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2 Samuel 22 starts like this, “David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.” (NLT)

As I came to this chapter this past week, I took time to read, reflect, and take a glimpse inside the life of King David. We are familiar with the verse in Acts 13:22 (ESV) “and when he had removed him (Saul), he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’” After reading through 1 & 2 Samuel, with all its transparency, we may have a hard time understanding why David was called that by God – a man after God’s own heart. I believe 2 Samuel 22, gives us a look into why.

In his book, A Man of Passion and Destiny – David, Charles Swindoll suggests these themes of 1 Samuel 22:

• When times are tough, God is our only security (vs. 2-10)
• When our days are dark, the Lord is our only light (vs. 21-31)
• When our walk is weak, the Lord is our only strength (vs. 22-40)
• When our future is foggy or fuzzy, the Lord is our only hope (vs. 50, 51)

This chapter, sometimes called “David’s Song of Deliverance”, gives us a picture of a man who had a relationship with God. No, he was not perfect. Clearly, 1 & 2 Samuel record the sin and its consequences of much of David’s life. He was a man on the run from his enemies, his own family, and his own failures. But what I found interesting was David’s heart for God. When confronted or convicted, he would always confess his sin and repent. He would seek to honor God and do His will.

When treated unfairly, he would often extend kindness and mercy to others. He would delight in the blessing of the people of Israel. He would also lament over their sin and rebellion. If you remember King Saul, you never saw those traits in him. He was too concerned with his insecurities – what everyone thought about him. He was more concerned about keeping his throne than he was about honoring God. In David, even though his great sins are recorded, we saw a man who knew God and desired to honor Him. David writes in Psalm 18:19 (ESV) “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”

Often, when a child of God grows old, they have times of reflection. They look back on their journey in this life and see times of regret. Times that if they had a chance to do some things over, they would choose differently. That is true for all of us. It was through those times of regret that we learned something about God though. Yes, we more than likely learned God’s Word matters. We also learned about His love, mercy, and grace. His truth does not change and the consequences of choosing against the truth are real. But His love is everlasting!

I trust that as you look back you can see the same truths about God that David did. Even if you are younger, I trust you can see God in your life’s story. Many people throughout the ages have agreed with David and were able to come to the same conclusion: God is our only security, the Lord is our only light, the Lord is our only strength, and the Lord is our only hope.

May you come to see and hold onto the same truths of God in your life.

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

 

Last time, we looked at the danger of success as it happened in David’s life. The context was the scene where he justified adultery with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. David tried to cover up his sin and when that failed, he planned the death of Urriah, Bathsheba’s husband. In chapter 12, Nathan the prophet confronted him about his sin. “Why, then, have you despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.” (12:9, NLT)

Nathan continues and conveys the consequences that will come to David’s life and home. 2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NLT) “Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die.”

The good thing – God graciously forgives. David confessed his sin against the Lord and the Lord forgave him. The bad thing – there were serious consequences for his sin. One, their child that Bathsheba carried, was born, got sick, and died.

But there were also other consequences. 2 Samuel 12:11-12 (NLT) “Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” Sounds kind of like family turmoil and something very tragic.

Well, as I continued to read on, I came to chapter 13. David’s son, Absalom, comes on the scene. His sister was raped by their stepbrother, Amnon, and Absalom burned with rage and desired revenge. Absalom then planned to avenge his sister’s rape by killing Amnon. Following Amnon’s death, David’s relationship with Absalom was severed for over 2 years! Their relationship was reconciled briefly before Absalom began conspiring against David to take his throne. Absalom used his good looks and charm to win the hearts of many of those who lived in the land. So much so, David had to again flee in fear of his life just like he had prior with Saul.

Moving ahead to chapter 16, beginning with verse 15 and following we read, “Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!” (16:15-16, NLT) Absalom had taken Jerusalem and the people began to proclaim him king!

Then what happened next was just as the prophet Nathan had said. 2 Samuel 16:20-22 (NLT) “Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?” Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.” Wow! The consequences of sin played out in the life of David as the prophet Nathan had said (12:11-12).

