Listening to the Word

2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalms 68; Matthew 17   “David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, ‘How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?’…Now King David was told, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God. So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.” 2 Samuel 6:9, 12 Why was David afraid of God at the time of the death of Uzzah? David at that time believed Uzzah’s death was God’s fault. Yet, David had failed to inquire of the Lord how to transport the ark of God. When we ignore God’s ways and yet blame him for the consequences, we, too, are not wise. Once David learned of God’s blessing on the household of Obed-Edom, and how to transport the ark in the prescribed way by priests carrying the ark, not animals and a cart, David rejoiced. There is joy when we welcome the presence of God into our lives, homes, and community, and live within his ways. Fear

  2 Samuel 4-5; Psalms 139; Matthew 16   “You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me…If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast…For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:5, 9, 10, 13 The same hands which knit us together in our mother’s womb now rest on our lives as we offer ourselves to the Lord. There are no more important hands into which we can entrust our lives. Even when we feel hemmed in and constrained, we can trust the hands of God to guide our life and our circumstances for his greater good in us and in this world. David’s season of life on the run from Saul tested his faith in God’s sovereignty over his life. God used the hands of Samuel to pour anointing oil over David’s head, but that didn’t deliver him from testing and spiritual warfare. The hand of God which formed us continues to shape and form us, thr

2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15   “These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul…they were kinsmen of Saul…These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:” 1 Chronicles 12:1, 2, 23 Coming to join David’s cause at Ziklag was very different from coming to join David’s army at Hebron. Those who traveled to Ziklag risked their lives and Saul’s wrath. Those who later traveled to Hebron came for a coronation ceremony. Those who traveled to Ziklag, in particular those who were kinsmen of Saul, knew there could be reprisals against their families. Perhaps some of them had heard Saul’s loud repentance on the two occasions when David had spared his life. The Ziklag leaders understood the mission was valuable enough to risk everything. Do we? Are we standing with Christ today in our workplace, neighborhood, and family? Or, are we a secret supporter who

  2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalms 142; Matthew 14   “I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way…” Psalm 142:2, 3 “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place…When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:13, 14 Where do we go, or how do we respond when our “spirit grows faint” within us? David wrote those words in a cave when he was fleeing from Saul. He poured out his complaint before God and acknowledged again that God knew his way and had his eyes on him. In his discipleship journey of obedience to the Father’s will, did Jesus’ spirit ever grow faint within him?   Upon hearing of his cousin John’s execution, Jesus withdrew by boat to a solitary place. He wanted to be alone with his Father. Yet in this vulnerable moment, a crowd of needy people clamored for his attention. How do we respond to the n

  2 Samuel 1; Psalms 140; Matthew 13 “O Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle – do not grant the wicked their desires, O Lord;…Let slanderers not be established in the land;…” Psalm 140:7, 8, 11 Just as the head must be protected in a physical battle, so our mind must be protected in a spiritual battle. Our thoughts influence our actions and eventually our character. The battle to bring every thought captive to Christ is our daily challenge. The victory has already been won by Christ! He shields our head in the day of battle, but we must be in Christ, living in full surrender to him for Christ’s presence to shield us. Gossip, slander, and the schemes of the enemy to distract and defeat us are the nature of the battle for many of us who follow Jesus! He is our strong deliverer! “Lord Jesus, deliver me from evil this day and protect my head from the accusers lies, for your glory.”

  1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12   “…’No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us.” 1 Samuel 30:23 David rediscovered God as his source after a season of trusting in the protection of the Philistines in Ziklag. The Amalekite raid on Ziklag exposed the vulnerability of hiding in enemy territory. David found strength in God. Then he found God’s guidance. Then he experienced God’s provision. Then he instructed his men that the Lord was their source, not their physical or fighting capacity. When we have forgotten who our source is, we, too, have to retrace our steps and sometimes bring others with us. Who would those closest to us say is our source? – Our hard work, our success, or the Lord? “Lord Jesus, you are my source of protection, provision, and perspective. My eyes are on you.”

1 Samuel 28-29; Psalms 109; Matthew 11 “’From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it…Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:12, 29, 30 Is the mission of the kingdom of heaven a battle or a rest? Jesus says it is both. The struggle against spiritual powers is a battle, and the price, as John the Baptist experienced, is our lives. Paul’s testimony was “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). This call to die to sin and self is at the heart of discipleship in the way of Jesus. In the spiritual battle, Jesus offers us his rest. The rest of Christ is the result of our surrender and his living presence filling us with peace. When we willingly take the yoke of obedience and humility, we find that Jesus daily carries our burdens. “Lord Jesus, you have won the victory. Thank you for

1 Samuel 27; Psalms 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10 “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.” Psalm 141:3, 4 Gossip is the passing on of privileged information which exposes the faults or failings of others without their approval. David’s sojourn with 600 discontented men would have constantly exposed him to gossip and inappropriate conversation. Later, in the palace, David would have been exposed to the intrigues and plots that swirl around places of power. His response to God was a prayer of desperation that the presence of the Lord, not fruitless gossip and slander, would become the focus of his day and his speech. David asked for God’s help to put a guard over his mouth so that he wouldn’t be passing on the damaging words he occasionally heard. David decided he wanted to chew on better and more nutritious food, than

1 Samuel 25-26; Psalms 63; Matthew 9   “On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’…When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them…” Matthew 9:12, 13, 36 In the story of Hosea, God’s cry for his wayward bride is echoed by Jesus as he calls religious leaders to the love and intimacy of relationship with God and others, rather than to the sacrificial duties of a master-servant relationship. It was mercy and compassion that moved the heart of Jesus. What motivates our worship, witness, and work? Are we willing to have our heart’s capacity for compassion and mercy expanded so that we, too, love the ‘sick’, the ‘sinners’, and the ‘religious’? We, too, are invited to both learn and be transformed by the mercy and love of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew definition of knowledge and learning always involved obedience. To

  1 Samuel 24; Psalms 57-58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8   “I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.” Psalm 57:9 “Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.” Matthew 8:33, 34 Today, there are many living in great fear within their religious beliefs. Those in the region of the Decapolis worshiped at the temples of Zeus and other Greek gods. The pigs were used for sacrifices at the temples. Jesus was upending the spiritual order and worship of the powers, even as he set a demon-possessed man free. Following Jesus’ display of spiritual authority, the townspeople feared the potential for retribution from the spirits or even from Zeus. Whole villages have turned to Jesus in our day, through similar experiences of Christ’s authority over the spirits. When we p

1 Samuel 23; Psalms 31, 54; Matthew 7   “Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might…Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” Psalm 54:1, 4 David’s betrayal at the hands of the Ziphites and the prophetic word that the residents of Keilah, a city he had just rescued from all the Philistines, would also betray him, left David feeling vulnerable and exposed. David couldn’t trust the people with whom he lived and even helped. Who could David trust? Our window into David’s ‘prayer journal’ and ‘songbook’ gives us a clear picture of David’s faith and full dependency on the Lord. David trusted that the Lord, who had called and anointed him, would also defend him.   Do we believe the same thing? The name of the Lord Almighty was David’s primary weapon as he defeated Goliath. God’s name was also David’s shelter and refuge. What is our refuge? Are we responding to betrayal as David did? “Lord Almighty, you are my deliverer, defender, and strong tower. I place my

  1 Samuel 22; Psalms 17, 35; Matthew 6   “All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.” 1 Samuel 22:2 “Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.” Psalm 17:7 David’s ‘school of leadership training manual’ included a chapter directed toward a group of unhappy men. These men had run away from their problems, rather than face them. David’s life-message was one of living for God’s glory and under his hand. David’s enjoyment of worship and the presence of the Lord provided an alternative for the troubled men who gathered around him. They could either center their lives on themselves and live in conflict, or they could center their lives on the wonder of God’s great love, his promise of salvation, and the refuge of his presence. In the years ahead, many of these men became leaders in David’s army and kingdom. How does God

I Samuel 20-21; Psalms 34, Matthew 5   “’…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven…Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you…Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…’” Matthew 5:16, 42, 44, 45 The light of God’s glory and presence within the lives of those who belong to him is expressed through our actions, not just our piety. This light is expressed in how we respond to requests for financial help from those in need, and how we forgive and love our enemies and those who persecute us for the Gospel. How strong is our light? God’s interest is that our light would shine in front of others, leading them to him. The cost of responding to financial requests and extending love to our enemies (frequently those close to us) is real. It is this cost that tests the motives of our heart and burns the fuel of self and pride. “Lo

  1 Samuel 19: 1 Chronicles 7; Psalms 59, Matthew 4 “But an evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear…” 1 Samuel 19:9, 10 “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16 “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1 In both the life of David and of Jesus, God allowed the enemy to tempt and attack, seemingly without cause. David’s insanely jealous father-in-law, Saul, felt threatened by David’s success and the anointing of God on his life. Satan tempted Jesus as a man, and tried to pull him away from complete dependency on the Holy Spirit. He was trying to get Jesus to revert to his divine nature and so disqualify his mission of atonement. Both David and Jesus found their refuge in the presence of God. In the

1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalms 11, Matthew 3   “’I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’…At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.” Matthew 3:11, 16 Just as Jesus was baptized in water, he would later baptize in the Holy Spirit. His baptism in the Jordan was to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus voluntarily took the frailty of man with complete dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit to become God’s sinless sacrifice. It was for our sins he died, that we could become righteous before God. Just as Jesus did not rely on his divinity, but rather, on the person of the Holy Spirit, so too, are we to live, not by our sinful nature, but by the Spirit. Will we live daily immersed in the fullness of God’s Spirit? The power and gentleness of the Spirit, like a river and a dove,

  1 Samuel 17; Psalms 9; Matthew 2   “Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning…’…he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’” Matthew 2:17, 18, 22, 23 The life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, were all in fulfillment of numerous prophecies written and spoken hundreds of years before Jesus lived. This ‘connecting of the dots’ was one of the primary goals of Jesus in the forty days following his resurrection. Jesus met with his disciples as the resurrected Lord and explained the prophetic writings which pointed to his life. Jesus has promised to come again to take home to heaven all those who are his. This season of his second coming will also be in fulfillment of prophetic revelation in the Bible. God’s Word is upheld by God’s very nature and work in the world, and as h

1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 5; Matthew 1     “Then Samuel said, ‘Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.’ Agag came to him confidently, thinking ‘Surely the bitterness of death is past.’ But Samuel said, ‘As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women.’ And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:32, 33 The Amalekites descended from the grandson of Esau, Amalek. They lived off the plunder of their raids and were the first to attack Israel as they came out of Egypt. Moses declared the name of the Amalekites would be removed and their descendants completely destroyed. Some have seen the Amalekites as a type of the flesh or our sinful nature. Saul refused to kill Agag or the best of his plunder, despite the Lord’s command. Instead, he justified his sin and rationalized it. Do we similarly find ways to rationalize our indulgences and addictions? “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions

1 Samuel 14; 1 Chronicles 4; 2 Corinthians 13   “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?…May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:5, 14 Paul’s invitation to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith requires evidence that the living presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit indwells us. His benediction points to the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Are we experiencing God in these ways? This test is more than a doctrinal test listing propositional truths we know in our minds. The reality of Christ in us means we are experiencing God’s grace, love, and fellowship each day. To be “in the faith” is to be “in Christ” and Christ in us. Jesus is daily prompting us, encouraging us, convicting us, and leading us. We do not fear when we are w

I Samuel 13; I Chronicles 2-3; 2 Corinthians 12 “…Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear…’I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.’” 1 Samuel 13:7, 12 Saul’s fear-based decision to offer a sacrifice before the arrival of Samuel cost him the leadership of Israel. Fear leads to impulsive decisions that don’t serve God’s people well. In what ways are we allowing fear to influence our thoughts and decisions? In Saul’s mind, the need to protect his men was colored by his rationalization of fear. Saul was convinced that disobedience to Samuel’s command to wait seven days was justified. Later, Saul justified other sins because pride kept him from humbling himself and finding freedom. Fear and pride are a deadly combination in the life of any leader and follower of Christ. “Lord Jesus, you are my example of humility and obedience. Your Spiri

  I Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 1; 2 Corinthians 11 “’Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!...I will call upon the Lord to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.’” 1 Samuel 12:16, 17 Saul had already led Israel in a great victory over Nahash the Ammonite, and been reaffirmed as king at a celebration at Gilgal. Yet, Samuel forced the point that asking for a king grieved God.   In what ways are we doing the same thing in the way we structure church and ministry today? It is easier to follow a king than for all of God’s people to seek the Lord. When we place such impossible expectations on a single leader, we make both them and ourselves vulnerable to falling. Leadership in a team requires humility and mutual submission one to another. The single leader model can miss the strength of five-fold ministry leadership outlined in Ephesians 4. Samuel continued to

  1 Samuel 8-10; 2 Corinthians 10   “…as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.’ Then the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’” 1 Samuel 10:23, 24 “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.” 2 Corinthians 10:3 Like every other nation around them, Israel wanted a strong king to lead them into battle. Saul, a tall, handsome man, fit the description. However, neither their battles nor our spiritual battles today are fought using the weapons and strategies of the world. Paul reminds us that our battle is against spiritual strongholds, arguments, ideas, and pride, which are set up against the knowledge of God. Our call is to take every thought captive to Christ using the weapons of his Word, his name, and his Spirit. As a leader, Saul disappointed God and Israel. (Maybe that’s why his namesake Saul, of the New T

  1 Samuel 6-7; Psalms 72; 2 Corinthians 9 “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:13-15 When it comes to grace-filled gift-giving, God sets the standard. Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthians was to authenticate their confession of the Gospel and provide evidence of God’s grace in their lives. This was to be done by generously sharing their material possessions with others.   Has our experience of God’s generosity and love for us moved us to radically share our resources with others? Are we a channel of God’s grace and gifts, or are we a reservoir? Not surprisingly, Paul said that the recipents of these acts of generosity should

  1 Samuel 3-5; Psalms 77; 2 Corinthians 8 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 In what ways did Jesus become poor for our sakes? Although he was fully God and fully man, Jesus chose to fulfill all righteousness at his baptism and rely not on his divinity, but as a man, rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Satan’s temptations to turn stones into bread, and to throw himself off the temple, were focused on Jesus taking on his divine nature. Instead, Jesus chose to rely on the Spirit and the Word of God to show us how we, too, can live in radical dependency on God. His poverty in the flesh in comparison to his divine nature identifies with our weakness. This is only possible through grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. Will we, too, rely fully on the food that comes from the mouth of God? And will we, too, rely on the strength of the Holy Spiri

1 Samuel 1-2; Psalms 66; 2 Corinthians 7   “For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.” Psalm 66:10-12 God’s testing and refining work in our lives is for our transformation and the abundance of his presence within us. Hannah endured ridicule and mocking from the other wife of Elkanah. This withering criticism drove her to cry out to the Lord and offer her son Samuel to the Lord. This desperation of a barren woman has been experienced many times around the world. It’s the same cry coming from spiritually barren lives and Churches in decline. The refining work of God in the fire of testing is not an end in itself. It’s meant to develop faith, new levels of surrender and sacrifice, and a living hope within us. The word for abundance is the same word David used in Psalm 23:5 when he wrote that his ‘cup overflows’

  Ruth 3-4; Psalms 64-65; 2 Corinthians 6   “’Who are you?’ he asked. ‘I am your servant, Ruth,’ she said. ‘Spread the corner of your garment over me since you are a kinsman-redeemer.’” Ruth 3:9 Ruth was a foreigner to the covenant of Israel. As a refugee she was vulnerable. As a woman and a widow she was even more vulnerable and exposed. Her request to Boaz was for covering and redemption. Boaz learned from his mother Rahab how the scarlet cord had redeemed her life and family. Boaz learned how his mother’s hope in the God of Israel was rewarded. He spread his garment over Ruth, because his mother and her family had found refuge and redemption under God’s covering. In Christ, we, too, have received redemption from sin. His blood has covered us, freed us, and protects us (Ezekiel 16:8). We who were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ, our Redeemer. “Lord God, thank you for covering me with your salvation and presence. Thank you for redeeming me with your blood s

Ruth 1-2; Psalms 53, 61; 2 Corinthians 5   “…a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.” Ruth 1:1 “I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.” Psalms 61:4 “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 Elimelech and his family moved to Moab as refugees seeking refuge and food. This same word of dwelling as an alien, or stranger, is used by David to describe his hope of dwelling in God’s tent forever. However, in Christ we are no longer aliens! We are now the Bride and the Lord Jesus has prepared a home for us. Are we anticipating this destiny? Do we know who we are? According to Jesus, John the Baptist was the greatest man born to woman. However, the least in the kingdom is greater than John. We are no longer aliens and strangers, but those who have been bro