For the Sake of the Gospel.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. – 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ESV

Paul knew his rights all too well. But he didn’t let his rights get in the way or become a hindrance to his God-given assignment to share the gospel. In fact, Paul says that he made himself a servant to all. The Greek word he uses is δουλόω (douloō), which means “to make a slave of” (“G1402 - douloō - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 16 Aug, 2016. <https://www.blueletterbible.org). Metaphorically, which is how Paul uses it here, it meant to “give myself wholly to one’s needs and service, make myself a bondman to him). As far as Paul was concerned, he would rather consider himself a slave to everyone, than to demand his rights or selfishly flaunt his freedoms in Christ. In fact, while he understood himself to be “free from all”, free from their judgment, criticism, demands, legalistic requirements, false accusations, and unrealistic expectations, he willingly chose to serve them. He even describes what he means by that. When he was with the Jews, he lives like a Jew, even though he was free from having to do so. When in their company, he would keep the law, out of a desire to win them to Christ. When he was with Gentiles, he would set aside the law of Moses, because they were not obligated to keep it (and neither was he). Instead, he would live under the law of Christ – the law of love. Paul told the Galatians, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 ESV). This is the exact opposite of how the Pharisees lived. Jesus said of them, “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:4 ESV).

Paul’s philosophy of ministry and life was simple: “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22 ESV). His ultimate goal was their salvation. His freedoms took a back seat in order that he might see them find freedom from sin and death through faith in Christ. Everything he did was for the sake of the gospel. To him, it was unacceptable to think of putting his needs above those of others, either the saved or the lost. He spent his life selflessly sacrificing himself and putting his needs and rights in second place. He describes the impact this attitude had on his life in his second letter to the Corinthians:

I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. – 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT

Why was Paul willing to go through all of this? So that he might share the gospel with those who had not yet heard it. As he so clearly states, “I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:23 ESV). He had experienced the blessings of the gospel first hand and was not willing for anyone to miss out on hearing the same message that had radically transformed his life. It is interesting to note that many of us, while highly appreciative of what the gospel has done for us, are unwilling to share it with others. We allow our rights and freedoms to get in the way and hinder us from telling others of the good news of Jesus Christ. We feel we have a right not to associate with those who don’t believe as we do. But Paul would ask us, “how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT). We are not free to do as we please. We have an obligation, an assignment from God, to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. We have been given a job to do. “God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NLT).

We exist for the sake of the gospel. We sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. We die to self for the sake of the gospel. We give up our rights for the sake of the gospel. We forego our freedoms for the sake of the gospel. We do all things for the sake of the gospel.

Wasted Wisdom.

1 Kings 3-4, 1 Corinthians 16

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV

Solomon was given the opportunity of a lifetime. God spoke to him in a dream and basically told him that He would grant Solomon one wish. It was as if God was saying, “Name it and you can have it!” But instead of asking for more money, fame, power or military success, Solomon asked for “an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people” (1 Kings 3:9 ESV). Given the chance to have God grant his one wish, Solomon asked for godly wisdom. And as a result of his request, God also granted Solomon what he had not asked for: “both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days” (1 Kings 3:13 ESV). While this had been a dream, it had real-life implications. God gave Solomon great wisdom and blessed him with great wealth, incredible success, and a reign marked by peace rather than war. But God's provision of wisdom came with a condition. Solomon was required to live obediently according to God's statutes and commandments. This was going to prove to be a real challenge for the king, in spite of his wisdom. God made Solomon wise, but Solomon was going to have to choose to be obedient.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Chapter three of 1 Kings opens up with the seemingly innocent statement: “Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt” (1 Kings 3:1 ESV). But this one sentence speaks volumes regarding Solomon and his struggle to remain faithful to God's commands. In Deuteronomy 17:16, God had made it clear that the king of Israel was not to “return to Egypt” and make alliances of any kind with that nation, because God had told the people of Israel, “You shall never return that way again.” Not only that, God had commanded that the king of Israel “shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold” (Deuteronomy 17:17 ESV). In Deuteronomy 7:3, God had warned the people of Israel against intermarriage with foreign nations because He knew that these marriage alliances would end up in idolatry and unfaithfulness.

In Deuteronomy 12, God had commanded the people of Israel to destroy all the high places in the land of Canaan, where the pagan nations had worshiped their false gods. God had said, “You shall tear down their altars and dash to pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place. You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way” (Deuteronomy 12:3-4 ESV). God went on to tell them that they were to seek a solitary place and establish it as their only center of worship. And yet we read, “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places” (1 Kings 3:3 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

Solomon loved God. He also knew that if he was to rule the people of God successfully, he was going to need the wisdom of God. And while God would grant his wish, and provide Solomon a wise and discerning mind, this did not completely eliminate his tendency to make unwise choices. Wisdom still requires obedience. Knowing what to do and doing it are two different matters. Solomon's wisdom was indisputable. He was world-renowned for his wisdom and displayed it on a regular basis for all to see. The people “stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice” (1 Kings 3:28 ESV). But Solomon was going to struggle with obedience. His God-given wisdom was not going to prevent him from making unwise choices and self-destructive decisions. God was clearly blessing Solomon, providing him with incredible wisdom and discernment, as well as peace and prosperity. But Solomon amassed for himself thousands of chariots and horses, in direct violation of Deuteronomy 17:16: “Only he must not acquire many horses for himself.” In the midst of great peace made possible by God, Solomon was building up a might army. The psalmist would later write, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7 ESV). It seems that Solomon had a trust problem. It would also appear that he had a pride problem. And it is painfully clear that he struggled with an obedience problem.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

In the closing paragraphs of his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul writes, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV). These were people who had placed their faith in Christ, who had received the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God, and who were assured eternal life. But Paul still reminds them to be on the lookout against sin and to remain steadfast in their faith. He knew that they were going to continue to face difficult days ahead, so he told them to stand firm and act like men. He encouraged them to remain strong. And then he added, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13 ESV). They had been saved. They had the Spirit of God within them. They were assured of future life with God. But in the meantime, they were going to need to live obediently, faithfully, and firmly grounded on the Word of God. They had the wisdom of God residing within them in the form of the Spirit of God, but they were still going to have to obey what He told them to do. They were going to have to live in faithful dependence upon God's Word. We have available to us the wisdom of God in the form of the Spirit of God and the written Word of God. But all the wisdom in the world, if not obeyed, will never do us any good. A Bible that is read, but not applied, will never change us. A Spirit residing within us, but regularly ignored by us, will never transform us. Solomon had received a great gift from God, but it was up to him to avail himself of it. I have been given a great gift from God, but I must choose to be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like a man and be strong.

Father, Your incredible wisdom is available to me every day. I have access to wisdom beyond that of even Solomon. And yet, far too often, I ignore it or simply disobey it. I choose to live based on my own ignorance, driven by selfishness, and motivated by my own sin nature. Help me see the reality of my own condition and turn away from living life on my own terms. I want to apply Your wisdom to every area of my life and live in obedience to Your Word and in submission to Your Spirit. Amen

The Ultimate Victory.

The Ultimate Victory.

1 Kings 1-2, 1 Corinthians 15

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 ESV

Ultimately, David had to die. Death is the eventual and unavoidable outcome for all men. David had reigned as king of Israel for 40 years, but that reign had to come to an end. And even as David prepared to pass from the scene, the soap-opera-like atmosphere continued to take place all around him. His son, Adonijah followed the example of his late brother, Absalom, and determined to make himself the next king of Israel. Sin continued to raise its ugly head in the household of David, resulting in an eventual confrontation between David's two sins, Adonijah and Solomon. To prevent Adonijah from splitting the kingdom, David has Solomon anointed his successor and transfers the kingdom over to him. But the influence of sin continues to impact the lives of those who will outlive David. Solomon eventually is forced to have Adonijah executed because he poses a continual threat to his kingdom. Solomon also has Joab, the former commander of David's army, executed for having taken the lives of two innocent men. Shemei, the man who cursed David as he was fleeing Jerusalem after Absalom had taken over his kingdom, is eventually executed for having violated his house arrest. Sin and death continue to rule and reign even after David has disappeared off the scene.

What does this passage reveal about God?

Sin is a constant reality for all of us on this planet. David experienced it. His son Solomon would soon recognize its undeniable influence not only over his kingdom, but his own life. God, who had created mankind to have an intimate, uninterrupted relationship with Himself, knew that sin would continue to cause chaos, confusion and destroy any chance of men having a right relationship with their Creator. But God had a plan. He had a solution to the problem of sin. David was simply a conduit through whom God would eventually bring a descendant who would conquer mankind's greatest enemies: sin and death. David had been a mighty warrior, but he could never defeat the sin in his own life and he was totally incapable of conquering death. His son, Solomon, would be one of the wisest men who ever lived, but he would still find himself susceptible to sin and prone to living in broken fellowship with God. Paul told the Corinthians, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:50 ESV). Man, in his natural state, is infected by sin and, therefore, so contaminated that he is unworthy to live in the presence of God. Just as Adonijah could not live as a citizen in Solomon's kingdom, no man can be allowed to live in God's kingdom. Our sin and propensity for insurrection make us unworthy and unacceptable.

What does this passage reveal about man?

