shygbible

³ He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. ⁴ But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. ⁵ For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite.

April 29

2009-04-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

1 Kings 13-14

Sample this...

^13:23 After the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the old prophet saddled his own donkey for him, ²⁴ and the man of God started off again. But as he was traveling along, a lion came out and killed him. His body lay there on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it.

April 28

2009-04-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

1 Kings 12

Sample this...

16 “Down with the dynasty of David!
We have no interest in the son of Jesse.
Back to your homes, O Israel!
Look out for your own house, O David!”

April 27

2009-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 11-12 & 1 Kings 11

Sample this...

^{Ecc 12:12} But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
¹³ That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. ¹⁴ God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

April 26

2009-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 6-10

Sample this...

^7:26 I discovered that a seductive woman is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.
²⁷ “This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle. ²⁸ Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman! ²⁹ But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”

April 25

2009-04-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

Song of Solomon 5-8

Sample this...

^5:4 My lover tried to unlatch the door,
and my heart thrilled within me.
⁵ I jumped up to open the door for my love,
and my hands dripped with perfume.
My fingers dripped with lovely myrrh
as I pulled back the bolt.

April 24

2009-04-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 1-5

Sample this...

Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!

April 23

2009-04-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

Song of Solomon 1-4

Try one of these for a pick up line...

4:1 Your eyes are like doves
behind your veil.
Your hair falls in waves,
like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead.
² Your teeth are as white as sheep,
recently shorn and freshly washed.

April 22

2009-04-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 31

^31:10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

April 21

2009-04-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 29-30

30: ⁵ Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
⁶ Do not add to his words,
or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

April 20

2009-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 27-28

Sample this...

⁵ An open rebuke
is better than hidden love!
⁶ Wounds from a sincere friend
are better than many kisses from an enemy.
⁹ The heartfelt counsel of a friend
is as sweet as perfume and incense.
¹⁵ A quarrelsome wife is as annoying
as constant dripping on a rainy day.

April 19

2009-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 24-26

Sample this...

24:¹ Don’t envy evil people
or desire their company.
² For their hearts plot violence,
and their words always stir up trouble.

April 18

2009-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 21-23

Sample this...

21:⁸ The way of the guilty is devious,
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
⁹ Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
¹⁹ Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.
²¹ He who pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor.

April 17

2009-04-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 18-20

Sample this:

^18:6 Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;
they are asking for a beating.
⁷ The mouths of fools are their ruin;
they trap themselves with their lips.
¹³ Spouting off before listening to the facts
is both shameful and foolish.

April 16

2009-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 15-17

Sample this...

Proverbs 15
³ The Lord is watching everywhere,
keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
⁷ The lips of the wise give good advice;
the heart of a fool has none to give.
now... what kind of people are you hanging around with? who are you listening to?

April 15

2009-04-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 12-14

Sample this...

Proverbs 13
¹ A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline;
a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
³ Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin everything.
²⁰ Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.

April 14

2009-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 9-11

April 13

2009-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 6-8

April 12

2009-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 4-5

April 11

2009-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have read about Solomon and all of his wisdom. We want to learn from people who are wise, but we have to be careful who we choose to learn from. Those who have the wisdom of the world are not who we seek to gain knowledge from. Solomon had wisdom given straight from God, and it is here that we begin our quest for wisdom.

Today we start at 12 day study of Solomon’s “nuggets” of wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Honestly, there is so much wisdom recorded here, I wish we could take one chapter a day. But in order to stay on track with the rest of the church, we will cover 2 or 3 a day. Don’t read through this quickly. Take some time. Divide each day’s reading into small sections if you need to. Just don’t miss the incredible “nuggets” of wisdom from Solomon.

Because there will be so much “good stuff” each day, it will be impossible to comment on everything. So if we have not touched on what you thought was really important in that day’s reading, please add your comment. Many will be blessed by our study of Solomon’s wisdom.

Proverbs 1-3

Where do we start to gain wisdom? According to Solomon, the beginning of knowledge is in fearing the LORD. Does that mean we are to be afraid of God? Does it mean that we have to recognize that He is the one in charge, and it is not our place to argue with Him? Does it mean that we realize that He knows what is best, and we trust what He says?

Solomon gave us a warning about rejecting wisdom. As he was discussing this issue, he talked about three types of people who are dangerous to us: the simple, the fools, and the mockers. The “simple” are people who live without thinking and are too lazy to change the way they live. Fools are much “smarter” and think about what they are doing, they have just made the decision to live by their own rules, apart from God and the advice of godly people in their lives. Mockers are rebels against God. They think they are better than everyone else and they let them know about it. They put others down and make them feel insecure about themselves. They are destructive.

We have to be careful about two things. First, we must make sure that we are not hanging out with people like this because they will influence who we are. Second, we must make sure that we have not become a simple person, a fool, or a mocker. Examine how you are living. Examine how you treat others.

God’s response to the simple, the fools, and the mockers is not something we want. Read Proverbs 1:23-33. Choose wisely how you live. Seek wisdom – but make sure you are seeking wisdom from the right place.

The Proverbs are ancient sayings that Solomon wrote down. They are one or two liners. Truth wrapped up in a sentence. Kinda' like todays sound bites that you hear in the news.
You could write a whole speach or sermon about just one proverb... the truth in the proverb is far reaching. In several cases, there's many that are very similar. And some are even meant to be a little funny... and true:
Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. (Pr. 21:9)

I recommend that you read the proverbs from your own Bible and underline the ones that stand out to you.

Solomon addresses this to his child or to his student as the scroll is written. He wants to teach about life and how it relates to Godliness, discipline, family life, money, love, marriage, friendship, sin, repentance, and more... it's here in the proverbs.

Click here to go to todays reading Proverbs 1-3

Sample:

3:1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.
2 If you do this, you will live many years, and your
life will be satisfying.
3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them
around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.
4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and
you will earn a good reputation.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do
not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will
show you which path to take.
Here's some modern day proverbs strung together by lynyrd skynyrd...

April 10

2009-04-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

I Kings 8-10

It was a big deal! The temple was finished and the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant was brought to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and was placed beneath the wings of the cherubim.

Solomon gave a very detailed prayer to the LORD dedicating the temple to Him. He then blessed the people of Israel. And God responds to Solomon by appearing to him. He reassures Solomon that He will take care of Israel as long as the sons of David on the throne obey God. But He warns, again, that if the sons of David on the throne turn away from Him and do not obey Him, He will turn away from Israel and reject the temple.

Solomon was very powerful. He was very wealthy. He was very respected.

Typically people who are given power and wealth – fall. Many times they lose the respect of the people because they become selfish and think that they are better than others.