Often, we believe that God is gracious and therefore the consequences of our sin are all removed. Sometimes it is clear we have bought this lie when we contemplate something sinful. “It is not a big deal. God is gracious and the consequences will not be bad. After all, I am God’s child.” Satan deceives us into believing this lie. As a child of God, we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us to say “no” to those temptations and resist our enemy’s lying tongue.

Yes, there are consequences to our sin. They manifest spiritually, relationally, and physically. In the life of David, we see how he let his guard down. He was a success and it appears he felt invincible. In his compromised state, he saw something that appealed to his eyes, and he gave into the temptation. He could have never imagined the long-lasting consequences that were tied to one decision to sin.

What about you? Do you rationalize when temptation comes your way? Do you try and tell yourself, “This won’t hurt anyone? It’s no big deal.” If you are asking these questions, you are already in the midst of Satan’s deception. James reminds us in James 4:7 (NLT) “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” And Paul in Galatians 5:16 (NLT) says, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

Church family,

I am taking a brief break from sharing devotional reflections in 1 & 2 Samuel with you.  I feel there is something much more urgent before us. Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. Last week I shared with you that the local chapter is having their prayer breakfast on WLMB this Thursday at 7:00 am. You will not be able to attend in person but are encouraged to attend virtually by tuning in to WLMB channel 40 on television or online.

What I want to exhort you to is to do more than tune in. I want you to be more intentional beyond Thursday morning. Could we, each in our own homes, begin to be more intentional in prayer? Often we pray prayers for protection, safety, guidance, and healing. There is nothing wrong with that. We are to ask the Lord for these things. What I want to challenge you to do is to, let’s say, be more desperate in prayer. You may ask, “What do you mean by that, pastor?”

Overall, we Americans have a pretty good life. The challenge is that when we have experienced ‘the good life’ we want to stay there. We don’t want to lose it. That would be a pretty natural response. Our prayers often end up more focused on restoring or keeping personal comfort and safety. But where experiencing the ‘good life’ can be harmful is that it can also make us less urgent and desperate in prayer for people around us. Especially, for the issue of their repentance and salvation. Typically, desperate times move us to prayer – calling on the Lord for provision, for Him to move.

For many people around us, the times are uncertain. As a child of God, we know our lives are in His hands. We trust Him and know He is in control. He also has greater purposes for mankind – the salvation of their souls. With this in mind, would you take intentional time to make a list of the people in your life who are not walking with Jesus? That means family, friends, and neighbors. I am asking that you actually make a list.

Begin praying for them with intention. Here is a suggestion how to pray for them (put their name in the blank):

Jeremiah 32:17 (NLT) “O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!”

• Thank God for His sovereignty over all creation, including _____________.
• Thank God for His provision for the forgiveness of _____________ sin through the shed blood of Jesus.
• Ask God for His mercy and grace to be extended to _____________ for the sin that has grieved His heart.
• Ask God to remove the scales and blindness from ___________ eyes so that they can realize the sinful condition of their life.
• Ask God to open ____________ ears and heart to hear the message of the gospel.
• Ask God to break down any obstacles that the enemy has put up that have kept ___________ from knowing and trusting the truth of the gospel.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin, to repentance, and lead ____________ into faith in the Jesus Christ as their Savior.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. Are you doing the work of God’s people?

Pray with me…. people need the Savior.

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

Judah and Israel were no longer separated. David was no longer on the run. Enemies were defeated. God was blessing. Life was good! This would seem like a time of continued devotion to the Lord. A time of continued praise and resting in the goodness of God. Times were good for David the king.

Why is it that when there appears to be peace, success, and provision do we let down our guard? Why, instead of reflecting and living in the goodness of the Lord do we let our guard down and open ourselves up to be susceptible to temptation? The story of David and Bathsheba is known by most of us. It is the story of a handsome, powerful king who is taken by the beauty of another man’s wife. It is the story of letting success make one feel invincible – deserving of whatever the heart desires. Let’s take a look once again at the story.