David was a man after God's own heart, but he still struggled with sin. He still failed to successfully live up to God's righteous standards. His son, Solomon, was filled with wisdom, but he wasn't smart enough to escape the influence of sin over his life. His disobedience and rebellion would eventually result in God's division of the kingdom. Man's only hope was going to come in the form of regeneration and resurrection. Man had to be completely renewed from within. He required a new nature, not a slightly improved version of the old one. God would have to give man a new heart and place a new spirit within him. God's solution to man's problem was a Savior. He sent His own Son to solve the sin problem by having Him live a sinless life in perfect obedience to the righteous commands of the Law. Jesus did what no man had ever done before – live without sin. His sinlessness made Him an acceptable sacrifice and substitute for man. Someone had to pay for the sins of mankind, and that someone had to be sinless. Jesus met the criteria and He gave His life so that God's righteous judgment might be satisfied. God had to deal justly with the sin and rebellion of men. He couldn't just overlook it or ignore it. Jesus had to die. Paul states it clearly. “…that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 ESV). Christ's death was not enough. If all He had done was died, then He would simply have been a martyr. But Jesus died and was given back His life by God the Father. He was restored to life, proving that He was not just another man whose life ended in death. He actually conquered death. He proved that God was more powerful than death itself. Peter said of Jesus, “But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip” (Acts 2:23-24 NLT).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

David's death didn't change anything. The world he left behind was just as screwed up as when he lived in it. His sons would continue to feud and fight over the kingdom he left behind. Sin would still influence and infect daily life. But the death of Jesus accomplished something incredible. It not only provided me with forgiveness of sin and payment for my penalty. It guarantees me eternal life. I no longer need to fear death. Physical death will eventually come to all. But eternal death, or permanent separation from God the Father, is not something I ever need to fear again. Because Jesus was raised again to new life, I will be given new life as well. “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55 ESV). There is a day coming when I will leave this sin-filled world behind. I will leave my sinful nature behind. I will be renewed, regenerated and remade in the likeness of Christ. My sin nature will be done away with. This old body will be replaced with a new, spiritual body that will no longer be susceptible to sin, sickness, or death. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV).

Father, thank You that I no longer need to fear death. There is a future for me and it is because Your Son has made it possible. I am undeserving of it, but I am grateful for it. Help me live my life on this earth with my focus fixed on the reality of heaven. This life is not all there is. There is more to come and it has been guaranteed by the death, burial and resurrection of Your Son. Amen

To Build Up.

2 Samuel 23-24, 1 Corinthians 14

So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. – 1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV

As David neared the end of his life, it appears that he was somewhat reflective, and felt compelled to do something to evaluate the success of his reign. He was a warrior and as such, part of his perceived worth would have been based on the numbers of his victories and the size of his army. So David determined to conduct a census in order to ascertain just how large his fighting force really way. It appears that the sin David committed in doing so was in placing his trust in his army rather than God. Actually, the passage doesn't tell us exactly what David had done to deserve the anger and punishment of God, but it is clear that he had sinned. Perhaps part of David's sin was that he had become focused on his own reputation rather than God's. It is interesting that the previous chapter speaks of “the mighty men whom David had” (2 Samuel 23:8 ESV). These mighty warriors were part of David's inner circle. They were valiant fighting men who had accomplished great deeds on behalf of David. But the passage makes it clear that their exploits were actually the result of God's actions. “And the Lord brought about a great victory that day” (2 Samuel 23:10 ESV). “And the Lord worked a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:12 ESV). It would have been easy for David to lose sight of the fact that his reputation, reign, and apparent success as a king were all the result of God's divine influence over his life. Numbering his troops could have given David a false sense of self-accomplishment and independence. It seems from the passage, that David was driven by a self-obsession that focused more on himself than on God or the people over whom he reigned.

What does this passage reveal about God?

When God determined to punish David for his sin, he gave the king three options from which to choose. He placed David in a very difficult position, forcing him to decide between three equally unattractive forms of punishment: Famine, the sword or pestilence. It would appear that whichever one David chose, the end result would be similar in its outcome. While the famine would last three years, it would take longer for its full impact to be felt on the lives of the people. The sword and pestilence, while shorter in time, would be swifter in their devastating influence on the lives of the people. No matter which one David chose, there was going to be innocent people who died as a result. David's selfish sin was going to have a significant impact on the lives of others. Unable to choose, David told God, “I am in great distress, Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man” (2 Samuel 24:14 ESV). In essence, David chose NOT to accept the sword as an option, but rather asked that God would choose between the other two. David was willing to accept the punishment of the Lord and count on Him showing mercy. So God chose to bring pestllence for three days, resulting in the deaths of 70,000 men. While we may struggle with the events recorded in this passage, we must understand that God acted righteously and justly. His actions were well within His rights as God. Sin had been committed, and the degree of the punishment reflects just how great David's sin really was.

What does this passage reveal about man?

In chapter 23, we read the last words of David. It is interesting to note what he said. “When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes the grass to sprout from the earth” (2 Samuel 23:3-4 ESV). A king who rules justly, in the fear of God, has a positive, healthy influence on the lives of those over whom he reigns. It would appear that David's decision to take the census was done without any fear of God. He didn't think about what he was doing. He was too focused on his own life and interested in his own reputation.

Over in 1 Corinthians 14, we see an apparently different scenario at play. Paul is writing to the Corinthian believers about spiritual gifts and their role within the body of Christ. It would appear that the Corinthians were struggling with pride and jealousy over the allocation and use of the spiritual gifts. Evidently, there was some belief that the gift of tongues was superior to any of the other gifts. It was more flamboyant and extraordinary. Perhaps they believed that those who practiced this particular gift were somehow linked in significant to the apostles because that is the gift they exhibited at Pentecost. But Paul repeatedly warns the Corinthian believers to remember the whole point behind all the gifts: the building up of the body of Christ. He tells them to “strive to excel in building up the church” (1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV). He warns them that, while speaking in tongues, they may experience some personal satisfaction and benefit, “but the other person is not being built up” (1 Corinthians 14:17 ESV). Paul makes it clear: “Let all things be done for building up” (1 Corinthians 14:26 ESV). This is a continuation of his theme in chapter 13. The point behind all of the gifts was mutual edification motivated by selfless love. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV). The gift of tongues, practiced without love, was worthless and completely non-beneficial. God was the originator of the gifts and He handed them out according to His divine will and wisdom. They were intended to build up, not divide. They were to be selfless, not selfish. Like David, the Corinthians had taken their eyes off of God and placed them firmly on themselves. They had turned the spiritual gifts into a competition.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

I love the line Paul writes to the believers there in Corinth: “Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind” (1 Corinthians 14:20 NLT). Don't act like children, selfishly focusing on your own desires. Don't make it all about you. Think like adults, remembering that God gave you your gift for the good of the body, not just for your own personal pleasure or to satisfy your ego. It's interesting to note that in his opening to this letter, Paul writes the Corinthians and reminds them, “you are not lacking in any spiritual gift” (1 Corinthians 1:7 ESV). The church in Corinth had every spiritual gift represented. God had given them exactly what they needed to build up the body of Christ. But they were jockeying for position, fighting over the gifts and selfishly attempting to one-up each other by comparing and contrasting the significance and value of their particular gifting. And in doing so, they were missing out on the whole purpose behind the gifts: to build up the church. Had David kept his focus on God, he would have spent less time worrying about his own significance and reputation. Had he remembered and lived by the words he wrote, he would have ruled justly, in the fear of God, having a positive impact on the lives of his people. But instead, his self-centered actions brought death. It's interesting to note that the Corinthians, in attempting to practice the very gifts God had given them, were having a negative influence on not only the local fellowship they were called to build up, but on the lost community around them. Nothing harms the name of Christ more than believers who can't get along. Nothing damages our witness as believers like infighting, pride and jealousy. But if our focus is on building up the body of Christ, and our motivation is mutual love, the church prospers and the lost are attracted like moths to a flame.

Father, may our churches be increasingly more recognized as places where the building up of the body is more important than the building up of our own reputations. Forgive us for making more of ourselves than we make of You or of the well-being of Your people. Open our eyes so that we might see You more clearly. Help us to love You more by loving others more than we love ourselves or our own reputations. Amen

The Love of God.