As we read about Solomon’s life, we will watch and learn from his experiences.
We will see how we can be better people because of our study of Solomon.

think about it... do you give God your left overs?
when you do something to honor God, is it what you have left over - time, talent, treasure? or do you purposefully go out and get the best? do your best?
decide not to do other things because you wouldn't want to be too tired to worship, serve, honor, read about, sing about, or simply live for God?
solomon only uses and pays for the best. and he declares that no temple can hold God, but that it would be a house of prayer.
Jesus said something very similar about a "temple" containing him. read john 14:23

²³ Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them."

what are you doing to build God's temple?
are you allowing God to live in His temple?

GOOD FRIDAY... BLACK FRIDAY sometime during the dark hours of this morning, Jesus was convicted in a mock court and sentenced to be whipped and crucified. after being beaten like the worse criminal, he made his way through the streets carrying His own cross, till He could hold on to it any longer. follow the journey over the next few days... and read about GOD's Passionate Love for You! John 19

April 9

2009-04-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we read about Solomon asking God for wisdom, and as we read today, we see that God answered this request in mighty way. Solomon was known as the wisest man at that time. People from all nations came to learn from him. As we study Solomon’s life and his writings, we too will learn from him. But as you move into chapters 5-7 today, it is not about wisdom -- it is much more about obedience and completing a task that has given to you – and doing the job well.

Solomon was chosen to build the temple for God. He was given instructions to obey – and he completed them. Chapter 6:38 says “the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications.”

Sit back and enjoy reading these chapters. It is not like your typical Bible reading. Picture it as the Bible time’s version of The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous where you get to see incredible homes that are built with expensive and rare materials. These homes have beautiful details and really cool things. And it is awesome to get to see it – even if it is from the living room of your average home.

In the Bible times, there were obviously no video cameras (or regular cameras for that matter!) to capture the extravagance of this temple. The people relied on very detailed description that was written down to share how amazing this temple build for God actually was.

It took 7 years and 6 months to build. It took 183,300 people to build it! (That is more than everyone in Abilene plus about 60,000 more people all working on the building of this temple – for 7 ½ years!) It covered more than 35 acres. It was amazing.

As you read – try to picture it in your mind. Below there are pictures of a model of the temple that has been built in Jerusalem. We have a pretty accurate idea of what it looked like because we have such detailed documentation in I Kings 5-7.

I Kings 4:29-7:51

This temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.
When the rebuilt the temple centuries later, called Herod's Temple, it looked like this:

Solomon built this temple for God. He built it with the best of materials and with incredible attention to detail.

What would our lives look like if we did all that we do each day as if we were doing it for the LORD?

April 8

2009-04-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

I Kings 2-3

think about it:
Benaiah sounds like a pretty tough dude. check out his resume to carry out the executions to those that threatened the king:
2 Samuel 23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
pretty tough, huh?
is benaiah a big thug? or a righteous warrior?
if you could ask for one gift from God... what would it be?
why do you think solomon would ask for wisdom?
solomon was faced with a decision regarding the baby... that's a tough decision. but he didn't back down. he made a tough decision. what part did solomon asking God for wisdom play in him being able to make that decision?

April 7

2009-04-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

I Kings 1; I Chronicles 22:9-10

God chose Solomon to be David’s successor, and He told David that he would be a “man of peace and rest” and that Solomon would “build a house for His Name”. We do not know why at this point, when David is “old and well advanced in years”, the people have not been told that Solomon will be the next king.

Adonijah tries to manipulate the choice by naming himself king. David had to stand firm and honor God’s choice. It would have been easy to just go back on his word and let Adonijah take the throne, but David did what was right in God’s eyes. It surely was an uncomfortable situation for David to go against Adonijah and to name Solomon as the next king. Adonijah’s celebration dinner ended in humiliation as he was deserted by all of those who joined him in his manipulation.

And, Solomon, in a time when kings frequently killed family rivals to the throne, showed incredible mercy by allowing Adonijah to live as long as he did not do evil.

April 6

2009-04-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Our last day in the Psalms!

Psalm 111, 130, 131, 146, 147

These are shorter psalms... so don't freak out!

Psalm 146 hit me today. Wow, our God is awesome. I've put my hopes in to many other things before. They fail, people fail, God is faithful and everlasting.

April 5

2009-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Psalms 20, 32, 42, 101

Feel free to change the version of the translation that has been selected. Sometimes reading in a version you haven't read it in before brings a fresh perspective. Sometimes it's distracting. You make the call.

April 4

2009-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Psalms 139, 145, 150

The NIV version of one of my favorite Psalms is:

Psalm 150

¹ Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

² Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

³ Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

⁴ praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

⁵ praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

April 3

2009-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Psalms 122, 124, 138

April 2

2009-04-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Psalm 119

April 1

2009-04-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Psalms 103 & 104

March 31

2009-04-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Psalms 93, 94, 97, 98, 99, & 100

Make sure you also take a look at Psalm 100

March 30

2009-03-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

Psalm 29, 33, 65, 66

March 29

2009-03-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

Psalms 8, 16, 19, 24

March 28

2009-03-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

Psalms 84, 90, 92, 112, 115

March 27

2009-03-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

Psalms 49, 50, 73

March 26

2009-03-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Psalm 1
Psalm 36
Psalm 37
Psalm 40

March 25

2009-03-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

Psalm 108
Psalm 121
Psalm 143
Psalm 144

March 24

2009-03-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

Psalm 77
Psalm 86
Psalm 91
Psalm 95:1-7

March 23

2009-03-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

Psalm 23
Psalm 46
Psalm 61
Psalm 62
Psalm 71

For the next six days we will be reading a variety of Psalms. Psalms was a collection of poems and songs that the Israelites sung and heard being played in the Temple and synagogues. They used their harps, lyres, drums, and tamborines. But, the most important part of this was that the community of God's people got together to sing them, to chant them, to repeat them after the leader. They talk about real struggles, real feelings, and a real God that saves those that worship Him and walk in His ways.

Most of these were written by David, whose life we just got through reading about. You'll have to shift gears and start to ask questions like "what kind of situation has David been in that would make him write this?" or "What does this Psalm tell me about God?"

March 22

2009-03-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

I Chronicles 26-29

Or you can choose the selected passages from todays reading. CLICK HERE

Think about it...

Why is it important for David to get things organized?
Why is it important for him to "get things ready" for after he dies?
David was obviously hurt that he did not get to build the Temple... so what does his charge to Solomon say about how David feels about the importance of the quality of Solomon's work?
How do the leaders respond in giving for the Temple? Openly, secretively, happily, begrudgingly?
From David's final address... what can we learn from this man's heart? What is important for him? What does he hope that Israel will do when he is dead?
Do you want verse 28 to be said about you?
Are you willing to sacrifice pride, get up when you fall down, endure personal hardships?

