God will be the Vindicator, not you.

Psalm 54 This Psalm is in reference to when David was hiding among the Ziphites (1 Samuel 23) and they told Saul where he was at. This is truly a prayer for the persecuted. David is crying out for God to save him and hear his prayer for help. Why? Because God is His Helper and Deliverer.

Psalm 63 Confidence during hardship is what we can have when we trust in God, David did.  We hear the heart of David here, exclaiming that worshipping God is a gift. At David’s core, he yearns for intimacy with Yahweh, because God’s steadfast love is better than life. We too can and should live this way. We can also live with the anticipation of future worship as we will be completely satisfied in the arms of a loving God.

To sum it all up:

• Even when your enemy is pursuing you, continue to seek God looking forward to being with Him forever. That is the promise for the righteous because of what God has done for us, not what we can do for Him. 
• Are you currently in a battle? Who or what is your enemy? Maybe you don't have any. If that is the case, then pray for your brother and sisters who are being persecuted locally and globally. If you are in a battle right now, remember that God will be the Vindicator, not you. You stay faithful!
• God is our helper and He is the only one that can save!
• Do you confidently expect God to rescue you, or is that just lip service?
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 17: 1 Samuel 25-27

April 17, 1 Samuel 25-27

1 Samuel 25 Now that we have been reading some of the Psalms about what David was feeling in his exile, we return to the narratives in 1 Samuel. Samuel had just died and all Israel mourned for him. 

After mourning for Samuel, David goes to the wilderness to hide. There was a man, Nabal, who was extremely wealthy. He was harsh and rude and he was married to a beautiful discerning wife, Abigail. David sent ten of his young servants to go inquire of Nabal since it was a feast day for the Lord, they wanted to prepare and needed food and supplies, in return David mentions that he and his men had protected his servants when they were caring for their sheep near David’s camp. Nabal, being true to the definition of his name - folly - replied to the servants request for supplies for David and his men, with a resounding no, and stating that he didn't know David, yet somehow Nabal seems to know who Davids father is... When David hears Nabal's response, David was furious and told 400 of his men to strap on their swords and vowed to wipe out Nabal and all of his men. David felt that he had wasted his time protecting the servants of Nabal, if the rich man Nabal wouldn't honor them back. Meanwhile, the servants tell Nabal's wife, what had happened and she quickly starts putting things together for David and his men to celebrate the Feast to the Lord. On David's way there, Abigail was heading Davids direction with  a bunch of food and supplies for David. She fell before David and explained that her husband was an idiot and that if anybody should die it should be her for not hearing about it sooner. However, she convinced David to restrain from killing Nabal, his men, and all he owned (including her) so that there would be no guilt on him. God used Abigail that day to help make David a better King than Saul - David had to rescind his vow to kill. God doesn't want us to make vows of sin. He would rather we went against that and did not sin. 

Abigail came home and Nabal was really drunk having a party. She waited till the morning and then went and told him what had transpired. When Nabal heard it, he turned like stone. Commentators say that he either had a stroke or a heart attack from it. Ten days later, God killed Nabal after God struck him.

When David heard about Nabal’s timely death, he sent for Abigail to be his wife. She agreed and immediately joined him. He also took Ahimoam to be his wife while he was traveling. 

1 Samuel 26 Again, we have another episode where David spares Saul’s life. Saul came after David again, and David was hiding. Saul was with 3,000 of his men and they were sleeping at night. David goes with his willing servant, Abishai. When they got to where Saul was, everyone of the army was sleeping, from a deep sleep that the Lord put them into, on the ground with Saul in the middle, next to his main commander, Abner. Saul’s spear was right next to him. Abishai wanted to take the spear and kill Saul instantly, because it seemed that God had given Saul into their hands. Again, David refused to touch the Lord’s anointed. Instead, David and Abishai took Saul’s spear and water jug and went up the hill. Again, God had caused the entire army to fall into a deep sleep! Imagine that. Then David mocked Abner for not protecting the King and Saul heard David’s voice. Again, Saul realized his sin and David’s greatness. Saul apologized again and blessed David. History keeps repeating itself without true repentance on Saul's side. 

1 Samuel 27 This is an interesting chapter. It starts out with David realizing that Saul wasn't going to stop pursuing David until he was dead. So David and his men flee to live with the enemy of Israel, the Philistines. While he is there serving their king, he goes out and pillages many towns killing all people and taking the plunder. David would go out pursuing and ambushing towns that didn't have Israelites in them, and killed everybody in there and all the towns he did this to were plundered by David and his men. David always made sure that no body was left alive to tell who really did this. When David came back from these ambushes, the King of Philistines asked where they have been, and David always responded with a lie, that he was out ambushing and plundering towns of Israelites or those that were friendly to Israel. That is why the King, thought that David had made himself a "stench to the people of Israel" by David turning on the Israelites like that. But it wasn't really true. David lived there and did this for almost a year and a half. Achish, the Philistine King, felt that David would always be his servant because he thought that David was Israel's enemy, not their ally. But it was a secret that David really was for the Israelites, and lied to the King of the Philistines, destroying the enemies of Israel while living in enemy territory. 

To sum it all up:

• God doesn't want us to pursue sin in His name. If you think about it - that would not make any sense. David was going to go on a personal vendetta against Nabal - but thanks to an obedient wife to God, God had supernatural ways of stopping that for His purposes. You might be like Abigail and be an unlikely person to help out. But if you trust in God and do what is right, God will be blessed by you and your obedience. 
• History keeps repeating itself without true repentance. Let us not be like that, instead let us learn from our mistakes and take God seriously, as He knows the heart. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him and pursue Him not, sin

April 16: Psalm 56, 120, 140-142

April 16, Psalm 56, 120, 140-142

Psalm 56 This is another Psalm of David when he acted insane with Abimelech. It is about troubles in life and asking for God to help him when he is getting trampled by his enemies. When we are afraid, like David, we are to trust in the goodness of God. Fear nobody because what can man do to you? It is God who we are to fear, who is the only one that can truly and really harm us. And know that God sees your pain, and even keeps a record of your tears in a bottle.