2 Samuel 21-22, 1 Corinthians 13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

We tend to sentimentalize love. It can easily become the sweet and saccharine staple of Valentine's cards and Hallmark made-for-TV movies. But real love is about much more than hearts and cherubs, sweetness and sentimentality. The kind of love God exhibits and expects from His people is not for the weak. It is not a byproduct of our emotions that shows up as a warm feeling or simply as a response to being loved by another. Love is an active, aggressive, powerful force that can manifest itself in a myriad of ways. As David grew older and more reflective, he couldn't help but see the loving hand of God all over his life. In 2 Samuel 22, he paints a vivid picture of his God, that is really an expression of his understanding of God's love for him. David describes God as his rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, salvation, stronghold and savior. He writes of responding to his cries and rescuing him from trouble. God provided him with security, strength and skill for battle. It was God who gave him victory over his enemies. David knew that his kingship was all God's doing. He fully understood that any success he had experienced was due to the hand of God in his life. And all of this was simply a visible expression of God's love. David wrote, “Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever” (2 Samuel 22: 51 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

God is love. It is the essence of His being. All that God does is filtered through His love. God can do nothing without love. Even His judgment is an expression of His love. Love is not an attribute that God possesses, but the very nature of who He is. So when God rescued David from his enemies, it was an expression of His love for David. When God punished David for his sin with Bathsheba, it was because God loved David enough to teach him the life lessons he needed to learn in order to be the king God intended him to be. When God allowed David to spend all those years in exile, living under the constant threat of death at the hand of King Saul, it was because God loved David and wanted to prepare him for his future kingship by allowing him to go through a period of trial and training. God loved David and this fact did not escape David as he looked back on his life. He could SEE the love of God expressed in a variety of ways. God's love appeared as protection and provision. It could be seen as strength for battle, deliverance from difficulty, stability in the midst of uncertainty, victory over enemies, and peace in the midst of the storm. God's love was far from sentimental. It was practical, powerful and undeniable.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Paul gives us a wonderful description of the kind of love that God expects to see from those who claim to be His children. It differs greatly from the self-centered, what's-in-it-for-me kind of love we see modeled by the world. The love Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13 is the love of God. It is heavenly, not earthly. It is spiritual, not natural. This kind of love is indispensable and non-negotiable. Without it, everything we do becomes worthless and without value. Life lived without love is pointless. Words spoken without love become meaningless and just so much noise. Knowledge without love leaves me ignorant. The ability to perform miracles is a waste of time if it is not based in love. Even the willingness to sacrifice my life, if it is not done out of love, is in the end just wasted effort. Love is the most important thing we experience from God and it is to be the most common attribute that we express as children of God. Love is not self-centered. Love is not done for the sake of payback or mutual satisfaction. It is selfless, sacrificial, patient, enduring, hopeful, abiding, and all-encompassing. It is not just an emotion. It is a way of life. It is the way of God.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

The best way to measure my own love is to look at the love of God. That's what David did. He saw the loving hand of God all over His life. He had learned to see God's love in every area of his life. David didn't just see God's love when things went well or when everything turned out the way he expected. He saw God's love in his difficulties. He saw God's love revealed as patience and constancy. David saw his own strength and skill for battle as an expression of God's love. Love is sometimes best expressed in ways that aren't recognized as love. Loving discipline is not always welcome, but it is necessary. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6 ESV). Preparing someone to handle the difficulties of life and allowing them to go through them on their own is an expression of love. Watching our children endure hardship is hard to do as parents, but sometimes it is the best way we can show our love to them. Allowing them to learn life lessons through personal experience may be the most loving thing we can do for them. Love ultimately has the best interest of the one being loved in mind. Love is not based on how the other one WANTS to be loved, but on what will be best for that individual in the long run. Love must be measured from God's perspective, not our own or anybody else's. What would God have us do? How would God have us love? It will almost always involve sacrifice and selflessness. It will be focused on the one being loved. It will expect nothing in return. It will endure. It will be patient. It will hope for the best. It will sacrifice.

Father, Your love for me is amazing. Your constant, consistent, unwavering love shows up in so many ways in my life every day. Show me how to express that same kind of love to others. May my life be characterized by the kind of love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Amen

A House Divided.

2 Samuel 19-20, 1 Corinthians 12

“We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel.” – 2 Samuel 20:1 ESV

No sooner had David been restored to his rightful place as king of Israel, then everything seemed to fall apart right before his eyes. Absalom was dead. The insurrection had been defeated. But a rift had developed between Israel and Judah. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin were slow to recognize David's restored kingship and had not yet invited him back into Jerusalem. It took some persuasive words from David to finally convince them to welcome him back as king. But the ten tribes to the north became jealous, and complained to David, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?” (2 Samuel 19:41 ESV). This all results in an argument between the people of Judah and Israel, with David stuck in the middle. It created the perfect atmosphere for Sheba, “a worthless man,” to lead the tribes of Israel in a rebellion against David. “So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 20:2 ESV). So while David was back on his throne in Jerusalem, he reigned over a divided kingdom.

What does this passage reveal about God?

At first blush, it would appear that God is virtually absent from the narrative of 2 Samuel 19-20. He does not speak. He is not even mentioned. But we know that He was there. Much of what we see taking place is a result of His curse on David for his sin with Bathsheba. God had told David, “Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (2 Samuel 12:9-10 ESV). David was still reaping the consequences of his sin. God was allowing things to unfold just as He had predicted they would. God had restored David to his throne, but his difficulties were far from over. The circumstances surrounding David's life at this time were not an indication of God's absence. He was there. He was still in control. But David was learning the painful lesson that our sins always have consequences.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Division amongst the people of God is not a new thing. Jealousy, pride, self-importance and the constant need for recognition are always lurking in the hearts of those who are called to be brothers and members of the same family. So much of what we see taking place in the story recorded in 2 Samuel 19-20 has to do with the sinful attitudes of men. The men of Israel are driven by jealousy. Rather than rejoice that David is being restored to his throne, they are jealous that he is returning to Judah and once again making Jerusalem his capital. They feel slighted. They feel betrayed. In this story, David replaced Joab with Amasa, making him the commander of his army, because David had never forgiven Joab for killing Absalom. As a result, Joab murders Amasa, taking back his generalship and restoring himself to power. The amazing thing is that all of this is taking place within the household of God. Jews are rising up against Jews. Brothers are rebelling against brothers. The people of God are destroying one another.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Even in the New Testament, long after Christ had come and the good news of salvation had begun to spread, division was still a problem, even among the growing numbers of believers. Paul had to deal with disunity and division within the church at Corinth. They were even fighting over spiritual gifts. They were experiencing jealousy over who had particular gifts and how they were being used. There were those who were teaching that some gifts were more important than others. This created a hierarchy of gifts, leaving some gifts looking as if they were sub-par or less significant. But Paul reassures them that all the gifts come from the same source: the Spirit of God. And all the gifts have one purpose: to build up the body of Christ. The gifts were intended for the common good of the body. They were not meant to be signs of individual significance and worth. One gift was not any better than another. But the presence of jealousy, pride, egos, and selfishness was turning the gifts of the Spirit into a cause for division and disunity. But Paul reminded his readers, “God arranged the members in the body, each on of them, as he chose” (1 Corinthians 12:18 ESV). There was no need for jealousy. There was no cause for arrogance or pride. “But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:24-26 ESV). The key was unity. The goal was mutual love and accountability. A house divided cannot stand. When we allow jealousy and our own self-importance to infect our community as believers, we destroy our effectiveness. We damage our witness. The greatest threat to God's kingdom is when His people try to establish their own kingdoms and make their will more important than His.

Father, we can find ourselves so easily fighting one another, rather than focusing our attention on the enemy. Too often, we allow jealousy and pride to rob us of power and destroy the unity that You so long for us to experience. Our sin natures get in the way and tend to cause us to focus on ourselves rather than the common good of the body of Christ. Help us to see that we all part of one body and that we have been gifted and equipped to serve one another, not ourselves. Amen

Disunity and Division.

2 Samuel 17-18, 1 Corinthians 11

But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. – 1 Corinthians 11:17-18 NLT

The house of David was divided. His own son, Absalom, had turned against him, taking over his throne and occupying his royal city. Ever since Absalom had taken revenge against Amnon for raping his sister, Absalom and David had been in a less-than-ideal relationship. They had never fully healed the wounds between them. Absalom had developed a growing resentment for David and had lost respect for him as both a father and a king. So he plotted to take over his father's throne and was even determined to take his father's life in order to solidify his own kingship. The amazing thing to consider is that this is all taking place within the nation that had been hand-picked by God to be His chosen people. The Israelites were to be an example of what it was like for a people to live under the leadership of God Himself, experiencing His presence and power, and obeying His righteous commands. But ever since the days of Moses, they had struggled with the concept of unity, constantly finding themselves arguing and whining against one another. Division, disunity and in-fighting were a constant problem among God's people. We can only imagine how the Philistines and the other enemies of Israel must have loved watching Absalom destroy the nation of Israel from within. The enemy has always preferred watching the followers of God destroy themselves, which is why he has made division and disunity such a high priority in his war against the people of God. It is also why Jesus prayed for our unity in His high priestly prayer recorded in John 17. “ I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me” (John 17:21 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

Unity is important to God. It was important to Jesus. The Father and the Son enjoyed perfect unity. There was no division between them. They were unified in their love for one another, their love for mankind and in their plan to provide a solution to man's sin problem. Jesus knew that our unity was just as important, even intimating that the unity of the people of God would be a testimony to the world of God's presence among us. Jesus went on to pray, “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:22-23 ESV). Our unity is a work of the Spirit. It is not human or natural. It is made possible by the power and presence of God in our lives. And our ability to live in unity is a testimony to God's love, Christ's redeeming work and the Spirit's power. Without God's help, we are prone to selfishness and self-centeredness. Division and disagreement are a constant threat because they are manifestations of man's sin nature. But God's love has unified us. We share a common Savior and have been made part of the body of Christ. Paul writes, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit” (1Corinthians 12:12-13 ESV). Our common dependence upon Christ's saving work has unified us into one, unified body. We share all things in common. None of us are more deserving of God's love than anyone else. We have no more value in God's eyes than any of His other children.

What does this passage reveal about man?