March 21

2009-03-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 23-24; I Chronicles 21:1-19

We read two different perspectives on this story in 2 Samuel and I Chronicles. Each offers details in various areas and we get a more complete picture by reading both accounts. David has been described as a “man after God’s own heart”. He has not been perfect, but he has genuinely sought after God’s will and when he has messed up – he truly has been sorry. As David’s life comes to an end, we read about an interesting decision that David made. He decided to take a census – to count the men of Israel. Joab even questioned this decision. Why was this such a big deal?

What was the “great sin” that David is talking about?

Why was this a “great sin”?

Do we do anything in our lives that is similar to this sin?

Do you think the punishment for the sin was appropriate?

What do you learn about God from today’s reading?

March 20

2009-03-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 20-22

David spent a large portion of his life under attack. He was attacked by Israelites. He was attacked by non-Israelites. He was attacked by family members. And God was who he could trust.

In chapter 22 (and also in Psalm 18), we find David’s response to God’s repeated deliverance from attackers, famine, and political unrest. David recognized that his safety was because of God. He described God as his rock, his fortress, his refuge, and his deliverer – all of which were essential to his survival.

According to Ray vander Laan, the word translated “fortress” comes from a Hebrew word that means masada. David’s words compare God to a huge, well-known desert fortress built upon a very large rock in the Judean Wilderness.

(This picture is from the Jewish Virtual Library)

David felt safe in God’s arms. He saw that God was solid and not easily shaken. He saw God as a protector – a safe haven. What better word picture could be used to describe these feelings other than “Masada”.

When you think about God, what words would you use to describe Him?
Are your descriptive words personal or are they factual?
For example, you could say that God is all-knowing or all-powerful. These are factual, but they are not personal. Satan could say, “God is all-knowing and all-powerful.”

David’s relationship with God was very personal. Satan could not say, “God is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.”

Think about your relationship with God. What can you use to describe Him that is personal – something that Satan could not say about Him? Share your words with the rest of the SHYG community. Let’s move our relationship with God to a new level – one that is not based on head knowledge, but instead relies on a personal relationship with Him.

March 19

2009-03-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 16:15-19:43

Lust is contagious. No, not like a disease, but …
Lust breeds lust. Sin brings about more sin. It is an endless cycle until someone steps up and says “ENOUGH!” Someone has to decide to honor God instead of promoting self. It is the only way to stop the cycle.

Yes, you may have the “right” to react a certain way. Yes, you may have been wronged and need to defend your “name”. You may be the victim of someone else’s lust. You may have been deeply wounded by someone else’s sin. But don’t keep the cycle going. Satan wants you to buy into the lie. Satan wants you to return sin with sin.

Stand up. Say “enough”. Honor God before you honor yourself.

Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather, and Joab, David’s nephew, now catch the lust for revenge. The sin cycle that started with David and Bathsheba continues.

Ahithophel sends Absalom in to sleep with his father’s concubines which was a public statement that the relationship between Absalom and his father would never be repaired. By the way, this also fulfilled punishment given in the prophecy stated by Nathan in
2 Samuel 12:11-12: “This is what the LORD says: 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.”

Joab then completely disregards David’s request to “be gentle to Absalom”. Joab kills Absalom. David never had another chance to talk to him about his mistakes. Absalom never had another chance to turn his life around and do something positive. Wasted moments. Wasted opportunities. A tragic ending – a father’s broken heart.

Once again, David is returned as king, but he does not return to a united Israel. Can David confront evil and lead in a strong way for God? And if he does lead for God, will Israel follow?

Don’t waste opportunities with those you love. Share with them the way of the LORD. Don’t leave them going down the wrong path because it is easier to avoid the tough conversation. Lack of action only leads to broken hearts and lost souls.

Stand up. Say “enough”. Break the cycle of sin. Honor God – today.

March 18

2009-03-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 15-16:14

Absalom means “father of peace”. Although Absalom was a talented and handsome young man, his character fell way short of his name.

Absalom killed Amnon for acting out his lust for Tamar, but he couldn’t see the wickedness behind his own lust for revenge and power. And peace was not even close to what resulted from his behavior.

Although David falls short in the category of being a strong father, he still honors God. He recognized that the Ark is not a magic object that guarantees God’s blessing. Instead, David shows that he truly believes that God is in control over who is king of Israel. That takes real faith!

Once again, David finds himself fleeing and totally dependent upon God.

Read Psalm 3 which he wrote while fleeing from Absalom.

Do you have a lust for revenge?
Do you have a lust for power?
Do you try to steal the hearts of people – even if you have to be dishonest to do it?
Do you believe, like David, that God truly is in control?
Do you believe this enough to keep you going when everything is going wrong?
Have you ever found yourself totally dependent on God?

Have you ever had to ask God to take control?

March 17

2009-03-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 14

There are some people who learn best from stories that have analogies. You know, those stories where a situation is described, a question is asked, the answer is obvious, a lesson is taught – BUT then reality hits! The obvious answer and the lesson being taught apply to you!

It was so easy to see the obvious as an outsider listening to the story – BUT when you are living it, it is not so easy. We rationalize, justify, and make excuses for our wrong decisions and poor behavior.

Jesus taught this way. Nathan convicted David about Bathsheba in this way. And, now, here we go again. David is about to learn ANOTHER lesson.

As a young boy, David stepped up and confronted Goliath because he was against God, yet as a father, David has not been able to deal with the sin of his sons. David did not deal with Amnon’s sin against Tamar which led to Absalom taking revenge. Absalom sins and kills Amnon, and once again David is silent.

David did not confront Absalom and punish him, nor did he insist on a confession and repentance. Now there is a national problem that Joab, David’s nephew and military leader, sees. Absalom is next in line to the throne. David’s lack of action in his family is weakening Israel. Joab urges David (through a story) to recognize the importance of restoring Absalom and continuing the family line to the throne.

However, even after Absalom was allowed to return. David ignored the problem. Finally, Absalom forced the issue – either he would be punished or reconciled. Even as David chose to reconcile him, David did not discuss with Absalom his poor choices. David’s weak parenting left Absalom without discipline and direction which later would send Absalom down a very dark path – and David’s heart would be broken.

Parents:
Do you stand firm in redirecting your child’s behavior?
Do you allow your child to face the consequences of his/her poor decisions or do you constantly make excuses or bail him/her out?

Teens:
Do you despise your parent’s discipline?
Do you envy friends who have parents who are not strict?

“My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline is the way to life.” Proverbs 6:20-23

March16

2009-03-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 13

Lust. It is one of those words we don’t talk about – usually. One that we kind of sweep under the rug and pretend it doesn’t apply to us. But that is what the devil wants us to do with it. He doesn’t want us to really examine it and truthfully discover if we have lust in our lives.