2 Samuel 11:1-5 (NLT) “In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

If we recall, in the previous chapters it was clear that David was having success as the new king of Israel. He captured Jerusalem, brought the Ark of the Covenant to the city, and God made a covenant with Him for His kingdom. He had great success in battle and was extending fair treatment to those he ruled over. David was blessed and God’s provision had clearly been on him.

The problem with blessing is that we soon forget how dependent we are on God. We forget that every blessing we have has come from the Lord. We begin to act like we have we have obtained all our achievements and successes on our own.

The second thing we notice is that David was home. The verse says, “in the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war.” Wait, wasn’t David the king? If so, then he should have been with his men in battle. David wasn’t engaged in what his role required. How many times do we do the same thing? We find ourselves bored, perhaps lazy. We start to make exceptions. We start assessing whether what we would normally do is always necessary. We say, “It’s okay if I relax on that. No harm done.” What often happens then is we open ourselves up to becoming more vulnerable to temptation. That is a dangerous place to be.

Finally, we then see David in a place where he should not be. He is literally putting himself in a place of temptation. As the narrative goes, “Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.” If David had been doing what he as king should have been doing, he would not have found himself in this place. But deeper still, we see that David’s heart was suspectable to temptation and sin. He seemed to think he was autonomous. Even with his successes, God’s blessing, and place of privilege, his heart was not void of temptation. In all his God given success he still was desperately in need to God.

I trust it is clear to you what you can take away from this story. All of us are susceptible to temptation. We are always being tempted to compromise. We can easily tell ourselves, “we’re fine” if we let our guard down. Let me challenge you to be honest about your weak spots. You know, those areas you are vulnerable to give into temptation and sin. Take them to the Lord.

Confess your area of weakness and your need of Jesus. Trust me, He already knows what they are! Repent, trust, seek, listen, obey, and devote yourself to the Lord. When we acknowledge our weaknesses, we then can know the strength of the Lord to resist and overcome temptation!

Let me share this insightful quote from Susanna Wesley, John Wesley’s mother, with you. She wisely taught her children to see sin as anything that caused them to fall short of the glory of God: “If you would judge the lawfulness or the unlawfulness of pleasure, then take this simple rule: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God and takes off the relish of spiritual things—that to you is sin.”

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

2 Samuel 8 gives a summary of David’s military victories. As verses 7 & 14 tell us, “and the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.” Verse 15 says, “So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.” David uses his power as king to do good for the people. That’s the kind of leader that God desires!

 

In chapters 9 and 10 we see recorded specific examples of David seeking to be kind and gracious. In chapter 9, David is gracious to Mephibosheth, the crippled grandson of his former enemy, Saul. In chapter 10, he is gracious to the son of the Ammonite king, Nahash.

One is grateful, and one is suspicious of David’s kindness. As a result of their responses, the consequences they experience are quite different.

 

Perhaps you have heard the story of David extending grace and mercy to Mephibosheth. David sought to find him in order to show kindness. 2 Samuel 9:7 (ESV), “And David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.’” This is a picture of the restoration, forgiveness, and transformation that occurs when we are saved by the blood of Jesus. Just like David did for Mephibosheth, Jesus reverses the despair and hopelessness that characterized our lives before knowing His grace. His reception of the mercy and grace of David came with great provision and reward!

 

Most of us have probably not heard of Hanun the son of Nahash. Nahash was the king of the Ammonites. The last we heard of Nahash was when he was soundly defeated by Saul in battle at Jabesh Gilead. We are not sure why David was extending kindness to Hanun, but commentator Mary Evans offers this perspective:

 

David had decided that it was time to bury the hatchet with Ammon and again, as in chapter 9, repay a kindness shown by a father by befriending the son. He used the opportunity of a change of ruler to extend the hand of friendship to Nahash’s son Hanun. The implication that there are times when old grievances should be set aside and new friendships forged with old enemies cannot be avoided.

With that understood, David decided to “do the right thing”. He decided to extend kindness and grace. This time though, it was not received well. There was suspicion concerning David’s motive – 10:3 (ESV) “But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?”

 

Hanun rejects David’s attempt of grace and kindness. Verse 4 (ESV) “So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away.” He shames David’s men. This eventually led to war with Israel in which the Ammonites were soundly defeated.

