How stupid to deny you Lord
How foolish to pretend
There is no God or judge
There is no heaven or hell
…
Even worse are those who
Give lip service to you
Praising you on Sunday
Serving self on Monday
…
Keep me free O God
From all self-will
Make me humble God
And all my deeds right.
Scripture
She gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
Observation
It is spring time, and instead of leading his troops into battle against the Ammonites, David remains in Jerusalem. There he sees a beautiful woman named Bathsheba and determines to have her. He sleeps with her and she becomes pregnant.
David then tries to cover up his adultery by calling Bathsheba’s husband Uriah back to Jerusalem from the front. Being an honourable man, Uriah sleeps at the palace gate rather than going home.
David then conspires to have Uriah killed in battle. He has Bathsheba brought to the palace, but the Lord is displeased with all David has done.
Application
David was a man after God’s heart, but he could sin as extravagantly as he worshipped.
Ancient kings were free to do anything they pleased with their subjects, but the king of Israel was subject to God’s Law as much as anyone else. David failed at this point because he stopped looking to God’s ways.
One of the temptations leaders must always fight is a sense of entitlement, This applies to ministers, political leaders and business people. The temptations can be subtle: “You deserve more,” “You work so hard to serve others”.
If we are not careful, we can easily find ourselves doing things that we would have once never dreamed we were capable of doing, and justifying to ourselves why it is acceptable.
Prayer
Grant me a humble heart, Lord, and insight into the temptations that assault me. Help me to stand firm in your ways. Amen.
Scripture
Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Observation
The apostles return from their ministry tour and begin to tell Jesus all they have done. Jesus takes them away to a quiet place because the crowds a pressing in. The people follow them, and Jesus has compassion on them so He starts teaching them.
They cross the lake, and people instantly recognise Jesus. They run to bring the sick to be healed. All who touch Him are healed.
Application
Jesus is motivated by compassion for the people who seem to Him to be like lost sheep, All that He did in His earthly ministry was motivated by this deep love- whether He was healing, teaching or performing miracles.
Even His death on the cross was a result of His love for people who have lost the way to the Father. His love for me caused Him to lay down His life for me so that I can have eternal life.
What an awesome thought this is.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for your great love for me. Amen.
Scripture
“Your house and your kingdom will endure for ever before me; your throne will be established for ever.”
Observation
David becomes concerned to build a Temple for the Lord. David is living in luxury, but the Ark of God remains in a tent.
At first Nathan the prophet tells David to go ahead, but the word of the Lord comes to Nathan and says the Lord doesn’t need a house built by David. In fact the Lord will build David a house- a dynasty that will rule the kingdom for ever.
Application
David wanted to build the Lord a Temple, but the Lord said He didn’t need anything that David could give Him. The Lord is the provider for David, not the other way around. The Temple would be built, but this was not David’s task.
God doesn’t make demands on us as if He is dependent on the things we can give Him or do for Him. His Lordship is one of invitation and grace. He lets us participate in His work and provides us with all that we need to serve Him, and more beside.
The secret to the christian life is learning to hear His invitation and to respond without fear or hesitation. It is then that we see the miracles unfold.
Prayer
Father, give me a sensitive ear and a willing heart to participate in your works of grace. Amen.
Scripture
The king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests he couldn’t refuse her.
Observation
Everyone is talking about Jesus and speculating about his true identity. Herod believes that Jesus is John the Baptist resurrected.
Some time before this, Herod had John the Baptist imprisoned because John had criticised Herod’s marriage to Herodias. Herodias’ daughter had danced before Herod’s dinner guests, and he had vowed to give her whatever she asked for. At her mother’s instigation, she asked for the head of John the Baptist.
Application
Speaking up for righteousness can still be punished severely in a world that is opposed to the gospel.
The current flash point for christians in the West is same sex “marriage”. Where christians in good conscience cannot comply with the demands of the dominant culture they are imprisoned, fined or forced out of their job or business.
When confronting a sinful society we need to be aware of our ultimate destiny. We are people who live and die for eternity and not just for this life.
Our words and actions always have to be measured by the requirements of our Lord and not by the approval of the world.
Prayer
Father please help em to stand firm in you, even when the cost is high. Amen.
Scripture
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Observation
Before He made the world, God decided to adopt us into His family. He has poured out His grace upon us, purchasing our freedom with the blood of Christ.
Everything in the whole of creation will be brought under the authority of Christ. Because we are united with Christ we have an inheritance in Him.
God’s plan was to unite Jewish and Gentile believers together. As the sign that we belong to Him, He gave us the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our salvation.