But even among the people of God, disunity and discord can raise its ugly head. Just as Absalom was led to see himself as superior to David and worthy of taking his place as king, so too can one believer view himself as more important or worthy than another believer. Paul witnessed this very problem taking place among the believers in Corinth. He wrote, “when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you” (1 Corinthians 11:18 ESV). In other words, when they gathered together for their church services, they were doing so with divided hearts and a spirit of disunity. Their times of corporate worship were marked by selfishness, self-centeredness and an unhealthy spirit of arrogance. Even their marriages were being impacted by this disunity, as wives and husbands failed to properly maintain their god-given roles and responsibilities. Husbands were failing to lead spiritually and their wives were abusing their new-found liberties in Christ to the point that they were undermining God's order of authority and responsibility. The end result was disunity. There was a spirit of independence that had infected the church and was destroying not only their unity, but their witness in the community. Which is why Paul reminded them, “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God” (1 Corinthians 11:11-12 ESV). Their self-centeredness had caused them to remember that it was God who was to be at the center of the homes, marriages, and worship services. He was to be the focus, not themselves.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Absalom was driven by anger, resentment, pride, arrogance and a growing self-centeredness that eventually caused him to forget that God had chosen his father to be the king of Israel, not him. Absalom's will had taken precedence over God's will. He had no problem dividing the kingdom God had established in his efforts to create his own kingdom. And as a result, many would die needlessly, including himself. His actions would bring shame on the nation of Israel and joy to the hearts of the enemies of Israel. How much easier it is to sit back and watch us destroy ourselves from within. If Satan can get us to live together in DISunity, he has won a major battle. If he can divide us from within, he has won a major battle without having to lift a finger against us. This is why Jesus prayed so fervently on our behalf, “the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:14-17 ESV). Like the people of Israel, we are surrounded by a world that is hostile to our very existence. Which is why our unity is so important. We cannot afford to allow internal strife, division and disunity to weaken us. We cannot allow our pride and selfishness to get the best of us. We must remember that God has joined us together. He has placed us in His family. He has unified us through a common faith in His Son's death, burial and resurrection. Together, we make up the body of Christ. But it is our unity that makes us effective. It is our love for one another that proves we are His disciples. It is our supernatural harmony that witnesses to the world of God's presence and power among us.

Father, the world longs to see what true love, harmony and unity looks like. They are dying to see marriages that are marked by Your power and presence. They desperately need to see believers who have been transformed by Your Spirit loving one another regardless of color, class, nationality, income or social standing. May we truly be one as Your prayed that we would be. So that the world may believe in Your Son. Amen

Staying Faithful When Life Gets Stressful.

2 Samuel 15-16, 1 Corinthians 10

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

Life can get messy. There are times when things don't go quite like we expected them to go. Sometimes this is a result of living in a fallen world. Other times, we may be experiencing the consequences of our own sin. But regardless of the cause of our particular circumstances, the real test will be whether we remain faithful to God in the midst of them. David's life seems to have been a series of ups and downs, successes and failures. While he was a man after God's own heart, that does not mean his life was free from difficulties or moments of despair. Even as God's chosen and anointed king, David had to face his fair share of trying times. He had to bear the news of his son Amnon's rape of his half-sister, Tamar. Then he had to learn of Amnon's death at the hand of his brother, Absalom. And David knew that these events were in fulfillment of the prophet Nathan's words, spoken in response to David's sin regarding Bathsheba. “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house’” (2 Samuel 12:10-11 ESV). Absalom would end up running away and living in exile. And even when he finally allowed by David to return, Absalom would plot a conspiracy against his father's throne that would end with David abandoning the city of Jerusalem and escaping to the wilderness once again.

What does this passage reveal about God?

In the midst of this soap-opera-like story, David exhibits an unlikely reliance upon God's sovereignty. He was sad. He was likely disappointed in the outcome of his life, but he continued to place his life in the hands of God. “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him” (2 Samuel 15:25-26 ESV). David did not fully understand his circumstances. He didn't necessarily like them either. But he did his best to trust God with them. Even when David was on his way out of the city and found himself subjected to the curses and rants of a disgruntled relative of Saul, he refused to let his men rebuke his assailant. Instead, he said, “ It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me,and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (2 Samuel 16:12 ESV). While his life appeared to be falling apart all around him, David did not abandon his trust in God. He believed in the sovereignty of his God and would place his life in His hands. David knew that nothing happened by luck or happenstance. His God was in control.

What does this passage reveal about man?

It is amazing to think that one family could be so dysfunctional. Lust, rape, murder, conspiracy, and rebellion – all in one family. But not just any family – the family of the king of Israel, the mighty David, son of Jesse and the man hand-picked by God to lead His people. The depth of the sin described in these chapters is staggering, but it should not be surprising. The sin nature of man is active at all times, even in godly families. And the consequences of our own sinful actions will always catch up with us eventually. While David had been forgiven for his sin with Bathsheba, he still had to face the ramifications of his poor choices and disobedience against God. There are two truths when it comes to life: First, that sin is a real and ever-present reality. But the second is even more important. God is always fully aware of our circumstances and always there. We tend to be surprised by the first and doubtful of the second. But David knew that the only real constant in his life was his God. He was familiar with the instability of life and the constant possibility for sin to rear its ugly head. But he also knew that God could be trusted even when everything seemed to be falling apart all around him.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Paul reminds us, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV). In this passage, Paul was discussing the Israelites and their journey out of slavery in Egypt. While all of them had experienced the same miraculous deliverance by God and enjoyed the same provision of their needs, they didn't all remain faithful. Some turned away from God and put their trust in idols, and as a result, they never made it into the Promised Land. And Paul tells us that these things happened to them as an example for us. They gave in to their physical appetites. They put God to the test. They grumbled against God because they didn't like their circumstances. So Paul warns us to watch out so that we don't repeat their mistake. We must remember that God is faithful. There is no circumstance in life that He is not aware of and that He has not provided for us a way of escape. We don't have to rebel. We don't have to give in to our physical appetites or natural, sinful desires. We don't have to end up putting God to the test. We can trust. We can remain faithful. We can place our hope in Him and wait to see what He is going to do to bring about a resolution. As Paul writes in that often quoted and yet seldom believed verse, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 ESV). David was going to leave his life in the hands of his God. We would be wise to do the same thing.

Father, life is messy and sometimes a bit confusing. But help me to keep my eyes focused on You, not my circumstances. You are the one constant in life. You never change. You never leave. You never run out of strength, power or love for me. May I seek You and see You in all that happens to me and around me. Amen

Rights Run Amuck.

2 Samuel 13-14, 1 Corinthians 9

Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 9:12 ESV

We put a high priority on our rights. But the problem with rights is that they can become expectations, and those expectations, when unmet, can lead to disappointment which can culminate in sin. So much of what we label as rights have more to do with what John refers to as “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” (1 John 2:16 ESV). There are things in this world that we believe are “rightfully” ours to have. It could be a new car, a bigger house, nicer clothes, a better paying job, respect, popularity, good health, or more money. And while God has not necessarily promised us these things, if we convince ourselves that we somehow deserve them, we will not be content until we have them. We will see it as our right, and anyone who stands in our way of fulfilling that right will be seen as our enemy. Many of the things we want or believe we deserve are perfectly fine to have, but the issue is less about rights than it is about lust. And when our perceived rights become an obsession for us, the result is an incapacity to love those around us. Our love of our rights takes precedence over our God-given responsibility to love others.

What does this passage reveal about God?

When asked what the two greatest commandments were, Jesus was quite specific. He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39 ESV). So according to Jesus, we are to love God and love others. Everything else found in the law of Moses and in the writing of the prophets could be summed up in these two commands. But our rights have a way of hindering our ability to faithfully fulfill either command. If I don't get what I think I deserve or what I believe is rightfully mine to have, I will become frustrated with God. I might even find myself falling out of love with God, because I am disappointed in His failure to give me what I want. But my obligation to love God should take precedence over any obsession I may have regarding “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life.” I must be willing to die to my rights for the sake of loving God and loving others. Paul knew this well and lived it out in his everyday life.

What does this passage reveal about man?

What an amazing contrast there is between the life of Paul and the life of Amnon. At first glance, you might think there is little to compare between these two men, but at the heart of both passages is the subject of rights. Amnon believed he had a right to satisfy his lust for his half-sister, Tamar. The author makes it quite clear that Amnon desperately wanted Tamar, and while it says that he loved her, his real attraction seems to have been sexual in nature. He was so obsessed with her that he literally made himself sick. “Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar” (2 Samuel 13:2 ESV). And with encouragement from “crafty” friend, Amnon eventually demanded his rights, forcefully raping Tamar against her will. He believed he had a right to what he wanted, and he did whatever he had to do to get it. Interestingly, the passage says that “Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her” (2 Samuel 13:15 ESV). Not only had Amnon failed to love God by violating His commands, he had allowed his rights to get in the way of his love for Tamar. Lust superceded love. Perceived rights got in the way of doing what was right in God's eyes.