So, lust – what is it? Lust is an overwhelming desire or craving for something.

Does it have to be sexual? No. Although the NIV translation seems to have focused on using the word “lust” for primarily overwhelming sexual desires, the King James Version uses the word lust in scriptures like Psalm 78:18, Psalm 78:30, Psalm 81:12, and Romans 7:7. These scriptures refer to lust as an overwhelming desire or craving for things like meat or material items that can be coveted. One can even lust for nonmaterial things like power or popularity.

Lust is not love. Lust separates you from God. It exchanges God’s desires in your heart for evil or selfish desires, and, before you know it, you become more focused on the object you are lusting after and lose sight of God.

Have you ever wanted something, but couldn’t have it? Did the fact that you couldn’t have it make you want it even more? Have you ever wanted something over a long period of time only to feel let down after you got it? Sometimes the wanting and the desire give you more of a “rush” than the actual object.

It is horrible when this happens with objects, but when it happens with people – it is devastating.

Amnon thought his intense feelings for Tamar were love. Instead, his feelings were all about him and what he wanted. He never took Tamar’s feelings or desires into consideration – and that is not love. He quickly discovered this, because after he got what he wanted, he hated Tamar. So he was confused. So he didn’t understand his feelings – you know feelings can change. BUT the problem here is that his feelings were lust, not love, and he acted based upon lust.

So are you confused as to whether your feelings might be lust or love? I Corinthians 13 spells it out pretty clearly: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Amnon’s feelings do not fit this description. How about your feelings?

Lust (obsessive desires and cravings) is serious – whether it is a lust for sexual things or things of this world. Be careful. Check your feelings.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does -comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” I John 2:15-17

“Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then, when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
James 1:13-15

"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards." Matthew 7:24-27 (The Message)

March 15

2009-03-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 11-12

“People never crumble in a day.” These are words of truth from the Casting Crown’s song “Slow Fade”. We have talked about this song before. We have even posted it previously on shygbible, but today’s reading illustrates this point beautifully.

The song continues, “Be careful little eyes what you see. It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings.” David’s second glance (after he saw something he shouldn’t have seen, and he should have looked away) started him down a very sad path. This path led to compromise … which led to sin … which led to more sin to cover up the first sin. It was a domino effect.

It all started with a second glance, then the temptation set in and the desire of the heart changed from what God wanted to what David wanted. His heart was not receptive to the LORD, and David pursued his desires and took what he wanted. Then the cover up started. Kind of reminds you of Adam and Eve in the garden…

Then Nathan comes and points out exactly what David had become: lustful, greedy, envious, murderous, deceitful, arrogant, inventing ways of doing evil, senseless, heartless, ruthless, … (see Romans 1:28-32). David had exchanged the truth of God for a lie. And Nathan explains that there will be punishment for David’s disobedience. “Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.”

When David realized this, he repented. He recognized that what he had done was wrong and that he had gone against God. He was truly sorry and wanted to be different. This is such an important part of being a “man after God’s own heart”.

Read Psalm 51. It is a familiar Psalm, but think about the circumstance David was in when he wrote this Psalm.

The result?

“The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.”

And here lies the tough reality of it all. Yes, when we repent of our sin before God, He forgives our sin. He takes it away, and we avoid spiritual death … BUT the harsh reality is that there are still consequences of our sin that we have to live with. Broken hearts, broken families, hurt people are left in the wake of sin. Choose carefully your actions each day. Do not exchange God’s truth for a lie.

Adam Palmer, the author of The High School Survival Guide, says “The first wrong turn isn’t the one that gets you lost – it is just the one that starts you down the road to lostness.”

What road are you on?
Guard yourself – don’t allow yourself to take the second glance.
Have you compromised who you are?
Have you exchanged the truth of God for a lie?
Can you relate to Psalm 51? Claim it as your plea to God if you find that you have fallen into temptation and ended up in a chain of sin. Although we have to deal with the consequences, there is forgiveness and life through Jesus.

March 14

2009-03-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 9-10

Two thoughts from today’s readings – one from each chapter:

1. Amazing loyalty and incredible kindness
David remained true to his friendship with Jonathan even after Jonathan’s death, and he showed kindness to someone who described himself as a “dead dog”.

Are you a true friend?
Do you look for people to show kindness to?
Could you risk your image by showing kindness to a “dead dog”?
At what level do you show kindness – the lowest level or the level that treats the person like royalty (or maybe like how you are treated)?
How long do you show kindness to that person – just a few times (to say you did it) or from that time on?

2. Accepting people at their word
David genuinely sent men to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death – but Hanun did not accept him at his word. He allowed other people and his own insecurities to create a new “reality”. Unfortunately, he created war where there was peace and lives were destroyed because of it.

Do you accept people at their word?
Do you believe that they mean what they say?
Do you allow others to create a new “reality”?
Do you create a new “reality” because of your insecurities about yourself?
Do you create war when there is peace? (at school, at home, in friendships, etc.)

March 13

2009-03-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 6

Does it seem fair for someone who was genuinely trying to keep the Ark from falling to be struck dead?

Numbers 4:15 very clearly stated that no one was to touch the Ark. What do we learn about God and His desire for obedience in this story?

If we have a good reason or a logical reason to disobey God, is it okay?

What does it say about David that he was not willing to take the Ark of the LORD to the City of David?

Why did Michal despise David?

Were David’s actions right or wrong before the LORD?

How undignified are you willing to become to celebrate God?

Are you willing to raise your hands in worship... or are you worried what others are thinking?

Are you willing to speak up and do what's right when the crowd is going the wrong way... or are you worried about what others are thinking?

How much are you willing to not worry about what others are thinking... but think only of how your heart and life can honor God... with out worrying about what others are thinking?

This song by David Crowder talks about how "undignified" we look when we are doing things for our unseen King... and yet the Band says that "they will become even more undignified than this"... just like king David. Will you join them?

March 12

2009-03-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 4-5

Now at the news that Abner was dead, Israel became alarmed and seemed to panic.

Ish-Bosheth’s leaders decide to take things into their own hands. They betray their king and kill him. They bring his head to David to “get in good” with the king-to-be.

Unfortunately for them, that doesn’t go over very well with David – just like the Amalekite who brought the news about Saul’s death didn’t go over very well.

Remember, David was a man who tried very hard to honor God’s law. In Genesis 9:6 it says, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” This was God’s command, and David follows it. He orders these men to be put to death.

God blesses David’s obedience and gives him great success, but David still had to wait for God’s timing – it took 7 years, and 6 months of being king over Judah before he became king over all of Israel.

Read Psalm 18:20-50.