Application
It is so easy to underestimate God’s grace or to limit it to salvation. The fact is that God has poured out , and continues to pour out, blessing after blessing into our lives.
We were chosen from before the world began to be a part of God’s family, and He gives us the Holy Spirit as a sign of our identity in Christ. This is a guarantee that we will receive our inheritance in Him.
The overflowing abundant grace of God never runs out.
Prayer
Help me to appreciate, Lord, how great is your love for me. Amen.
Scripture
Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
Observation
David gathers his elite troops to bring back the Ark of God from Baalah of Judah (known also as Kiriath-Jearim). They put the Ark on a new cart to transport it.
As the Ark is going along, the oxen stumble and Uzzah outs out his hand to steady the Ark. Immediately he is struck dead.
David is angry at this and decides to leave the Ark right there. As a result, the people’s whose house the Ark stays in are greatly blessed by the favour of the Lord. David decides to resume his plan to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.
This time they do it properly as described in the Law of Moses. David dances and leaps before the Lord as the Ark moves onward.
Finally the Ark arrives in Jerusalem and is installed in a tent prepared for it.
Application
David’s love for the Lord was passionate and unrestrained. He danced before the Ark in a way that his wife Michal deemed to be undignified. But David didn’t care about her judgement as his heart was to praise God.
It was important for the Ark to be transported in God’s way. To do otherwise could be deadly.
When we come into God’s presence we need to do so with humility, awe and reverence as well as joy and passionate celebration. If we treat God with a measure of disdain or over-familiarity we may die- if not literally, then at least on the inside.
Prayer
Lord I love you, I worship you, I praise your name. Help me to retain an appropriate attitude of awe mixed in with the love. May I never take your mercy for granted. Amen.
Scripture
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
Observation
Jesus returns to Nazareth and teaches in the synagogue. The amazement of the townspeople turns to resentment and anger. Consequently Jesus is not able to do many miracles there except to heal a few people.
Jesus then moves from village to village. He sends out the Twelve in pairs. They are not to take any extra clothes. When they go to a house they are to stay there until they leave that town.
The disciples go out and preach a gospel of repentance. They heal many sick people and drive out demons.
Application
Armed with only a partial understanding of the gospel, the disciples were effective in telling people about the kingdom. Although they were not yet filled with the Holy Spirit, they carried the authority and grace of Jesus to expel demons and heal the sick.
If they could do so much with so little, what can we do who know about the cross and resurrection, and who have been baptised in the Holy Spirit?
What is holding me back?
Prayer
Make me bold, Lord, in telling others about you and in healing the sick. I renounce all fear today in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
Observation
Paul tells of an experience he had in which he was caught up to the third heaven (the place of the very presence of God). He heard there things that no human is allowed to tell.
He could boast about this experience, but he refuses to do so. He will not boast about such revelations because he doesn’t want credit that is not his to have.
The Lord allowed Paul to have a thorn in his flesh, a messenger from satan. He asked God to take it away, but the Lord said, “My grace is all you need.”
Paul will soon come to Corinth and he will not be a burden to them as some have accused. Rather he will spend himself for them.
Application
Our revelations, giftings and experiences of the Holy Spirit do not validate who we are as christians. What matters is our walk with Christ- how His grace is working in our daily lives.
Likewise a tormenting spirit or physical weakness is not necessarily a sign of spiritual inferiority. What matters is how we seek the Lord daily in adversity and in blessing.
Many signs and wonders were performed at Paul’s hands, but he refused to boast about them. Paul’s life was about love for people and faithfulness to Christ not about superior revelations.
Prayer
Lord please help me to serve you in all the things I do today. May your grace be seen in my actions and heard in my words. Amen.
Scripture
David became more and more powerful because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.
Observation
The tribes of Israel come to David and anoint him as their king. He had already been king of Judah for seven and a half years and he would reign over the united kingdom for another 33 years.
David then goes to Jerusalem and captures it from the Jebusites. David makes the fortress his home and calls it the City of David.
David becomes more powerful because of the blessing of God.
Application
The blessing of God brings a particular favour to move forward in our work, relationships, finances, indeed every part of our life.
In many ways there was nothing our of the ordinary about David. His success was entirely due to God’s favour.
How do we experience God’s favour? For David, the key was an intimate relationship with the Lord. He was known as a worshipper who was passionate in his love for the Lord.
When we worship God with our whole heart and devote ourselves to a passionate, intimate relationship with Him, obeying Him in all things, then we know God’s favour.
Prayer
Lord help me to set you at the centre of all things so that I can walk in your favour. Amen.
New Life Narrabri 