Sermon Notes: David's Sin

2 Samuel 11:1-12:1-7 M. Kelly

six lessons

1. Idle time can be a dangerous time.

It was spring time when kings went out to battle, David stayed home. His fall starts with being idle. v. 2 David rose from his bed in evening. He's been sleeping all day and now gets up. It appears he had some idle time.

The question: What shall I do with my idle time today has led many to ruin.

David was killing time while his men were risking their lives on the battle field.
If we don't have anything to do, the Devil will find evil work for us to do. When we are out of the way of duty, then we are in the way of tempation. The industrious man has no time to sin while the idle man has lots of time to sin.

2. The eyes are a gate way to great sins.

David induges with his eyes and then gets in trouble. There is no sin in seeing, but the sin is in the looking. The eyes are the gateway to temptation. We begin to lust. Do we give it a home and play with it in our mind? That's where the trouble comes in. David should have turned away. James 1; Matt. 18; We need to guard what we see and what we allow our eyes to see.

Women especially should be descrete in what they allow to be seen. We live in a culture that is out of control this way. Women who dress in such a way to draw attention to themselves are as much a problem as the men who look. It's sinful.

3. Notice what one sin leads too. More sin!

Bathsheba is bathing where she can be seen. Bad idea! David has idle time and sees her and that leads to his imagination being inflamed and he sends for her. He isn't planning to turn from his sin at this point. He is informed that she is married. That should have been the end of the matter.

Sin weakens our desire to stop sinning. Sin loves to multiply itself!

David takes her and she gets pregnant and then David schemes how he will cover his sin even to the point of murder!

4. What a blessing that God sends us messengers to rebuke us!

God will not let one of his true children continue in sin.
Nathan the prophet comes to tell David a parable. God sent him. The parable is about the rich man and poor man. The poor man had one little ewe lamb and the rich man took it from him. David said he should have to pay restitution up to 4 times and that he should die. Nathan told David that he is the man!

It was after Nathan rebuked David that he wrote Psalm 51.

5. God's mercies applify our guilt in sinning against him.

2 Sam. 12:7-9 God reminds David of all that He had given him and if David had considered all this, he would not have been discontented and taken Bathsheba.

6. Sin has consequences. v. 12:7

David's sins are forgiven but even his forgiven sins have consequences. The son Bathsheba bore died.


Psalm 51

This is the Psalm David wrote after Nathan confronted David. We often say, "Lord teach us to pray" Here we have a prayer example from one who was humbled because of his sin.

4 Lessons

1. Notice how far a godly man can fall.

David is a man after God's own heart and he fell. Be reminded that godly people can fall in the worst ways into the worst of sins. David fell into adultry and murder, corruption, drunkeness, conspiracy etc.

Don't be surprised when people of God fall...don't be ingnorant of the fact that God's people can fall into sin. See how frail the strongest of the saints are. This is why we are commanded to put on the full armour and to be alert.

There is no level of maturity where a Christian is exempt from falling into gross sin. Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he not fall. Sins nature is to destroy and it remains in all of our hearts. We are only strong when we realize how weak we really are. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

2. Sins that go unconfessed and unrepented of make our bones ache.

David has known no peace because God will not allow his children who live in sin to live peaceably. David tried for about a year to live peaceably with his unconfessed sin. It didn't work.
If you can live peaceably for great lengths of time in known sin then it is likely you are not one of God's people.

3. We must own all our sin.

He doesn't make excuses for them. V. 1 my transgressions....my sins. He takes responsibility and ownership of his sin. True repentance owns its sin. v. 4 I have sinned... Notice how many times he says I, my etc in regard to his sins.

We must be broken because of our sins against God. Many are sorry they have sinned but not because they sinned against God, but because they are now having to experience the consequences of their sin.l

4. True faith does not trust in self.

David throws him self upon the mercy of God. He is not trusting in himself to atone for his own sins. He pleads for God to blot out his sins. God can only do that where there is an atonement made.

David is not pleading for time to make it up. There is no making up for sin with God. The wages of sin is death.

True faith looks to the work of another...the Lord Jesus Christ who made an atonement for our sins.

It is an attack on God to try to be good enough long enough to atone for our own sins. Grace by definition is undeserved. Trusting in the One who can cleanse you is truth faith. Only God can create a new heart. You can't be good enough to earn God's acceptance...the Bible points you to Christ and you are commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only way to God's good graces.

David's sins were the worst kind but there is forgivenesss with God...not that we can go on sinning, but that we may fear Him and reverence Him. It is amazing grace. David's faith is so strong that in the midst of realizing his sin he has the faith to turn to God to be cleansed from it.

Devotional: Speaking the Truth

Speaking the Truth

by Marsha Iddings

1 Kings 22:13-14 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

Earlier in the chapter we see this. “And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.” ( 1 Kings 22:7-8) The king of Israel hated Micaiah because he spoke the truth.

I like Micaiah. He wasn't one to cave into peer pressure. The king wanted to hear good news from the mouth of Micaiah. Four hundred other prophets had told the king what he wanted to hear and so the pressure was on for Micaiah to conform. But he didn't.