 

Some takeaways for us to see here. God extends His grace to us through Christ. We can receive or reject it. Receiving it brings restoration, forgiveness, and hope. Rejecting His offer of grace will bring His judgment. If we have accepted and received God’s free grace, we are to extend it to others. Grace is a gift offered, with no strings attached.

 

We ourselves may have had opportunities to be gracious and it has not always been received. Perhaps with some question of our motives. 

But I am reminded that as a child of God I am to be gracious and kind. Why? Because the Lord has been gracious and kind to me. I cannot control how people will choose to respond, but that should not change my treatment of them. I still want them to know the grace that has been given to me!

 

Walking with you,

 

Pastor Brian

Your obedience is never to be done in the hope that you will get something,

but rather in recognition of what you have already been given. 

(Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies)

 

As I was reading in a devotional and my Bible, I found, as often happens, the Lord bringing truths to my attention. He will often bring two totally separate readings together to speak to or remind me of a truth He desires for me to remember.

 

As a parent, the statement above reflects what I always desired for my children. In many families today, children often decide to obey if they “get something” in return. I would say, that would be conditional obedience. It could reflect an attitude that says, “I would prefer doing my own thing, but if you reward me, I will do what you want.” It is a self-centered attitude. Kind of the “if you scratch my back, I will scratch yours” mindset. In these cases, obedience is motivated by reward. 

 

Another view of obedience is being performance driven. From this perspective, a child learns what they need to do to get favor. As parents we can actually be guilty of building into our children this wrong motivation to obey if our parenting simply ends there.

 

The second part of Paul Tripp’s statement is what we would hope to see from our children – just simple obedience based on recognizing what they have already been given. But how do we get there with them? Let me rephrase what Tripp said – they must recognize what they have already been given in being YOUR child. How about knowing they have your unconditional grace, care, and love. That doesn’t mean you ignore their “wrong”, but in their “wrong” they must know what they already have in you.

 

What about taking this same truth and applying it to your relationship with the Lord? What drives your obedience to His Word? Do you hope that by your obedience you earn His favor?  Is that what motivates your behavior, serving, or giving?

 

In the same devotional, Paul Tripp goes on to add, “We don’t obey to get his favor; we obey because his favor has fallen on us and transformed our hearts, giving us the willingness and power to obey.”

 

Let me transition to 2 Samuel 5. In this chapter, David becomes King of all Israel. He and his army then go up against the Jebusites, who occupied what we know as Jerusalem. The Lord gave them victory and David began to rebuild the city. We read earlier in chapter 3:18 (NLT) “…for the LORD has said, ‘I have chosen David to save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies.’”  You see evidence in the rest of the chapter of this reminder from the Lord by how David lives. We also see a reflection of David’s understanding of this truth in how he wrote many of the Psalms. He knew that God had loved and chosen Him.

 

There are other passages in 1 Samuel that express the same truth – God had already given favor to David. Throughout David’s life he recognized God’s provision for Him. When his obedience was driven by who God was and what God had done for him, we see a man who was ‘living in’ who He was in God – His child.

 

So, what motivates your obedience to God? I believe there are three types of responses. Some of us don’t think obedience matters so we go on with our lives living as we desire. If someone asks us to do something, we will comply, but only to get something out it. Some of us obey to gain God’s favor. We are afraid of the consequences if we don’t. ‘Got to stay on God’s good side.’ We are performance driven and really don’t have a love relationship with Christ. Others of us have realized that God has been gracious and already shown us favor by saving us. We are “blown away” that He would choose us to be His child – to love, care, and provide for. Who Jesus is and what He has done ‘fuels’ our obedience. 

Knowing this, we desire and chose to obey.

 

Where are you with obedience? 

 

Walking with you,

 

Pastor Brian

Since last Monday, I finished reading 1 Samuel and began the first few chapters of 2 Samuel. I am reminded that if I ever hear anyone say again that the Bible is boring, I’ll assume they haven’t read it! If you like suspense and action books, the Bible has its share.