But Paul gives us a model of what it means to hold on to our rights loosely. The entire ninth chapter of 1 Corinthians has to do with the issue of rights. Chapter eight dealt with a problem in the Corinthian church regarding meat offered to idols. There were more mature believers who were demanding their right to eat this meat because they knew that there were no such thing as other gods. They were spiritually mature enough to know that the meat was perfectly fine to eat. But Paul was telling them to give up their rights out of love for their weaker brothers. If someone else, who had just come out of a pagan religion where those false gods were very real, still believed that eating meat sacrificed to those gods was wrong, the last thing you would want to do is to flaunt your rights and cause them to violate their own conscience. Paul refused to make a big deal out of his rights. “Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12 ESV). Rather than demand his rights, Paul died to them. He didn't want anything to stand in the way of the gospel, including his rights.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

It is so easy to let our rights get in the way of our primary objective as followers of Christ. We are to love God and love others. Our focus is to be outward, not inward. But as soon as I start making a big deal out of my rights, I lose focus. It becomes all about me. But Paul would remind us, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV). Put others first. Don't make it all about you. Be willing to die to your rights. And Paul provides Jesus as a perfect example of this very attitude. In fact, Paul tells us to have the same attitude that Christ had: “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8 ESV). Jesus gave up His rights as the Son of God and came to earth. He gave up His divine privileges and position of power and honor next to the Father. He set aside His rights in order to love mankind. Rather than look out for His own personal interests and demand His rights, He placed our well-being ahead of His own. When we allow our rights to rule us, we will end up loving ourselves more than we love God or others. Amnon is a perfect example of this truth. But Paul provides us with a viable alternative. He gave up his rights, so that he might keep his eye on the prize: the faithful presentation of the gospel and the unselfish expression of God's love for others through his own life and ministry.

Father, forgive me for making far too much out of my rights. Don't let me be like Amnon, who was driven by his own desires and convinced himself that his rights were worth doing anything for. I want to be like Paul, willingly giving up my rights for the sake of the gospel and out of love for others. May I increasingly have the same attitude that Christ had. Amen

When Physical Passions Become Spiritually Destructive.

2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Corinthians 8

So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble. – 1 Corinthians 8:13 ESV

As human beings, our physical appetites can get us into trouble. Our love of food can cause us to overeat, making ourselves sick and even overweight. Our love for sexual pleasure can cause us to have immoral thoughts or even put those thoughts into action. The simple pleasure of good wine can turn into drunkenness. There is nothing inherently wrong with physical pleasures or even the desire to fulfill them, but we must always understand that our sin nature will attempt to transform these God-given appetites into opportunities for sin. The apostle Paul knew this well. “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions” (Galatians 5:17 NLT).

In the story of David and Bathsheba we have a sobering illustration of what can happen to a good man who allows his physical passions to get the better of him. David found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. When he should have been at war, he was at home, with far too much leisure time on his hands. While his men fought, David was relaxing on his rooftop, and that's where his trouble began. He saw Bathsheba taking a bath on an adjacent rooftop. David lusted. But rather than stop there, he allowed his passions to take control of him. David experienced what James warned about. “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15 ESV). David's desire turned into full-blown adultery. He satisfied his sexual appetite in an immoral and improper way. And the result was death.

What does this passage reveal about God?

David's sin was against God. He would later acknowledge that in the Psalm he wrote in response to his sin and God's response to it. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment” (Psalm 51:4 ESV). Yes, David's actions were damaging to Bathsheba. He coerced her to sin against God and her own husband. David even resorted to taking the life of Uriah in an attempt to cover up his sin. But at the end of the day, David had sinned against God. He had broken God's commands and allowed his physical appetite to become his god. The apostle Paul wrote about this very thing. “…there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth” (Philippians 3:18-19 ESV). David let his sexual appetite control him. He obeyed his desires rather than obey his God. And the result was death.

What does this passage reveal about man?

This is a constant reality for all of us. Our physical appetites are real and ever-present. But we cannot afford to be ruled by our passions. We can't let our physical desires become our gods. When we allow them to control us, the results are rarely good. “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever” (1 John 2:16-17 NLT). “Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away” (1 Corinthians 7:31 NLT). We should never let the temporal things of this world control us. David's sexual appetite was God-given and good, but when he let it control him, and he gave into its desire for something outside of God's will, he sinned. Gluttony is a serious sin in the life of the believer. It literally means “to gulp down or swallow.” It has to do with over-indulgence and over-consumption. It is to take the desire for something good and to turn it into an overwhelming and uncontrolled obsession for even more. David had wives. He had appropriate means for expressing and fulfilling his sexual desires. But when he let his passions control him, he wasn't satisfied with what he had. He wanted more. His god was his appetite, because he obeyed it rather than do what God had commanded him to do.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

The enemy loves to distort and twist the truth. All the way back in the Garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve with forbidden fruit. God had give Adam and Eve all the fruit of the garden and had only denied them access to one particular tree. But it was that ONE tree that Satan used to tempt Eve. He tried to confuse her by twisting the words of God. “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1 NLT). He appealed to her sense of right and privilege. He preyed upon her physical appetite. “She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too” (Genesis 3:6 ESV). And the result was death. Eve knew better. She was fully aware of what God had said. But her appetite for food and her desire for power got the best of her. She gave in to her physical passions and disobeyed God.

But there is another area in which I can allow my desires to end up in death. Paul deals with it in 1 Corinthians 8. I may have every right to satisfy my physical desires by eating certain foods or partaking in certain activities because they are NOT sinful. But if I have a weaker brother in Christ whose conscience is uneducated and who wrongly assumes that those activities are sin, I must be willing to give up my rights for his good. “But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:9 NLT). I may have the right to drink wine, but if my doing so causes another brother to sin against his own conscience, I have sinned against Christ. “And when you sin against other believersby encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ” (1 Corinthians 8:12 NLT). I must never allow my physical appetites to rule or run my life. Paul was willing to give up eating meat altogether if he thought it might cause a brother to stumble. What am I willing to give up in order to protect my brothers and sisters in Christ? Too often, we allow our physical appetites to control our lives. But all these things are temporal and fading away. They have little to no lasting value. We eat, only to get hungry again. When we try to satisfy our lives with temporal pleasures, we always end up wanting more. The things of this earth cannot satisfy. Only God can.

Father, forgive me for letting my physical passions rule and reign in my life. I am so prone to giving in to my appetites. Give me the strength to say no when necessary. I don't want my stomach to be my god. I don't want sexual desires to control me. I want to be under Your control. I want to do what You could have me do. But this sinful flesh is always at war within me. Give me the power I need to say no to the flesh and yes to Your Spirit. Amen

The Kindness of God.

2 Samuel 9-10, 1 Corinthians 7

So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. – 2 Samuel 9:13 ESV

The story of David and Mephibosheth is a remarkable picture of the grace God has extended toward undeserving mankind. After becoming king over all of Israel, David could have taken vengeance out on any of the descendants of Saul. After all, Saul had repeatedly tried to eliminate David as the God-ordained successor to his throne. It would have made perfectly logical sense for David to eliminate any of Saul's potential heirs in order to solidify his rule. But instead, David sought out the remaining household of Saul, not to destroy them, but to show them mercy and grace. David said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” (2 Samuel 9:3 ESV). David's words are significant. He wanted to show the kindness of God – the same kindness God had shown to him. David recognized that his position as king of Israel was not deserved. He had not earned it. It had been made possible by the grace and kindness of God. So he wanted to extend that same kindness to the remaining heirs of Saul. When Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, was brought before David, he was told, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always” (2 Samuel 9:7 ESV). Shocked by this news, Mephibosheth could only respond, “What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” (2 Samuel 9:8 ESV). Mephibosheth knew he was undeserving of David's kindness. He did not merit the grace, mercy and unbelievable generosity of the king.

What does this passage reveal about God?

As has been said before, David was referred to by God as a man after His own heart. He had a sensitivity to the ways of God. In this story, we see that David was fully aware of God's kindness and grace towards him, which made him predisposed to turn around and extend that same kindness toward others – not because they deserved it. What is amazing is that David was willing to extend this kindness to a young man who had nothing to offer in return. The passage makes it clear that Mephibosheth was crippled. He wasn't even a real threat to David's kingdom. He was lame in both of his feet and would never have been considered a viable candidate for the kingship of Israel. But David showed him kindness anyway. And what David did for Mephibosheth was shocking. He restored to him all the lands that had belonged to his grandfather, Saul. He gave him a permanent place at his royal table. David made Mephibosheth a part of his royal family, and Mephibosheth is stunned by this turn of events. He recognizes his undeservedness and couldn't help but marvel at David's astounding kindness. But all of this is just a shadow of what God has done for us as believers in Jesus Christ. He has taken sinful men like us and made us His heirs and permanent residents of His eternal kingdom. Paul reminds us, “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10 ESV). To the Colossian believers Paul wrote, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:21-22 ESV). There was a time when all believers were in the same state as Mephibosheth. We were living in exile, separated from God, deserving of death, and incapable of doing anything to save ourselves. But God showed us mercy. He extended to us grace. He showered us with kindness. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:4-9 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

Mephibosheth had everything going against him. He was not only the grandson of Saul, David's arch enemy, he was crippled. In that day and age, to be lame was seen as a curse from God. The Jews believed that physical illness was directly tied to sin. Even when Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man, the disciples asked, ““Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2 ESV). The disciples wrongly assumed that the man's blindness was a result of sin. As a crippled man, Mephibosheth would have been viewed with disdain. He would have been an outcast, even as the grandson of the former king of Israel. And as a descendant of Saul, Mephibosheth would have had another strike against him. He would have been seen as an enemy of David, a constant reminder of the former regime and fully deserving of the wrath of the newly appointed king. But again, Mephibosheth represents us. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Like Mephibosheth, I am undeserving of God's kindness. I was a sinner, as good as dead, unable to save myself or do anything to redeem myself from the righteous judgment of a holy God. And yet, I was shown mercy and grace. I was the recipient of God's kindness and love – not because of me, but in spite of me. David had experienced the kindness of God. He had been rescued from his exile in the wilderness where he was hiding from the wrath of Saul. He had been restored to fellowship with the people of God. He had been placed on the throne of Israel as their king. And none of this escaped David's notice. In return, he wanted to show that same kindness – the kindness of God – to others. He chose to show it to the “least of these.” David extended mercy in the same way that he had received it. He didn't base it on merit. He didn't do it in order to get something in return. Paul makes it clear that the mercy we have received from God was undeserved – “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5 ESV). I must be willing to show others the same kind of mercy, grace, and kindness I have received from God. Not based on their merit. Not based on what they can do for me in return. But solely based on the kindness that God has shown me.