This is an incredible Psalm that gives us a picture of trust - God does not ignore our concerns but cares for them and handles them. David praised God for delivering him so that he (and us) can walk with God.

Psalm 120 Where do you turn when life gets hard? Well, David set the example for us and turned to God. This is what we should always be doing. 

Psalm 140 David reminds us again that God is our Deliverer. Yahweh is the only one to bring us through. Sure, God uses many ways to accomplish His will - but He is the orchestrating Deliverer. We, like David, need to look to Yahweh to protect us from our enemies. Can you say like David, “I say to the Lord, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!?” If that sounds like one of your prayers, then you are spot on.

David goes on to pray against his enemy and asks that God would see to the destruction of his enemy for plotting evil. And David finishes this prayer psalm off just right when he acknowledges that surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name and the upright shall dwell in your presence! And let the Lord have His vengeance over your enemies, instead of from your own hand. 

Psalm 141 God - "please listen to me! Hear my cries." Well, we have probably all cried this to God at least a 100 times in our lives, and from what we have learned so far in Scripture, God hears the righteous and even the unrighteous. Always know that God is there for you. Trust him. I like how David asks God to protect him from himself/his heart. David knows the temptations of the finer things in life and wants nothing to do with the swindlers around him. Pray against your enemies, that they will fall into the pits that they have dug, but always keep your heart and your eyes focused on God and let God be the one to make justice. 

Psalm 142 God is there for you, to listen and help. Go to Him first and last and in between. When you are tired, God is there. When your enemies set traps for you, God is there. God will pull through one way or another for you. Remember that He is in charge and will have His way.

To sum it all up:

• We need to go to God all the time, especially when it feels as though we are being attacked or trampled by our enemies. 
• Where do you turn when life gets hard? Come on - either you are serious about your faith or you are not. There is no middle ground. If you claim that you have been chosen by God, then it is your obligation to live like it. When life gets hard, my hope is that you are turning to Christ and not sin. 
• We need to look to Yahweh to protect us from our enemies. You may be asking who our enemies are. Al queda? King Saul? ISIS? Calories? Seriously though, our enemies are anything that satan uses to draw us away from the loving arms of God our father. For David, his enemy was his Father-in-law and evil surrounding nations. For us, our enemies can be those who emotionally hurt us, talk bad about us, do evil to us, and anyone else that causes trouble for us. Whomever or whatever it is, God will take care of you and protect you from your enemies. 
• Always know that God is there for you. Trust him

April 15: Psalm 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

April 15, Psalm 7, 27, 31, 34, 52

Psalm 7 David wrote this Psalm in response to King Saul seeking his life. David is crying out to God and trusting in Him that God is his Refuge and Deliverer. A cry for safety from the only Person that can save - God! David asks God to reveal his sin in the matter, and if there is sin, then let Saul take his life. David knows that he is right before the Lord on these matters. Therefore He asks God to take his enemies out as the true Judge. A man must repent, even the worst of sinners can repent and come to God - the wicked must come to repentance. Also, when David explains that a person digs a pit and falls into because his own sin comes on his own head. David finishes off with - Praise the Lord because He is righteous!!!

Psalm 27 is one of my wife’s favorite chapters of the Bible because when she was going through some serious hardships, God spoke to her through this Psalm. It is a very personal (like many of the them) Psalm. God is our Savior and our Guide, we should fear no other being or thing. When Saul was coming against David, this Psalm is one of his responses! He turned to God. David just wanted to be in God’s presence and just be in His awesomeness. God has hid him from Saul - only God could do that! God told David to seek His face, and that is exactly what David did and so should we! David cried out to God to be his teacher. David exemplified pure dependance on a Holy God.

Psalm 31 reminds us that we serve a faithful God who uplifts His faithful. Again, David exclaims that God is his Refuge and Deliverer. God will guide David because it is God’s name on the line and God’s people - God’s purpose! David feels his strength dwindling because of the length of his battles, but he still relies on God to get him through. David has become an outcast among his people and yet he continues to fully trust in God to bring him through. Are you in the same boat? He will bring you through His way. Let the wicked be put to shame, not the righteous!  David blesses God because of how amazing and powerful He is. Be strong and take courage all of you who wait on the Lord!

Psalm 34 is a Psalm of Thanksgiving to God for His protection and love. This is when David acted all crazy and insane before Abimelech and escaped. Think about what he was going through… In all times, David trust the Lord - Yahweh, his personal God (same should be said about us). God is the Protector of His people. Taste and see that the Lord is good and see that He provides everything we need. God looks out for His people and listens to their pains and cries and saves. The Lord redeems the righteous and condemns the wicked!

Psalm 52 is when Doeg the foreigner told Saul where David was and how the priests helped David. How can Saul boast about his wickedness against God’s people? Because Saul loved evil more than good and God will break him down. A man that trusts in himself over God will be lead to a path of destruction. God is worth the wait, always. 

To sum it all up:

• No matter how bad life gets, you can always turn to your loving God. 
• David cried out to God to be his teacher. He didn't rely on the latest book or a hip pastor to tell him how to live better, but God himself!
• Do you see the continual them of God being David’s Refuge & Redeemer? Is he yours, or are you hoping that your savings account and charm will get you through your next battle?
• Be strong and take courage all of you who wait on the Lord!
• A man that trusts in himself over God will be lead to a path of destruction.