As I preached on Easter, in this world there is the promise of tragedy. As a result of man’s sin, tragedy and suffering were brought into the world. In that same scene in Genesis, God makes a promise, “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT) As many of you know, that verse holds the promise of a redeemer.

God’s plan to send a redeemer began. Through the ages, from Noah to Abraham to Joseph to Moses, Satan tried to ‘snuff out’ God’s plan. In 1 Samuel we see Saul become the first king of Israel. We see Satan tempting Him to trust himself more than God. Saul continually failed to seek, listen, obey, and devote himself to God. He was more concerned about his own image and therefore was easy prey for the enemy. Throughout his reign as King, his insecurities controlled his behavior and actions more than God did. He was constantly threatened by the presence of David and tried to kill him to protect his throne.

In Matthew 1:1 it says, “This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.”  Then we find in verse 6 these words, “Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).” Many of us ‘skip over’ genealogies when we read through scripture. Too many names. Too many we do not know. Why do I share this? In God’s plan of sending a redeemer, David was in the line of Jesus the Messiah! After reading through the last part of 1 Samuel and entering 2 Samuel it is abundantly clear Satan was trying to ‘snuff out’ David’s life.

As I was reading, I also reflected on man’s sinful desire to have a king ‘like the other nations.’ This desire, when realized, eventually divided the tribes of Israel. Judah made David their king (2 Samuel 2) and Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, was “proclaimed” king by Abner over Israel. There was division and eventually war between the two. A people who had once been united, were now divided. War wreaked havoc on the people.

2 Samuel 3:6-10 (NLT) “As the war between the house of Saul and the house of David went on, Abner became a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul. One day Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, a woman named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah.  Abner was furious “Am I some Judean dog to be kicked around like this?” he shouted. “After all I have done for your father, Saul, and his family and friends by not handing you over to David, is this my reward—that you find fault with me about this woman? May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t do everything I can to help David get what the LORD has promised him! I’m going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.”

So the former commander of Saul’s army, Abner, was now going to “take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David.” As you may guess that transition was not without conflict. Abner was resented and one of David’s own men, Joab, killed him.

All of this mess was at the hand of Satan. Remember, he seeks to deceive and destroy. Nothing good comes from him. Remember in order to deceive, one must know the truth. Satan knows the truth. As I was reminded while reading, man is easily deceived. We are so quick to ‘buy the lies’ without remembering Satan knows the truth, therefore his deceptive strategy.

We have all seen Satan’s deception in our lives. It has ruined relationships – families, friendships, and marriages. He has even convinced us that we have no individual worth or value and that God does not love us. Remember John 10:10 (ESV) “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

I pray that you will be ever more aware of Satan’s reality and efforts. As children of God, we should not fear him, but we should be aware of his efforts to “make a mess of things.” Remember what the second part of John 10:10 says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly!” Jesus’ way leads to life!

 Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

Perhaps you have heard it said, “Life is not fair.” Often life does not go as we would like it to. People do not respond and behave like we’d like them to. Sometimes the reward of doing “the right thing” isn’t immediate and embraced by those around us. Life can be hard.

We look again at 1 Samuel and the ongoing challenges David has in dealing with King Saul. Saul has been anointed as king of Israel, but he does not fear the Lord nor honor Him in His life. Anger, insecurity, and revenge seem to consume Saul and be what drives him.

He is definitely feeling threatened by David. David though isn’t intentionally trying to take Saul’s throne. He is actually respectful of “God’s anointed”. Sitting in the back of Saul’s mind is the awareness that David has been anointed of God to succeed him as king of Israel. We have seen Saul’s continual attempts of trying to kill David and save his own throne.

What can we learn from David’s decisions in this chapter? Look at the opportunity David had to take revenge – vs.  5-8 (NLT), “David slipped over to Saul’s camp one night to look around. Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering warriors. “Who will volunteer to go in there with me?” David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother. “I’ll go with you,” Abishai replied.  So David and Abishai went right into Saul’s camp and found him asleep, with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him. “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!” 