Father, what an amazing picture of Your grace. I was Mephibosheth, crippled, hopeless and helpless, and yet You showed me kindness. You restored me to fellowship with You and made me Your heir. You have given me a permanent place at Your table and now call me Your Son. Help me to extend that same amazing kindness to all those I meet, whether I think they deserve it or not. Amen

Such Were Some of You.

2 Samuel 7-8, 1 Corinthians 6

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV

It would be easy to read the story of David and assume that he was somehow a better person than Saul. God must have looked down from heaven, taken stock of the two men and concluded that David was spiritually superior to Saul. After all, God did refer to David as a man after His own heart. But to conclude that David somehow deserved God's selection of him would be in direct contrast to God's law and His nature. David was a sinner just like Saul. Yes, he had a heart for the things of God, but that is not why God chose him. From the opening chapters of the book of Genesis to the final words of the book of Revelation, the Bible is the story of the grace of God – His unmerited favor poured out on the lives of undeserving men, and David was no different. David was far from perfect, as the rest of his life's story will clearly reveal. He was a sinner just like Saul. And yet God had chosen him to be His servant and to lead His people. He would give him victory in battle and anoint his kingship. God would even promise to extend his kingdom long after the day of his death, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom” (2 Samuel 7:12 ESV). David didn't deserve these blessings. He had not earned God's favor. And David seemed to recognize that fact. “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God!” (2 Samuel 7:18-19 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

“And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went” (2 Samuel 8:6 ESV). God's hand was on David. He chose to prosper David. He had a plan for David's life that went well beyond David and his ability to live faithfully and obediently to the will of God. God's promise to extend David's kingdom and to “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:13 ESV), project far beyond the life of Solomon to the coming of the Messiah, the true King of Israel. David was part of God's plan to redeem mankind through His own Son, Jesus Christ, who would be a descendant of David. God would use a flawed man like David to accomplish His divine will for mankind. God made it clear to David that this was all His doing. “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth” (2 Samuel 7:8-9 ESV). The story of David is really the story of God, working through the life of David. It gives us a glimpse of how God works behind the scenes, orchestrating the affairs of me to accomplish His divine will and, ultimately, bring about His plan of redemption for mankind.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Being chosen by God could lead anyone to conclude that he was somehow special or deserving of God's love and mercy. But the apostle Paul reminds us that “the unrighteouswill not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9 ESV). Elsewhere he wrote, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). All men are sinners. All have rebelled against God and deserve His righteous judgment and punishment. Paul makes it clear that “neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV). And before any of his readers can proudly assume that this list does not include them, Paul adds, “And such were some of you” (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV). They were just as guilty, just as sinful, and just as deserving of God's penalty of death. But Paul reminds the, “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV). This was God's doing, not their own. God had mercifully, graciously chosen them for redemption, not because they deserved it, but because He lovingly chose to do so. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

God chose David. He placed His Spirit within him. He gave him victory in battle. He promised to extend his kingdom and prolong his reign, long after he was gone from the earth. God even chose to bring the Savior of the world through the lineage of David, in spite of the fact that David was far from sinless and anything but perfect. Even in these two short chapters in 2 Samuel, we see God blessing David and giving him victory in battle. But we also see David violating the law of God. “And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots” (2 Samuel 8:4 ESV). God had specifically commanded the kings of Israel not to do this. “Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again’” (Deuteronomy 17:16 ESV). Why? Because where it could all lead. “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!” (Isaiah 31:1 ESV). The kings of Israel were not to mimic the ways of the world or turn to the nations of the world for help. He had a different standard for His kings and His people. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7 ESV). David's greatness was a result of David's God. His triumphs were the result of God's presence in his life. So rather than trust in chariots, David was to trust in God. The same thing is true of me today. I must continually learn to trust in God. He chose me. He redeemed me. He graciously provides me with His presence and power. Not because I deserve it, but simply because He chose to call me His own, so that He might accomplish His will through me.

Father, like David, I was undeserving of Your selection of me. I had done nothing to deserve Your choice of me as the beneficiary of Your love, grace and mercy. I was a sinner just like everyone else. Never let me forget that fact. I stand before You, not because I earned that right, but because You graciously, lovingly redeemed me and gave me life when I was dead, hopeless and helpless. Amen

Faithfulness to God.

2 Samuel 3-4, 1 Corinthians 4

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. – 1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV

One of the primary things that set David apart from Saul and just about every other Israelite of his day was his heart for God. It wasn't just an internal thing that difficult to see, but it showed up in how he lived his life and how he interacted with others. David had a healthy love for and fear of God. In spite of all that he had been through over the years and the injustices he had suffered, he refused to compartmentalize his life and live with a secular-sacred split. But the temptation for all followers of God is to view life as a kind of dichotomy that includes the spiritual as well as the secular dimensions. In other words, we can easily see church and Bible study as one part of life and work and recreation as another. We can end up acting one way on Sunday and another way the rest of the week. But for David, there was only one set of behaviors that were appropriate: those that honored God. So when two men showed up at his door with the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, they were expecting to receive a reward from David. “And they said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring’” (2 Samuel 4:8 ESV). But instead of a reward, they lost their lives. David remained faithful to God. He did not place himself as judge over Ish-bosheth any more than he had over Saul. David's response was not what these two men were expecting. “But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ‘As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, when one told me, “Behold, Saul is dead,” and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?’” (2 Samuel 4:9-11 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

God desires our faithfulness. He wants His followers to view life from His perspective, not their own. It would have been easy for David to have seen the actions of these men as beneficial to his kingdom cause, but he knew that, ultimately, his kingdom was up to God, not himself. It was not his job to act as judge over Ish-bosheth or any other descendant of Saul. David seemed to know inherently what Paul would write centuries later: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2 ESV). David knew that God wanted him to remain faithful – not to his own kingdom, but to God Himself. This was not about David's kingdom, but God's. The whole reason Saul's reign had ended poorly was because he had lost sight of his role as nothing more than a servant of God. Saul had neglected to see himself as nothing more than a steward of God's kingdom. When he saw that David was to be his likely successor, rather than rejoice in God's choosing of him, he attempted to kill him – all in an attempt to prolong and protect his own kingdom. But the Israelites were God's people, not his. The throne was God's, not his. The kingdom was God's, not his.

What does this passage reveal about man?

One of the things we men struggle with most is the biblical concept of servanthood. We have been conditioned to make everything about ourselves. We have been trained to put ourselves at the center of our world. We have developed a highly myopic outlook on life that focuses all our attention on ourselves. But as believers, we must always remember that God is to be the focus of our attention. We exist for His glory, not our own. David was not seeking glory, but instead, he was seeking to remain faithful to God. That's why he did not rejoice in the death of Saul or Jonathan. He wasn't grateful to the young man who claimed to have killed Saul. He wasn't happy when Joab killed Abner, the commander of Saul's armies. He didn't reward the two men who took the life of Ish-bosheth. Because David wasn't focused on his kingdom. He was focused on God's. When we focus all our attention on us, we can become cocky and proud. Paul saw this attitude in the Corinthians believers. “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!” (1 Corinthians 4:8 ESV). But like David, Paul had a different perspective. “We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things” (1 Corinthians 4:10-13 ESV). For Paul, faithfulness was more important than popularity or significance. Honoring God with his life was more important than receiving the honor of men.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

David may not have looked like a king, but he acted life one. His actions reflected the heart of a man who had a heart for God. When David mourned the death of Abner, rather than celebrate it, the people of Israel noticed. “And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people” (2 Samuel 3:36 ESV). His actions were pleasing to men because David was attempting to please God. His focus was on remaining faithful to God. When I get that reversed and attempt to please men rather than God, it never goes well. If I attempt please me, it ends up even worse. My life is to be lived out with God as the focus and my faithfulness to Him as the objective. Paul would remind me, “So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due” (1 Corinthians 4:5 NLT). I am to live my life with an eye on pleasing God, both now and in the future, when I stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ. I am to live with a future perspective, not a temporal one. My rewards are coming later, not now. If I seek the praise of men now, that will be my reward. But if my actions today are motivated by the future praise of God, they will exhibit my faithfulness to Him and protect me from making self-centered decisions and seeking the praise of men.

Father, I want to be faithful servant. I want my life to be an example of what it means to live with Your kingdom s the focus, not my own. Thank You for this timely reminder from the life of David and the pen of Paul. Amen

The Wisdom of this World.