David was purposeful about living a righteous life and keeping his hands clean from any wrong doing – and God rewarded him. David said that he kept the laws of God before him and kept himself from sin. He stayed humble – never placing himself equal to or above God.

Think about it...

Are you willing to sin trying to “get in good” with someone?

Do you rush to be the one “bringing the news”?

Do you have patience for God’s timing?

Are you purposeful about living a righteous life and keeping your hands clean from wrong doing?

Do you keep God’s laws before you?

Do you put yourself equal to or above God by thinking you know better than He does?

March 11

2009-03-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

2 Samuel 1-3

Saul dies and the circumstances of his death are reported to David by an Amalekite (isn’t that ironic – since it was the Amalekites that Saul did not completely destroy when he disobeyed God). We are not sure if the Amalekite is telling the truth because his version differs from what we are told about Saul’s death in I Samuel 31:3-6. Regardless, it is assumed that the Amalekite is expecting some sort of reward for “killing” Saul – what he gets is not quite what he expected.

Now you would think that David would be placed in the kingship immediately, right? After all, Saul is dead … but, no. It will be several years before he is king over all of Israel.

There is conflict between the house of Saul (and his son Ish-Bosheth) and the house of David. Unfortunately, Joab, one of David’s men, murders Abner, the strong leader for Saul’s house, because he was jealous and he decided to take things into his own hands.

David now faces a really tough situation. He knows that before God he is innocent of Abner’s death, but it is important for the people to understand this if they are ever to follow him as their king.

Often we talk about the patience of Job, who definitely did endure a lot. But it also seems that David has an incredible amount of patience as he waits for God to place him on the throne.

What do you think would have happened if Jonathan was still alive?
How would this have complicated who was to become king?
Do you have patience to wait on God?

March 10

2009-03-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

I Samuel 30-31

When David and his men returned home to Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had burned their town and taken the women and children captive. God’s war with the Amalekites was supposed to be over when Saul attacked them, but now the war continued through David. David’s followers were greatly distressed and were considering stoning him.

“But David found strength in the LORD.” David asked God before he reacted, and God gave him direction. After the slaughter of all but 400 of the Amalekites, we see another glimpse at David’s heart. Some of his men went into battle, but some were too tired and stayed to guard the supplies. David split the plunder evenly between those who fought and those who stayed behind. David viewed the plunder as a gift from God for all to share equally.

During the battle between the Philistines and the Israelites, the end comes for Saul – not at the hands of David, but at the hands of the Philistines in God’s timing.
I Chronicles 10:13-14 says “Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.”

Jonathan died during the consequences of his father’s disobedience. He and David never got to rule together in Israel. Why do you think this is so?

Saul’s life teaches us three main things:
1. God is bigger than we are. When life gets tough, we should focus on His strength and not our problems or our weaknesses. We are to obey God even when we think our way makes more sense.
2. God’s opinion is what matters. It doesn’t matter what other people think. Fear of losing popularity or power should never keep us from obeying God.
3. When we need guidance, we must go to God first. And if God is silent, we must wait and be patient. Taking matters into our own hands is not good – and is usually a path to sin.

March 9

2009-03-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

I Samuel 27-29

Once again David fears Saul and flees to the home of Goliath – the land of the Philistines. Strangely enough, they welcome him and his 600 men. They even allowed him to live in their land for 16 months.

Only when the Philistines decided to attack Israel did they become concerned about the loyalty of David and his followers -- they were sent home to Ziklag.

As the Philistines assembled to attack Israel, Saul became concerned and tried to approach God for guidance – but God did not answer him. Saul panicked – and looked for anyone who could help him. He eventually turned to a woman who could speak to spirits, and he asked her to contact Samuel.

Samuel explained that God had turned away from Saul and had become his enemy. Samuel explained that Saul’s punishment for disobeying God when he was instructed to wipe out the Amalekites is now about to take place. The kingdom will be taken away from Saul and given to David – and Saul and his sons will die.

Think about it:
Does God eventually say “enough” and turn away from people today?
Why do you think God’s timing was at this point in Saul’s life or David’s life?
Has God become an enemy to anyone today? If so, who?
Do you think David and his men would have gone to war with the Philistines against Israel if they had not been sent home to Ziklag?

March 8

2009-03-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 26

Isn’t it interesting that both times that David has spared Saul’s life – suddenly Saul’s heart is softened, and he speaks kindly to David. Truly evil was overcome by good.

And in each case, Saul respected David because of his respect for God … and Saul recognized his own sin.

I Peter 5:6 says “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

This is exactly what David did. He had plenty of opportunities to speed up the process and become the reigning king, but he recognized that he was not in charge of the timing. He humbled himself before God, and allowed God to decide the right time for David take over as king.

think about it:
Do you trust God enough to wait on His timing?
It made all the sense in the world for David to take Saul's life. He didn't. His friends didn't understand him. His enemy didn't even understand him. David's pride could have cost Saul his life, and David's own soul. What authorities has God put in your life that the whole world is telling you to debunk? Your parents? Your teachers? Your coaches? Your boss? Just lie a little. Just disrespect enought to let them know that you think they don't know what they are talking about, but not enough to get you in trouble. Compensate yourself out of the cash register... you are worth it. You deserve it. You are not being treated fairly. And you know what ... that may be true... But God may be trying to teach you something. What will you do? Choose to honor yourself? Choose to honor God and the position he's put you in?
If it's your coach... quit the team if he is making you dishonor your God. If it's your boss and he's/she is belittling you or dishonoring your God. If it's your teacher, pray for them, switch classes, respect them. If it's your parents, honor them, and live for your God, even if they are not. Seek help from a trusted adult if any of these adults are abusing you physically or verbally. But don't go around tearing them down just because you feel that you are better than they are.
What evil in your world can you approach with goodness?
Remember, it is not our place to take revenge. We must leave room for God’s wrath.

March 7

2009-03-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 24-25; Romans 12:17-21

We have all felt the need to defend ourselves at one time or another, but be careful when you start thinking about your “rights”. Remember, it is not about you – it is about Jesus. And when we take situations into our own hands, we do not allow God to work in His timing.

When we take revenge – not only do we risk sinning – but we do not leave room for God’s wrath. We are not to repay evil with evil. We are to overcome evil with good.

Up through chapter 24, David has remained humble and patient. He has asked God for guidance, but in I Samuel 25:13, David is personally offended. He is angry and does not ask God about it. He is going after Nabal – to make himself feel better.

God provided a door for David not to sin.

I Corinthians 10:13 says “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

This was a perfect example of this scripture. God provided a way out. Could David had ignored it and continued on with his plans of revenge? Absolutely.