Oh my! David has his chance to get revenge on Saul for the second time. I mean, he’s right there in Saul’s camp, weapon ready to use! How many of us would seize the moment to settle an issue, get revenge and to finally be rid of the problem? All that is needed is simply choosing to not respond to a hurtful comment or threat from someone. Leave it in the Lord’s hands.

David’s response is perhaps surprising – vs. 9-11 (NLT) “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one? Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. The LORD forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”  “No, don’t kill him” was David’s response. He did not take things into his own hands. He left the situation in the Lord’s. Think about it, he could have dealt with the one who has kept him on the run. The one who threatened his life. In this moment, honoring the Lord mattered more to David. His life was in the Lord’s hands and He knew he could entrust his life, his problems, and challenges to the Lord.

Later in the chapter, Saul is made aware that David was in his camp and could have killed him but did not. We find that Saul then confessed his sinfulness and asked David to come back to his homeland. But David did not take him up on the offer. He had heard those words before, and Saul’s promises were empty. David did trust the Lord to reward his obedience and rescue him. We see that in verses 22-24.

As you know, as a child of God, you will face those who despise you, oppose you, and sometimes just simply see you as “in the way”. But let me encourage you, when you have the chance to respond to hurtful or unkind comments or actions, honor the Lord. Remember, we simply need to honor Him and let the Lord fight our battles (Philippians. 4:19; Jeremiah 29:11; Exodus 14). Revenge is the Lord’s. Remember, the real battle is unseen – spiritual.

Revenge is something we all struggle with at some point and time. Instead of giving in to taking things into your own hands, let me encourage you to align yourself with the Lord – Confess, repent, believe/trust, seek, listen, obey, and devote yourselves to Jesus. He matters more!

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

Easter – a time each year where were celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ! It is preceded by Good Friday, the day we observe as the day that Jesus went to the cross and was crucified. Yes, I realize this year taking time to recognize and celebrate these incredibly important days will look different for all of us. We will not be able to come as the body of Christ to reflect and praise the Lord together. As your pastor, I want you to take time this weekend to read and reflect on Colossians 2:6-15.

This is a passage rich in identity truths – our new status as followers of Christ. Yes, we celebrate the resurrection of Christ because of His victory over sin and death. But look closer at this passage to learn of some of the specifics that we benefit from because of what Christ did for us.

First, note verses 2:6-7 (ESV) “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Paul is exhorting those who have received Christ as Savior to “walk in Him” – go forward in this new life by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within you. As believers we should draw our new life change from the strength Christ provides.

You will note that this passage is not about what we ‘do’ to be saved, but what Christ did for us. You have heard me say, “Grace is opposed to earning, but not opposed to effort – just don’t trust your effort.” Yes, our salvation is by grace, through faith in what Christ did for us. We cannot earn it. It is a gift freely given to those who trust Christ’s provision for salvation. But as Paul states, “so walk in Him.” We must choose to walk in the truth of the gospel in response to receiving Christ as Savior.

Paul goes on to use the phrase “in Him” to describe our new union with Christ. When we have received Christ as Savior, we are “in Him” – in union with Christ. And because of this new identity in Christ, life is lived differently. Paul therefore warns them to not be deceived by those who will attempt to ‘add to’ – tack on requirements to the faith.

Paul goes on to say that in Christ we have everything needed for salvation and living in the faith. Verses 9-10 (ESV) tell us “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.” Paul is telling us that not only is Christ God, but that in this new union we are complete in Him – we have everything we need for salvation and living this new life. What does this mean? We lack nothing. Everything we need to live “in Him” has been provided for by Him! No one or nothing else has the keys to this life. Jesus is life!

Paul then ends verse 10 with the phrase “who is the head of all rule and authority.” Jesus is greater, is the top authority over all! Verses 11-14 continue to describe what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us. Not only did He overcome death and the grave, but because He was raised from the dead, we too who have received Christ are no longer dead in our sin! God made us alive in Christ!