2 Samuel 1-2, 1 Corinthians 3

 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. – 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 ESV

After years of running for his life, you would have thought David would have rejoiced over the news that his archenemy was dead. But instead, David mourned, wept and fasted. He found no joy in Saul's death, and even executed the young man who claimed to have taken his life. Having come upon the slain body of Saul, this young Amalekite came up with the brilliant idea to take Saul's crown and arm band, bring them to David, and present himself as the one who took the life of Saul's mortal enemy. Conventional wisdom told him that David would reward him. But instead, he was put to death. “David said to him, ‘How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?’” (2 Samuel 1:14 ESV). God had not given David permission to take the life of Saul, so why did this young man think he could do so? Worldly wisdom proved to be folly in his case.

With David's anointing as king over Judah, there appears to be a turning point in the life of the people of God. He will prove to be a different kind of leader than Saul. David was a man after God's own heart. He had a sensitivity to God and a desire to do things God's way. When he heard the news of Saul's death, he didn't rush into Israel demanding to be crowned king. He had every right to do so, because he had been crowned king by the prophet of God. Instead, he sought the mind of God. He wanted to know what God would have him do. He wanted God's wisdom, not the wisdom of men. This characteristic of David would set him apart from his peers. It would mark him as God's servant. He didn't always act wisely or seek God's will entirely, but David attempted to live his life according to God's direction.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God had always wanted to guide and direct the lives of the people of Israel. He wanted them to submit to His will and obey His commands. He had promised to bless them if they would. But they had a track record of disobedience and unfaithfulness. They had an insatiable love for the world. Paul could have been referring to them when he wrote, “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh” (1 Corinthians 3:1 ESV). They were driven by their passions and controlled by their sinful nature. You see in this story the actions of sinful men acting out in selfish, unspiritual ways. Abner refuses to recognize David as king, anointing Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, the king of Israel instead. There are murders, intrigue, deception, political positioning, and revenge killings. Everyone is doing what they perceive to be right. But few, if any, of them are doing what God would have them do. The only one who seems interested in seeking the will of God is David. Everyone else simply does what is right in their own eyes. But Paul reminds us, “He catches the wise in their craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:19 ESV) and “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile” (1 Corinthians 3:20 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

It was God's will that David be the next king of Israel. But men muddied the water. Abner refused to acknowledge David as king, putting the heir of Saul on the throne instead. So for a number of years, there was a divided kingdom. On top of that, there was war between the people of Judah and the people of Israel. This unnecessary conflict resulted in the deaths of countless Israelites, including Asahal and Abner. It resulted in a curse on the house of Joab. The wisdom of this world is futile and results in folly. No matter how good it may sound, worldly wisdom will always disappoint. It will never deliver as promised. It is marked by jealousy, strife and conflict, because it is almost always self-centered and selfishly motivated. It is centered around man's glory, instead of God's.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

When Paul accused the Corinthians of being people of the flesh, he was referring to their petty divisions regarding who had baptized each of them. They had actually allowed divisions to develop within the church over who was baptized by Paul and who was baptized by Apollos. Some were claiming to be followers of one or the other. And Paul told them that they were “behaving only in a human way” (1 Corinthians 3:3 ESV). Rather than focusing their attention on God, they were making it about men, and they were missing the point. The key to discovering true wisdom is recognizing our own stupidity. Without God we are all lacking in wisdom. What we have is a human wisdom that is ultimately futile and foolish. God is not impressed with our wisdom. “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile” (1 Corinthians 3:20 ESV). So we need to recognize that man's wisdom, no matter how impressive it may appear to be, is no match for the wisdom of God. And there is no reason to boast about or place our hope in men. Like David, we must turn to God. We must seek His will and desire to know His wisdom. James tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5 ESV). God's wisdom is available at all times. He desires to give it. All we must do is recognize our need and ask Him for it.

Father, I need Your wisdom each and every day. There are so many things that happen in a given day that require me to make decisions or choices. If I rely on the wisdom of this world, it almost always results in disappointment. I need Your wisdom. I want to live according to Your will. Help me recognize my need and turn to You for help. And give me the patience to wait until I hear from You. Amen

Misplaced Hope.

1 Samuel 31, 1 Corinthians 2

 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them. – 1 Samuel 31:7 ESV

King Saul was dead. Mortally wounded in battle with the Philistines, he ended up taking his own life rather than allow himself to be taken captive alive and be subjected to a slow and humiliating death at the hands of his enemies. When news of Saul's death and that of his son, Jonathan, made it into the camp of the remaining Israelites, they panicked. They lost all hope. Their king was dead and so was his likely successor. In fact, all of Saul's sons had been killed in battle, so their was no heir to the throne. So all the Israelites living east of the Jordan abandoned their homes and cities, leaving them to be captured and occupied by the Philistines. They had placed their hope for the future in an earthly king and now found themselves leaderless and hopeless. Rather than trust God, they had decided to invest their loyalty and allegiance in a man. In their minds, it had all made sense. When they had demanded that Samuel, the prophet of God, give them a king just like all the other nations, it had seemed like such a logical and wise decision. Samuel was getting old and his sons were wicked. So it made sense that they needed a leader, and when they looked around, all the other great nations had kings. So they went with the worldly wisdom of the day and demanded a king for themselves. Now the body of their king hung lifeless and headless on the wall of a Philistine city, and they were running for their lives.

What does this passage reveal about God?

This was not God's preferred plan for their lives. He had wanted to bless them and make them successful. He had wanted to give them victory over their enemies. They were to have been the most powerful people in the land, feared by their enemies and known for the strength of their God. But now the Philistines were worshiping the power of their own gods for having given them victory over the Israelites. Rather than fear the Israelites, they saw them as weak and powerless. And they viewed the God of Israel as inferior and weak, incapable of rescuing His own people from destruction and defeat. Conventional wisdom would have supported this view. From a human perspective it would have appeared that the gods of the Philistines were more powerful than the God of the Israelites. But the wisdom of this world can't comprehend the ways of God. The Philistines were gloating over their victory. The Israelites were running as a result of their defeat. But God was going to use this bleak moment in their history as yet another lesson and as a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:3 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about man?

Worldly wisdom and godly wisdom are two different things. Men tend to believe their wisdom is superior and fully capable of providing them with the answers they seek and the direction they need for success in this world. Relying on human wisdom is a dangerous mistake. It may sound logical and make all the sense in the world, but Paul would remind us that placing our faith in the wisdom of this world rather than in the power of God will always lead to a less-than-perfect outcome. The people of Israel learned that lesson. So did Saul. Paul knew that the wisdom and rulers of this age “are doomed to pass away” (1 Corinthians 2:6 ESV). They come and they go, but God remains. And His wisdom is hidden, unavailable to men unless He chooses to reveal it to them. The wisest men of Jesus' day were totally incapable of recognizing who He was and unable to understand the truth of what He was offering them. Paul said, “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8 ESV). Instead, they relied on their own wisdom and determined that the best plan was to put Jesus to death. Human wisdom resulted in their decision to have Jesus crucified. It made logical sense to them. But they were blind to the reality of what they were doing. They were incapable of understanding the will and the thoughts of God, so they relied on human reason alone.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

I have been given the ability to understand the mind of God because He has given me His Spirit. “So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:11-12 ESV). God has equipped me with the capacity to comprehend His will and His ways. I am not left to rely on human wisdom or the wisdom of this age. I have access to a greater source of wisdom that can not only direct me, but protect me from placing my trust and hope in the wrong things. Paul reminds me, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). I have the Spirit of God living within me. I have no excuse for not understanding God's will. I have no reason for refusing to trust God and place my hope in Him. But sadly, I still do. Even with the Spirit of God living within me, I can still find myself relying on human wisdom. I can still easily justify my own actions and determine that my ways make more sense than God's ways. But I have no justification for relying on anything other than God. I have them mind of Christ. I am indwelt by the Spirit of God. I have access to the Word of God. I don't have to rely on faulty human wisdom. With the help of the Spirit of God, I can comprehend the thoughts of God and live with my hope firmly placed on Him.

Father, I want to live with my trust in You, not in me. I want to live according to Your wisdom and not my own. Show me how to become increasingly more dependent on Your wisdom. Let me seek it through Your Word. Make it clear through the power and presence of Your Spirit. May I continue to learn to rely on You and place my hope and trust in You. Amen

The Wisdom of God.

1 Samuel 29-30, 1 Corinthians 1

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. – 1 Corinthians 1:25 ESV

From an outside perspective, it would appear that David's life was one huge train wreck. He had been anointed to be the next king of Israel, and yet he was living as a fugitive in the land of the Philistines, the enemies of God. He had a bounty on his head and found the only way to escape the constant pursuit of Saul was to live as a guest of Achish, the king of the Philistines. Even his life among the Philistines was a very carefully conceived ruse, where he feigned allegiance to the king, but was actually going out on secret raids against the enemies of Israel. Nothing about David's circumstances appears to be what you would expect for someone who had been anointed the next king of Israel. And things went from bad to worse when the Philistines determined to go to war with the people of Judah. David now found himself in the awkward position of having to choose sides. King Achish expected David to fight by his side because he had been fully convinced by David's deceptive behavior that he was on his side. David was faced with the prospect of having to go to war against his own people or show his true colors and risk the wrath of the Philistines. But God intervened.

What does this passage reveal about God?

David had gotten himself into this mess, but God would graciously get him out of it. There is not indication in the Scriptures that David sought out God's advice when he determined to flee to the Philistines for protection against Saul. He simply decided that hiding out amongst the enemies of Israel would prevent Saul from seeking him, and it worked. When Saul became aware that David was hiding out in the land of the Philistines, he gave up the chase. But this doesn't mean David's decision was right or godly. It would lead to the predicament in which he found himself, as well as the ultimate capture of his two wives and all the Jews who were living with him in Ziklag. Sometimes our decisions, when made independently of God, will result in less-than-perfect circumstances. But God is able to use even our poor decisions to bring about His divine will for our lives. He lovingly protects us from ourselves and graciously provides us with a way of escape. While David had made some foolish decisions, God's wisdom would prevail. The apostle Paul reminds us, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31 ESV). At the end of the day, God wants our trust to be in Him. He wants our decisions to be based on His counsel and His wisdom. He wants us to live according to His direction and not our own, so that when all is said and done, we will have every reason to boast in Him and not ourselves.

What does this passage reveal about man?

God provided David with a way out of his predicament. The commanders of the Philistines knew David's reputation as a great warrior for Israel, so they didn't trust him. They feared that as soon as they went into battle against the people of Judah, David and his men would turn against them. So they demanded that King Achish send David home. God would use the influence of these pagan Philistine commanders to prevent David from having to go into battle against his own people. But David was still going to experience the painful consequences of his decision to live among the Philistines. When he and his men returned home to Ziklag, they found the city had been raided and burned to the ground by Amalekites. All the women and children had been taken captive, including David's two wives. Suddenly David found himself threatened with stoning by his own people. They blamed him for their circumstances. So faced with one of the darkest moments of his life, David turned to God. “And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6 ESV). David sought God's will, because he realized he was going to need God's help to get out of this fix. And God responded. God delivered. They recaptured all their women and children, alive and well, along with a great deal of spoil. God turned David's mess into a victory. And David knew that it was God's hand that had made it all possible. “He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us” (1 Samuel 30:23 ESV). David boasted in the Lord and gave Him the glory.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul reminds us that God, in His infinite wisdom has provided us with victory over sin and death through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. The whole idea of salvation made possible through death seems foolish and ridiculous to most people. It makes no sense. The idea of a single man living a sinless life and dying as the sacrifice for the sins of all men sound ludicrous and far-fetched. Human wisdom would say that the favor of God must be earned through self-effort. The violent death of a single, obscure Jew could do nothing to satisfy the demands of a holy God. But Paul would disagree. “…but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:23-25 ESV). “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV). Mankind got itself into the mess in which it found itself. Separated from God and incapable of living up to His righteous standards, we found ourselves in a hopeless situation. Then God stepped in. He did the impossible and improbable. Contrary to the wisdom of this world, God provided a way for men to be made right with Him. “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV). God graciously provided a solution to man's problem. He stepped into our mess and made it right. “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ESV). God saved David. God has saved me. When I was at my weakest, when I lacked wisdom, when I was hopeless, God stepped in and provided salvation. So that I have no reason to boast in myself. My salvation is His work from start to finish.

Father, You saved me. You redeemed me. You did what only You could do through Your Son Jesus Christ. It makes no sense. It sounds far-fetched and unbelievable. But Your foolishness is wiser than men and Your weakness is stronger than men. It doesn't have to make sense for it to be true. I don't have to fully understand it for it to be effective. Your salvation is real and Your solution to my problem has been life changing for me. So I have no reason to boast or brag. I played no part in it. I am the undeserving recipient of Your grace and mercy. Amen

The Danger of Division.

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. – 1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT

One of the most dangerous enemies of the body of Christ is any kind of division or internal strife that creeps into its midst. Infighting and internal dissension can be highly destructive to the unity of a local fellowship. That's why Paul immediately addresses a situation going on within the body of believers in Corinth. He had received news that there were quarrels taking place between believers and he was disturbed enough to deal with it at the very beginning of his letter. It seems that factions had developed within the church and they were centered around personalities. "Some of you are saying, 'I am a follower of Paul.' Others are saying, 'I follow Apollos,' or 'I follow Peter,' or 'I follow only Christ'" (1 Corinthians 1:12 NLT). The church had become a personality cult, with various factions choosing a different individual as their "leader." Paul does not go into a great deal of detail regarding the cause of these factions, but it probably had something to do with the role each of these individuals had played in the conversion of the various church members. If someone had been led to faith by Apollos, they naturally held him in high esteem and viewed him as their mentor. If Paul had been the one to lead them to Christ, they developed a natural affinity and affection for him. So people were more than likely choosing sides based on the role these men had played in their spiritual birth and development. And it had led to arguments and an unhealthy situation within the church.

But Paul calls them out. He exposes the danger of their infighting, and demands that they seek unity – "be of one mind, united in thought and purpose." There is no place within the body of Christ for factions of any kind, especially man-centered "fan clubs" that seemingly elevate individuals to the same status of Jesus Himself. In the case of Corinth, some of these people were calling themselves followers of man, rather than followers of Christ. Somewhere along the way, they had missed the point. Paul, Peter and Apollos were simply tools God had used to bring the Gospel to the Corinthians and to assist them in their spiritual growth. These men were essential to the process, but were never intended to be afforded rock star status among the Corinthian believers. But it happens all the time. Cults of personality exist in churches all across the country. People become followers of men rather than followers of Christ. And in larger churches where you have larger staffs, you can end up with factions based on the particular minister or ministry heads and the role they play in the lives of various individuals. Younger people can end up with a natural affinity to younger pastors. Older members of the congregation can end up preferring a minister closer to their demographic. If a particular minister played a role in someone's salvation, it can become natural for that individual to hold that pastor in higher regard. But all of this can lead to divisions and a lack of unity. Again, that is why Paul appealed to them to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

Much of what Paul had to deal with in his letters to the various churches had to do with unity and division. Why? Because it was always a real threat to the integrity and health of these new congregations. In his book, The Story of God As Revealed in the Holy Bible For All Mankind, Raymond Anderegg writes, "…the apostles make it clear that two of the biggest threats to the kingdom of God are false teachers and division within the Church, and both threats are treated as equally important. Thus, two of the worst sins a Christian can commit are to reject the gospel of Jesus Christ for another gospel (religion) and to cause strife and division among our brethren, the body, or Church, of Christ." Disunity is destructive. Division is deadly. It robs the church of its power. It diminishes the body of Christ's influence among the lost. It gives the enemy a foothold and an opportunity to sow strife and dissension in place of love and forgiveness. Ours is not to be a man-centered religion based on personality, but a Christ-centered faith based on His sin-defeating work on the cross on our behalf. When we start making the church a cult of personality by making much of men, we diminish the sufficiency and singularity of Christ as the sole focus of our faith.

Father, from the very beginning, mankind has wanted to make it all about man. We tend to want to worship ourselves or someone else instead of You. We find it easy to make much of man. We so want to elevate men to positions of prominence and importance because it seems to give us hope for ourselves. But it was never meant to be about us. We make lousy gods. We make terrible saviors. We are incapable of providing long-term, sustainable help and hope for anyone. Which is why You sent Your Son. We are to make much of Him. We are to worship Him and Him alone. Forgive us for the divisions and silly factions we create based on personalities. Help us remember that we are followers of Christ and no one else. Create in us a unity that is focused on Him. Amen.

The Beauty of the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. – 1 Corinthians 1:5 NLT

One of the mistakes we make when reading the letters of Paul is to take every personal pronoun and make it personal. So every time we read the word "you," we believe he is talking to us as individuals. But in most cases, Paul uses a plural personal pronoun. That's because most of his letters were written to churches, not individuals. In this case, he was writing to the believers in Corinth – all those individuals who made up the corporate body of Christ in that city. So his words are to be taken in a corporate context. But because of our intense individualism as western Christians we attempt to make it all about us – or better yet, me. We read these verses as individuals and fail to see the community focus of Paul's words. I like the way the New Living Translation renders verse 5. It reads, "God has enriched your church in every way…" In this letter, Paul is addressing the issue of spiritual gifts. He wants the Corinthian believers to know that they have been given spiritual gifts as individual believers, but they are intended and designed for use within the body of Christ. Those gifts were meant to be used to enhance life within the community. My spiritual gift is not for me, but for the benefit of others with whom I live as part of the body of Christ.

In verse 7, Paul makes it clear that he is talking about spiritual gifts when he writes, "Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ." The body of Christ in Corinth had been blessed by God with a full assortment of spiritual gifts, given by God to enhance their community and encourage their spiritual growth and vitality. Even when Paul writes, "He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns" (1 Corinthians 1:8 NLT), he has a community focus in mind. Through the proper use of their spiritual gifts, God would keep the body there in Corinth strong until the Lord returned. Paul knew that their spiritual well-being and health was dependent on the proper use of their gifts. There were abuses of the spiritual gifts going on in Corinth and Paul was going to address them, but he wanted them to understand from the outset that the gifts were God-given and designed to be life-giving – to the community. A healthy body is one in which all the members are performing their intended task faithfully and with the overall well-being of the body in mind. There is no place for selfishness or self-centeredness within the body.

Father, how easy it is to make it all about me. We are wired to think about ourselves and to neglect the needs of others. Our instincts of self-preservation and survival have allowed us to misunderstand the spiritual life. We make it an individual pursuit and fail to recognize that You intended it to be a corporate experience – a team sport. As we read through the letter to the Corinthians, remind us again of the power of the gifts used in the context of community as You designed them to be used. Amen.