Think about it:

How many times does God provide a way out for us, but we don’t even see it?
When times get tough and you are really tempted, do you look for your way out? God says He will provide it.
Do you take matters into your own hands or do you leave room for God’s wrath?
Do you defend yourself or Jesus?

March 6

2009-03-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 25; Psalm 63

Again we observe the actions of two people who are living very differently. Saul has not sought the LORD – he is continually following his own will. He is prideful and doing things out of fear of losing his power and popularity.

David, however, has continually asked God for direction and guidance. He has humbled himself before God and has waited on Him. David has shown us a great example of James 4:8 “Come near to God, and He will come near to you.”

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Proverbs 3:34-35 “He mocks proud mockers, but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame.”

Where do you go first when you need guidance and direction? (friends, parents, teachers, God, Bible, horoscope,)

In God’s eyes, would you consider yourself prideful or humble? Wise or foolish?

Psalm 63 expresses what it looks like to earnestly seek God. Look to see if you can find things that you are doing to seek God … and things that you need to begin doing to seek God.

March 5

2009-03-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 22

Once again David finds himself being pursued, yet this time he does not pretend to be insane, out of fear – instead, he boldly begins to lead.

David has been anointed Kin, but Saul is still reigning in the kingdom. During this time, David gathers a group people who really don’t fit into their world. They were in debt, distressed, and discontented – looking for something more in life than what their world had to offer.

This group trusted David and was willing to go through tough times for him. David knew that if they were willing to sacrifice for him now when times were tough, they would be faithful to him when he reigned as King.

Saul made their lives miserable. They went hungry, lived in caves, and had to run for their lives – but they knew a day would come when they would be rewarded for the tough times they endured for David. I Chronicles 11-12 records their loyalty and their rewards.

So what can we learn from David’s exile and his group of discontented followers?

Like David, Jesus has been anointed the true King, but is not yet reigning over His kingdom on earth. And Satan, like Saul, is reigning, but has been rejected by God and will have a limited amount of time as king before he is overthrown.

Until this happens, Jesus is gathering a group of discontented and distressed followers who don’t fit into this world. He is looking for those who desire more than this life has to offer. He wants those who are willing to go through tough times for Him now, because He knows they will be faithful to Him.

Are you willing to join this group of Jesus followers?
Are you discontent with what his world has to offer?
Are you distressed with the burdens of this world?
Are you willing to go through tough times for Him?
Will you sacrifice for Him?

If so, join us. We hold fast to the promise that when He takes the throne, we will be greatly rewarded!

This lesson has been adapted from a lesson on www.jesusplusnothing.com.

March 4

2009-03-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 21

My how things change … David has gone from ordinary (a shepherd boy tending sheep) to extraordinary (Israel’s anointed king and national hero) relatively quickly. He has married the king’s daughter, and it seems that the road to his kingship is moving along as planned … except jealousy creeps into Saul’s heart and he plots to kill David.

And now, David finds himself having to run for his life – literally. He has to leave the comfort of his life and support of his friends and hide in the caves and wilderness. In Nob, David begs for food and a sword from the priest. He is given bread that was set aside as holy and Goliath’s sword.

Things got so bad that David had to leave Israel and go into the land of the Philistines! He walks into Goliath’s hometown, Gath, carrying Goliath’s sword, and the people recognize him. Out of fear (yes, this is the same guy who stood up to Goliath), he pretended to be insane.

It seems that David has lost everything. He is in exile from his kingdom. People are pursuing him to kill him. He is possibly at his lowest point – and he wrote Psalm 56.

If you are going through a tough time right now – take comfort in David’s words. Read Psalm 56.

“But this I know, that GOD IS FOR ME.” Carry this verse with you always. No matter how bad things get, if you remain faithful to God, you have this promise – This I know, God is for me.

Now read Psalm 34. It is interesting to read this Psalm because it was written at the same time in David’s life – except that it was written AFTER he was delivered from the king of Gath.

What a blessing to have this time in David’s life written for us. We see how he looked for God in his dark time of fear and we see how he praised God when his cries were answered.

If you are struggling today, take comfort in David’s words:

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all…”

This lesson has been adapted from a lesson called “But This I Know, That God is For Me” on www.jesusplusnothing.com.

March 3

2009-03-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 20

Jonathan was a faithful friend to David, but more importantly, he was faithful to God. Finding yourself torn between two people that you love is very difficult – especially when those two people don’t get along.

Jonathan was very disappointed in his dad and the poor choices that he made. Jonathan stood up to his father and defended David. He knew that his father was in the wrong and David was in danger. Jonathan was very sad because he knew he had to say goodbye to his best friend. But…

Jonathan did not let his disappointment with his earthly father get in the way with his relationship with his heavenly father. Jonathan was able to do all that he did because he trusted God, and he let his relationship with God guide him in his relationships on earth.

Think about it:
Have your parents ever disappointed you by their poor choices?
Have you let your parents’ poor choices affect your relationship with God?
Do you let God guide you in your relationships on earth?

March 2

2009-03-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 18-19

David was very popular. The people loved him, and he was having great success because the LORD was with him. It is interesting to watch two very different people – Saul and Jonathan – deal with David’s success. We can learn a lot about both of them by simply watching how they dealt with someone else’s success.

Saul – Saul was obviously an insecure person. He was jealous of David’s popularity and was threatened by his success. Saul did not recognize God as the supreme power and tried to kill David. He let his fear of losing his own power and popularity cause him to lose sight of right and wrong and make very poor decisions. Saul also thought he was right and refused to listen to those who tried to reason with him.

Jonathan – Jonathan, on the other hand, was very secure in who he was and in his relationship with God. He was a man of integrity and loyalty. He perfectly demonstrated what it means to love someone as yourself. Jonathan gave up his right for his friend. He was legitimately the heir to the throne after Saul, but when Jonathan gave David his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt, he showed that he was willing to give up his right to the throne for David. Jonathan also was happy for David’s success and rejoiced with him.

Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times.”

Think about it:
Can others learn a lot about you by simply watching how you deal with another person’s success?
Are you secure in who you are?
Do you rejoice with others in their successes or are you jealous of them?
Are you a true friend? Do you stand up for your friends when people are saying false things about them?
Do you allow the fear of losing your power and popularity to cause you to lose sight of right and wrong and make poor decisions?
Do you think you are right and refuse to listen to others?

March 1

2009-02-28T20:36:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 16 – 17

Isn’t interesting to see how God’s path is placed before David? He is simply out tending to the sheep. We know that he was living his “everyday, normal life” in a way that honored God because I Samuel 13:14 says that he was a “man after God’s own heart”.

Samuel was sent on a mission to anoint a new king for Israel. He thought he knew what he was looking for, but God had to redirect his thoughts. I Samuel 16:7 explains “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” David was anointed.

We read that the Spirit of the LORD came upon David and that the Spirit of the LORD left Saul. Saul was tormented by an evil spirit, and God’s path for David led him straight to Saul. David did not go looking for Saul. Saul sent his attendants for David. Saul liked David because he brought peace to Saul that he could not explain.

Again, we see David simply living his “everyday, normal life” when he is sent to check on his older brothers who had followed Saul into war against the Philistines. Here he comes in contact with Goliath – “an uncircumcised Philistine who defied the armies of the living God.”

He must have been a sight. All of the Israelite men were afraid of him. Remember in
I Samuel 13:16-22 we were told that the Philistines controlled the iron and bronze in the country. The Israelites, with the exception of Saul and Jonathan, did not have swords or spears. And here comes Goliath with a bronze helmet, a bronze coat of scale armor, bronze leg protectors, a bronze javelin, a spear, and a shield. Slightly intimidating? Not to mention that he was HUGE!

David’s response shows his heart. No one – AND I MEAN, NO ONE – is going to belittle his God. David recognized that by simply living his “everyday, normal life”, God had prepared him for this moment. He had the skills necessary (even though they didn’t seem that impressive), but, more importantly, he had God.

Now here is the cool part of the story…the symbolism. Picture this. You have David – the one who cares for sheep – the one whose name means “beloved” – the one who is after God’s own heart VERSUS Goliath who definitely represents the uncircumcised, evil in the world led by Satan. The cool thing is not only the fact that David won – but how he won.

Remember in Genesis 3 when God was giving Satan his punishment in the garden for deceiving Eve? God said, “He will crush your head.” How did David kill Goliath? He crushed his head. YES! God still triumphs over Satan! His story continues. The battle between God and Satan continues, but as David said, “The battle is the Lord’s.”

February 28...

2009-02-27T22:49:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 15

Why is obedience important? Today we see the effects of disobedience, and we see how far the consequences can linger. The Israelites had a history with the Amalekites, and God had stated what would happen to them in the future.

The Amalekites were the first to attack the Israelites after they left Egypt, and God told Moses to write the following on a scroll as something to be remembered: “I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:8-16)

The Israelites are told to “remember what the Amalekites did to you”. They were told that after they gained possession of the Promised Land they would “blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!” (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).

And, now, the time has come. Saul is leading the Israelites and the order is delivered through Samuel. Read I Samuel 15:2-3 again. It is very specific – do not spare anyone. Remember, God had said that He would blot them out completely. Did Saul obey? No.

What is worse is that he tried to cover up his disobedience. First, he denied his disobedience and claimed that he obeyed. Then, he justified his disobedience by saying that he was thinking about God and saving the best for Him.

If you want a glimpse into God’s heart, look at verses 22-23 again. “To obey is better than sacrifice.” God wants us to obey. He has a big picture – and things would go much better if His servants would OBEY. Not partially. Not half-way. COMPLETELY OBEY.

So what does it matter that Saul disobeyed this one “minor” detail of God’s directions? Well, for Saul, he was rejected as king. For Israel, they would come in contact with the descendants of Agag, the Amalekite, again later. (Do you remember a guy by the name of Haman in the book of Esther? – He didn’t care too much for the Jewish people.)

Think about it:
Does our disobedience affect God’s big picture? If so, how?
Do you try to cover up your disobedience by denying it?
Do you try to cover up your disobedience by justifying it?

Remember, God is interested in your heart. He is not interested in the social Christianity scene. If you are just going through the motions …. STOP. He is not interested. He is interested in you, your heart, your mind, your soul, your actions … all of you. Give it to Him today.

February 27...

2009-02-26T21:38:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 14

think about it...
have you ever picked a fight for God?
no, not being obnoxious or saying "you're going to hell" to someone. i mean, stepping up when someone is doing wrong and making it right for God?
does this story surprise you?
how does jonathan's armor bearer react?
do you have any friends that would act that way towards you if you stood up for the kid that everyone is making fun of? or if you decide not to cheat on a test?
or let me ask you this... are you hanging around people with faith like jonathan's? others that are leading you into battle for God?
or are the ones you hang with the ones making fun, cheating, drinking, and lying to parents? are you willing to be that person?
are you willing to choose God? after all, read verse 6-7 again... now "that's" being bold WITH God...

February 26...

2009-02-25T21:11:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 12-13

Samuel passed the torch of leadership and gave a farewell speech similar to the speeches given by Moses and Joshua right before they died. He retold their story – from Egypt to the present day, where they had been given a king.

Then Samuel stated the command for the Israelites and their new king: If you (1) fear the LORD, (2) serve Him faithfully with all your heart, (3) obey Him, (4) do not rebel against Him, and (5) follow Him … the results would be good. BUT if you (1) do not obey, (2) rebel against Him, and (3) do evil … His hand will be against you and you and your king will be swept away. It was pretty straight forward.

Yesterday we read in chapter 10 verse 8 a list of commands which Saul was to follow which ended with going ahead of Samuel to Gilgal and waiting for him to come and sacrifice the offerings and give Saul further instruction.

Time was running out. The men started scattering, and Saul became afraid. He panicked and moved ahead of God, and when Samuel arrived, he told Saul that he had acted foolishly.

The result? Saul’s kingdom would not endure. It comes down to a very basic fact. God’s servants must trust Him enough that they will obey Him – even when it seems that everything is going wrong … even when it seems that time is running out … even when it seems that God isn’t showing up.

Do you trust that God will show up?
Do you panic when it seems time is running out?
Do you move ahead of God?

Waiting on God is one of the most difficult spiritual disciplines to learn, but we must learn to be patient in Him. Try it this week. It’s amazing. He does show up.

think about it...
what kind of power does a king have?
why is samuel so upset at the israelites?
is he upset they've rejected him as their leader or God?
what is the israelites track record? what does samuel say about that?
how does israel respond to samuel calling them out? repentant or unaffected?
why is samuel upset at saul?
what are the consequences for saul?
why is it hard to wait and do things God's way, instead of doing things God's way?

February 25...

2009-02-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 9-11

Saul had it all. He stood out because of his physical superiority. God chose him as the first king of Israel. God gave him specific instructions to see if he would listen and obey, and Saul had an incredible experience with God where God changed Saul’s heart. Saul successfully led the rescue of Jabesh and united the 12 tribes.

How is having a king different from having a judge at this point?

God gave in to the demand of the Israelites for a king, but in all other nations, kings had absolute power. In Israel, however, God was all powerful and the king was to serve Him. Would Saul be able to be a servant king?

Does God take bad decisions and use them for His own purposes? If so, how?

Are we truly a nation under God? Does our country’s leadership see themselves as under His authority?

February 24...

2009-02-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 17:14-20; I Samuel 8

The Grass Is Always Greener

Ever heard that saying “The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side”? It sometimes seems that other people have it easier or better when we are looking at them from the outside. And so it was with Israel.

Israel asked for a king. Was this a surprise? It shouldn’t have been. God told them that after they took possession of the land and settled in it, they would want a king like all the nations around them – and he told them what to do when they found themselves asking for a king. He told them to appoint a king that He would choose. He gave them guidelines for their king. The problem was that they didn’t want a king like God had described – they wanted a king “like the other nations”. They wanted a king like one the world would choose.

Samuel was angry because he knew that they had the most incredible king, God, and that they were rejecting Him as their king. God was unhappy because once again the Israelites would not listen to Him and obey Him. So God told Samuel to explain the consequences of their decision which included all kinds of sacrifice and hardship on their part, but the biggie was that they would “cry out for relief from the king they had chosen, and the LORD would not answer”.

You would think that that would be enough to make them take a breath and think about what they were asking for – but no. The Israelites heard all of this and still responded, “No. We want a king over us. Then we will be like the other nations.”

Kind of sounds like a spoiled child right? And God gave an incredible example of “tough love”. He said, “Fine. Give them what they want.” How it had to hurt His heart! How it had to make Samuel frustrated! But they gave them over to what they wanted …. which is scary when our desires don’t match the desires of God.

Today, you face the same decision that the Israelites did. Who (or what) do you want as your king (master)?

Are you looking at others thinking that their life is better than yours?
Are you willing to give up your incredible King for a worldly king?
Do your desires match God’s desires?
Be careful, the day may come with God says, “Give him what he wants.” And what follows is never good.

This was adapted from Ray Vander Laan’s study “Give Us A King” (www.followtherabbi.com)

February 23...

2009-02-22T20:12:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 5-7

I love this story because it gives us a glimpse of how God works! Yesterday we asked, “Why did God allow the Philistines to take the Ark of the Covenant?” And in today’s reading we see God working to convince a pagan people that He is the one true God!

Okay … some of the Philistines in Ashdod got the message quickly after seeing their god “bowing down” face down in front of the ark the first day and “bowing down” without a head or hands in front of the ark the second day. However, it took a bit more for others to get the point -- devastation including rats, tumors, and death had to come. But the rulers weren’t yet convinced that it was all related to the ark – so they sent it to another Philistine town, Gath.

Again the same thing happened – what a coincidence! So they decided to move it to another town, Ekron, but the people cried out and were afraid! Go figure! Sure enough devastation, tumors, and death – again. It only took 7 months to figure this pattern out! So they finally decided to return the ark to Israel.

Interestingly enough – the Philistine priests and diviners recognized that the Philistines should make a guilt offering to this God of Israel in order to be healed and forgiven. BUT the strange thing is they set up a test to see if all of this was because of God or because of chance. They still didn’t really know – and the test they set up was rigged to go in their favor and say it was all due to chance.

The cows pulling the cart were not trained to pull a cart (they had never been yoked) and they were momma cows with calves. What momma cow is going to voluntarily leave her young behind? The test was set up to show that God was nothing and it all happened by chance.

God is so much bigger than that! Those cows went exactly where He guided them proving to the Philistines that the LORD was the one in charge, AND it seems that a pretty strong message was sent to the Israelites, too. Can you imagine being in the field and seeing an unmanned cart returning the ark that had been gone for seven months?

It seemed natural to want to look inside of the ark to make sure that all of the holy things were still in there – but there was one problem – in Numbers 4:20 God specifically said “do not look at the holy things, even for a moment, or you will die”. And that is exactly what happened.

The pattern of the judges returned – the people cried out – and Samuel, their judge, spoke to them. His message? Purge that which is ungodly from your life. Confess that you have sinned against Him. Recommit to serve Him only, and return to Him with all your heart. And He will deliver you.

Think about it:
Do you recognize that coincidences can actually be God working to teach something to you or someone else? Do you have any examples in your life of this happening?
Do you set up “tests” for God that are rigged to get the answer that you are wanting?
Do you make decisions based on what seems natural or based on what God has said to do?
Are you struggling today in your walk with God? If so, listen to the message from Samuel. Purge that which is ungodly from your life. Confess that you have sinned against Him. Recommit to serve Him only, and return to Him with all your heart. And He will deliver you.

February 22...

2009-02-22T05:49:00.000-08:00

I Samuel 3-4

I Samuel 3:7 tells us that “Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” Eli taught Samuel how to respond to God’s call.

When Samuel shared with Eli the vision God gave him – Eli’s response was “He is the LORD: let Him do what is good in His eyes.”

Samuel became a faithful servant for God. Eli honored God before himself, his sons, or even Samuel. But tragedy struck Eli’s home, and tragedy struck the Israelite nation.

Why did God allow the Israelites to be defeated by the Philistines?

Why did God allow the ark of the covenant to be taken by Israel’s enemy?

How do you think Eli’s death will affect Samuel?

February 21...

2009-02-21T08:42:00.000-08:00

Leviticus 7:28-36, I Samuel 1-2

What affects whether or not a child grows up and serves the LORD? Is it the parent’s relationship with God? Is it the home environment? Is it the relationship between a parent and a child? Is it the relationship between another significant adult and a child?

Today we read about two sets of parents who were godly people … Elkanah and Hannah and Eli. In these first two chapters, we don’t really know how Samuel turned out, but we know that Eli’s sons (who were priests) are called “wicked men”.

Hannah placed God first and gave Him her firstborn son, Samuel, because he heard her cries of desperation.

Eli, according to God, honored his sons more than he honored God. Eli knew the rules, but he didn’t insist that his sons follow the rules … and the consequences were great.

It is strange that we find ourselves discussing parenting and being parented today – but this is serious stuff. Check out these scriptures:

Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ – which is the first commandment with a promise – that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 “Suppose a man has a stubborn, rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. In such cases, the father and mother must take the son before the leaders of the town. They must declare: ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a worthless drunkard.’ Then all the men of the town must stone him to death. In this way, you will cleanse this evil from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.”

Parents – think about it:
Do you honor your kids more than you honor God?
Do you use God’s word to teach, rebuke, correct, and train your child in righteousness to equip him/her for every good work with God’s Word?
Fathers, do you exasperate your children?
Are you bringing your children up in the training and instruction of the Lord?
Do your kids see your relationship with God?
If the consequences for rebellion were the same as that described in Deuteronomy 21, would your parenting change?

Teens – think about it:
Do you honor your father and mother?
Do you obey your parents?
Do you listen when they try to teach, rebuke, correct, and train you in righteousness with God’s Word?
If the consequences for rebellion were the same as that described in Deuteronomy 21, would your obedience change?