I want you to note verse 15. It is the key to all the rest of what Paul is writing here. “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Why? Let me share a good explanation from pastor, Steven Wedgeworth:

Colossians 2:15 is speaking of “Christ’s victorious work on the cross. In the prior verses, Paul speaks about the “legal debt” sinners were under. Christ has now “set this aside” by “nailing it to the cross” (Col. 2:14). Because of this, no one can condemn us (Col. 2:16). This is how Jesus has disarmed the powers. He has taken away Satan’s power to hold sinners to the debt of their sins and trespasses. Indeed, accusation is the chief activity for Satan. Satan attempted to use the demands of the law to destroy God’s people. But Christ, in taking the law’s curse on himself (Gal. 3:13), has wrested this weapon from Satan. He has disarmed him and triumphed over all the forces of evil precisely in his sacrificial death on the cross.

 Did you get that? Evil no longer has any power over a child of God because Christ has disarmed it! Yes, Christians have struggles and battles with sin. But because of Christ’s divine authority and His victory on the cross we have provision to be free from sin that we get tangled up in. We do not have to live in the grasp of sin. We are no longer condemned by our sin! Jesus has provided for our forgiveness and freedom! This provision by Christ should be enough fuel needed to live our lives in Christ!

This Easter celebrate the victory we have in Christ. We can be free from the power of sin. We must choose to walk in the truth; confess, repent, believe, seek, listen, obey, and devote ourselves to Christ. Not to earn our salvation, but to enjoy the grace that God has provided for our salvation!

Praise His Name! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian

This past weekend the sermon I shared with you was from Mark 4:35-41. In the message, I contrasted two types of fear: being afraid and being in awe. The more we know and, by faith, trust Jesus – who He is and what He has done – the less afraid we should be. At the same time, there should a growing awe or confidence in Christ as we trust Him on life’s path. I ended the sermon with this question: will you trust Him and His provision for you? Your answer to the question ‘Who is this man?’ will determine your response.

All of life is a journey. Dare I say life is also a spiritual journey. As I look back on my life, I hope to see that I am further along in my faith. Not simply in the amount of knowledge I have. But has what I have read and learned impacted my faith in God, so it shows spiritual growth in my life? Has the truth of God’s Word been applied to my heart to the degree it has changed how I live life – what I value and love? I trust that is what each of us desire. As Paul said in Galatians 2:20 (NLT) “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

1 Samuel 21. David is on the run from Saul. It has been confirmed by Jonathan that his father, Saul, wants to kill David. In chapter 21, David finds himself in a town called Nob. He goes to Ahimelech the priest. When asked why he is there alone, David explains he was there on a private matter from the king. Then he proceeds to ask for food, for he was hungry. So initially, the boy that killed a lion and a bear while protecting sheep and faced the overwhelming odds of defeating Goliath, was on the run in fear. Where was his confidence in God’s protection and provision? It appears David took his eyes off God and allowed fear to overtake him. He resorted to lying, and as we will see, he continued to be deceptive.

In verses 8-9 (NLT) David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!” “I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.” “There is nothing like it!” David replied. “Give it to me!”  Now, we see David taking the sword of Goliath he had previously defeated. Evidently, the trophy of war was kept as a reminder of God’s provision of victory. David’s eagerness to take the sword is now a picture of relying on His own means of protection. Here in Nob we see fear give way to sin and unbelief. This led him to take a path to an unlikely setting – Gath. Gath was the town from which Goliath was from!

While in Gath, David was recognized as the one who was a military victor over the Philistines! When found out, in fear David responded by acting like a madman. As we also find out, his ‘acting’ was good enough to allow him a way of escape.

What can we take away from this chapter? Any believer, no matter how deep their faith, can fall victim to fear. Even godly people struggle with doubts and fears. Once David escaped and reached safety, he had a chance to reflect. We see his written reflections in Psalms 34 and 56.  In these psalms, we learn the following about God:

• God provides for us in all our needs
• God protects us in danger
• God grows the lives of His children
• God is compassionate towards us

I am thankful for the steadfast love of the Lord. I am thankful for His patience and compassion. Yes, the fears and the unknown of life can make us lose sight of our all-powerful God. But it is also great to know that He is there when we do fail in our faith. With David we can say, “The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:22, ESV)

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian