Scripture:

Psalm 42:1-2

As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So pants my soul for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

With All That is Within Me

What you think vs Reality:

You probably picture these peaceful waters with a deer drinking from them.  But in reality, deer don't pant; well, they don't pant for no reason.   If you see a deer panting it is because it has been running for its life, it has exhausted all its physical energy, exhausted its water, and is desperate to replenish itself.   This is the picture the psalmist is painting:   I run to the LORD with ALL that is within me, I put all of me in the pursuit, I am running from the things of the world toward God, to the place I know I will be replenished, the place that real life exists, in Him, with Him, I know I will find peace, and rest for my soul, he is saying I thirst for His presence, and I don't waste a second, I run, with all that is within me to get there.

Why?

• Because He has everything I need.
• Because He sustains my life.
• Because He is the source of everything good.
• Because He has the peace I need.
• Because He saves me.

To pursue the LORD with all that is within you, to find your reset in Him, your purpose in Him, your life in Him.

Lord, I pray that we would seek you with all that is within us, that our lives and our hearts would be fully given over to you, all the days of our lives, all that is within us, that like the deer, we would run to you, to your place of refreshing, replenishing, that we would find rest, most importantly we would find you, in Jesus' name, Amen! 

Scripture:16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ” 17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”

He answered, “I am.”

Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.”

And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes. 19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”

2 Samuel 20:16-19

"Wisdom is a Shelter"

Joab, one of David's commanders, is looking for a man named Sheba who has rebelled against the King, and Sheba has fled to Abel Beth-maacah, and Joab is about to destroy the whole city for the sake of this man, and that is where we find ourselves in today's scripture.  

One of the most important things when we read scripture is to ask questions.  Like in this story, why is this woman so significant that she should be told in this story?   What we discover is that it is her wisdom and faithfulness toward the Lord that saved that City.   She reminds Joab that this city is a "mother in Israel" and a place of peace and faithfulness.   

Wise people serve the Lord in faithfulness, and for Abel Beth-maacah, it was that faithfulness, obedience, and loyalty to the Lord that the Lord provided wisdom, and that saved them 

To seek the Lord, to be faithful to Him, and to seek His wisdom, so that in the day of our trouble, the Lord delivers us through it.   What you do today, how you serve the Lord now, what you sow now, that will be the harvest you reap later. The blessings you are seeing today are because of the things you sowed in the former days.  Be faithful, serve God, trust that He will deliver you.

Lord, let us all be wise, let us always be faithful to you, be a shield about us, let our trust and our salvation always be found in you, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 61:2-3

2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed; 

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.

"A Place of Security"

You can find rest in Him. Notice that David says from the ends of the earth, this is David reminding us that there is no place "too deep" that God cannot hear your cry.  Today, when you cry out in desperation for peace, He will hear you, no matter how deep that place is.  Something greater about this portion he says: "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."    This is David acknowledging his need for the Lord's strength.   I am not sufficient, but the Lord is; His strength is, His power is, He can put me on "solid ground" when everything is shaking around me, stealing my peace.

Make the Lord your place of security, tell Him your struggles, trust that He hears you and is able to deliver you, and stay near Him.

Listen to it again:

The Rock that is Higher than I (Unshakable Ground, Stable, at Peace)

Maybe today you need the Lord to bring you to a place of peace, stability, to a rock that is higher than you.  Tell Him!

A Shelter For Me (Protection from the enemy)

You want to be protected from the enemy, stay close to the Lord, make Him your rock, your strong tower, a shelter. This speaks of being near to Him, and in your proximity, nothing can touch you.

Lord, we cried and you answered, you hear our prayers, like David reminded us that there is no place too far that you cannot hear our prayers, our supplications, our cries, you are the solid ground we need in our lives, you are the shelter we need, the strong tower, a place of refuge and strength, let us always be near, let us always keep pace with you, in your presence, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

2 Samuel 16:10-12

10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”
11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.

Shimei was a Benjamite, and they did not fully support David as King, so in our portion today we see this random Benjamite cursing David. It really is a bad day for David; his son has betrayed him and seeks not only his throne, but his life, and here we see that David recognizes that this is a fulfillment of what God spoke about the cause of his sin with Uriah and Bathsheeba. 

Something to gain from this portion is that God is always just, and that is what David saw, and David, even being a man of war, a mighty man, was still a humble man, who loved God and trusted God.  This is why the Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart, you see this in moments like this.

So, what to learn from this?   

• Embrace Humility Over Vengeance
• Trust God’s Sovereignty in Hardships  
• Allow God to be your Deliverer 

:

Lord, I thank you that above all you love us, that you are righteous, and just, and merciful, that even when things are not good, you still are good and working it out for our good.   Lord help us be humble, and expectant seeking you and your hand, your mercy in the difficult bits, in Jesus' name, Amen

Scripture

Psalm 28:6-7

Praise be to the Lord,
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.

A Reason to Praise 

David reminds us that our prayers are heard and answered, that they become strength to our hearts and a shield for our lives, that there is this inward building up and this outward protection in prayer and in knowing that He hears us and answers.   Psalm 34:4 says I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered.   This is a reason to praise, that the God of the Universe hears "my prayer," out of all the billions of people on the planet, He takes the time to hear my prayers, they do not fall to the ground, but they are heard, and answered, that is praiseworthy.  

Make prayer your "Strength" (inward fortitude) and a "Shield" (outward protection) for you life, seek God for you, for your family, for you work, in the comings and goings of life, let prayer become the strength in your life and the shield that protects you, let your life be covered in it, may it produce praise.

Lord, may our lives be marked by praise, by prayer, may our hearts always trust in your way, you path, your direction, may you always be a strength in us, and a shield about us, may the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths be pleasing to you, may our prayers align with your will so that they have power to accomplish the work, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

2 Samuel 11:1

  It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

"It is the Little Things"

2 Samuel 11, we know this portion as a terrible time for King David, a decision that would impact his life severely, but there is a great lesson to be learned.   Our failures, our falling away, our distance from the Lord don't happen all at once; it is the little things that we need to guard for David. 

He should have #1 been where he was supposed to be, "Out to War", when he saw Bathsheeba. He couldn't sleep because he was supposed to be at war with his men when he inquired of her. His servant said she was the wife of Uriah. He had an opportunity to move on, it was the little things, and this verse exposes that, that it is our desires that drag us away, the little decisions, the missed plots of the enemy, the enemy will drag you away with your desires. Still, he will do it subtly, so that by the time you realize it, you're already in trouble.

Beware of the little things, the bible says, "Be Alert," that the devil is looking for ways to devour you.  Guard your heart, guard your time, be where you are supposed to be, be aware of the time, don't allow your desires to rule your life, don't let your emotions dictate your decisions.  Be alert! 

Father, help us guard our lives, help us not be unaware of the enemy's schemes, reveal them to us, help us avoid them, steer clear of them, if we are not where we are meant to be, move us to where we are supposed to be, guide us, direct us, keep our hearts near you, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 65:2

 "You who answer prayer, to you all people will come."

"He Hears Us"

Recently, I was watching something on YouTube, a short in which Shawn Ryan shared about the many problems he has and has prayed for, and has not received an answer.   But here in Psalm 65:2, we are clear that God answers prayer, so I thought that I would share with you 8 reasons the bible says that prayers don't get an answer.

1. Unconfessed or Cherished Sin (Psalm 66:18): 
2. Choosing to hold onto sin or ignoring it breaks fellowship with God, hindering prayers.
3. Doubt and Lack of Faith (James 1:6-7): Praying with doubt rather than faith makes a person "double-minded" and unlikely to receive from God.
4. Wrong or Selfish Motives (James 4:3): Asking for things solely for selfish pleasure or personal gain, rather than in accordance with God's will.
5. Mistreating Others/Bad Relationships (1 Peter 3:7): Treating people poorly, specifically being insensitive to a spouse or having marital discord, can hinder prayers.
6. Ignoring the Poor/Lack of Generosity (Proverbs 21:13): A lack of compassion and refusal to help those in need can cause God to ignore cries for help.
7. Pride (James 4:6): God is opposed to the proud, and a lack of humility in prayer prevents answers.
8. Disobedience (1 John 3:22): Purposefully disregarding God's word and commands, making prayers an "abomination".
9. Not Actually Praying/Asking (James 4:2): Simply failing to ask God, or not praying with sincerity, but instead trying to use worldly means to achieve goals

Because the application here is obvious, that we should examine our hearts, 

I want to share another story. A young woman was diagnosed with cataracts in one of her eyes. The condition was progressing, and she had to receive injections to alleviate some of the symptoms — her vision in that eye was severely impaired. On this particular day, she was heading to see her doctor, and while sitting in her car, she prayed. In an authentic, unguarded moment, she told the Lord, "In my head, I know You still heal — that You have the power to heal me, that You can do it — but I don't believe it in my heart. I have doubts. Help what's in my head get into my heart." That day, the doctor found no cataracts. Her eye was fully healed.

I just want you to pause with that... let that simmer.

Lord, may the understanding that is in our heads, make it to our hearts, may doubt not exist in our prayers, may we fully trust you, don't allow unconfessed or unrepented sin block our prayers, let us be reconciled in our relationships, let us be generous, let us not be disobedient or rebellious, lets us always ask, and Lord move mountains, the things that are impossible make them possible, you know the mountains we face, Lord let them move, in in your great love and grace and mercy accomplish it, in Jesus' name, Amen!

Scripture:

Psalm 20:7

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God

"Where You Put Your Trust Matters" 

As young men, we are taught to be self-reliant, that the only person we can rely on is ourselves. People let us down, jobs let us down, things let us down, so we project this idea that we can't trust anyone.   But this is simply not true, and I love our portion today because it is a reminder, David again is reminding us that where we put our trust is "important," that we should put our trust in the Lord.   His name is good, His promises are good, there are many things you could put your trust in, but none compares with God.   Notice that David contrasts chariots and horses with the Lord, and he says some trust in them, because they are mighty for battle, horses and chariots, they are game changers, they often determine victory in battle.  But what David is saying in his contrast is that greater victories are always had when we "Trust in the Lord."

Don't look to things to satisfy, or to put your trust, don't rely on things that could be take away, or could let you down in the moment of need, put your trust in the Lord, He will never let you down, He will never fail you, He will never leave you in your need, He will not forsake you, His name is Good.

Lord, thank you for your "Good Name," that we can rely, trust, depend on you, that you are better than 10,000 horses or chariots, that  they cannot compare to you, you never let us down, you never leave us, you never forsake us, your way is better, your strength is stronger, your power is greater, your purposes are fulfilling, we can put our trust in your good name, thank you Lord, in Jesus' name, Amen