We see in 1 Kings 22:24,27 what speaking the truth got Micaiah. “But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?...And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.”

We don't know what happened to Micaiah after that. Scripture doesn't tell us. But we are commanded in Scripture to speak the truth in love. Ephesians 4:14-15 says, “...That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

We are fast approaching the day (and may even be there already) when speaking the truth of God's Word could land us in court or even jail. I often wonder to myself, “Will I be like Micaiah and speak the truth even though I know it could result in persecution for my faith? Would I cave in and follow the crowd just to save my skin?

I pray that an army of Micaiah's would be raised up in our nation to make a difference by speaking the truth in love.

Quiet time: Dealing with Overwhelm

• Dealing With Overwhelm

1Ki 19:1 ¶ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

1. Things outside my control can cause overwhelm.

• Sometimes as I read the news, I begin to feel like Elijah here. I want to push my kids to hurry up and get through their school work and work ahead. I feel like I want to run for my life through the school curriculum so we can beat the government to the punch.
• Family Crises such as death, illness, disasters can overwhelm us.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

2. Comparing Ourselves to Others Can Cause Overwhelm

When we get overwhelmed and stressed, how often do we sit down under our proverbial juniper trees and have a pity party? Notice here that Elijah was comparing himself to his ancestors and came to the conclusion that he wasn't any better than they so he may as well die.

How often do we as homeschool moms look at what some other homeschool family is doing, compare ourselves to them and decide based on that that we are no good at this, we may as well throw in the towel? Or how many of us look at our public schooled friends kids and see their names in the school district paper for accomplishments they have been recognized for and think, “Wow, I am depriving my kids of opportunities in life!”

And then there are the relatives and friends who are not altogether supportive of your homeschooling efforts. They begin to raise questions about how will they qualify for scholarships? How will they meet the requirements for college entrance? How will they prove they have completed a high school education so they can get a job? How will they make it in the world...they've been so sheltered? What about their social life?

When we allow ourselves to be compared to other homeshool families or those outside of homeschooling, this is a prescription for overwhelm.

Don't listen to the Enemy's jabs and accusations. It will only land you under your juniper tree to have a pity party.

3. The Enormity of the Task Ahead Can Cause Overwhelm..

   Elijah was running for his life. He was looking ahead and what he imagined caused him despair because he didn't see a way out.

Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

If we look ahead and worry about the future we are only using up tomorrow's strength today.

We need to take each day as it comes, one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. That's not to say don't plan ahead, since in homeschooling if you don't plan anything nothing will get accomplished. But in your planning, plan flexibility in and once your plans are laid out, take it one day at a time and make adjustments where necessary as you go. Be flexible or be miserable.

Also, take a look at what you are doing.

What can you delegate to your kids?

What can you eliminate?

What can you do to stream-line things so they don't get all piled up on you?

How can you break bigger jobs down into several smaller jobs so it's not so overwhelming?

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

4. Physical Nourishment, water and rest are essentials to combat overwhelm.

In Elijah's time of overwhelm notice how God took care of him. He encouraged him to nourish himself, drink water and rest. If you are in a period of overwhelm, I can not stress enough how important it is to give yourself good nourishment, drink lots of water and get good rest.

5.Spiritual Nourishment is essential to combating overwhelm.

Don't neglect spiritual nourishment as well. Dig deep into Scripture and find comfort and encouragement for your soul. Start now to keep a journal of verses, quotes and other things that you find along the way that are particularly encouraging to you. Then when you have stressful times when you are having trouble just thinking...turn to your journal and find those comforting scripture verses and encouraging quotes that you have picked up along the way. It comes in real handy.

6. Remember, you are not the only one dealing with the issues you face.

9 ¶ And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

What doest thou here? Ever had that happen? You are overwhelmed, sitting under your juniper tree on your pity pot and the Lord says in your heart, “What are you doing here?”

Listen to what Elijah says:

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

And I say to the Lord, “I've worked so hard trying to be a wife, mom, homemaker, and teacher. I conquer this house, but it's a mess again before I know it. They don't appreciate me or the work I do. I've been involved in the political scene, trying to make sure we don't lose our freedoms, it seems it does no good. The task of getting my kids through school is too big...there's too much to do. The kids are being unruly, my husband just sits on the couch, and I am the only one who is having these problems. No one else has any problems like these. I'm the only one.

If you read through Elijah's story you'll find that in 1 Kings18:4 that there were was still Obadiah and a hundred prophets left. “For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)” Also in 1Ki 19:18 we find, “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. “ So Elijah really wasn't the only one.

I suspect that he thought he was the only one because he isolated himself from the others. When we get overwhelmed and depressed, we tend to isolate ourselves from others and then we begin to think we are the only one that has our challenges or problems. If you get overwhelmed in your homeschooling or life in general, get out your roster and call someone. Share your struggle, ask them to pray with you and for you. You are not alone.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

7. To combat overwhelm, we need to quiet ourselves before God.

We are often looking for a big sign or a miracle from God. We want the earth to move or something to show us that God is still there. But God often comes in a still small voice. We must quiet ourselves before Him to hear Him sometimes. Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. We must be still to hear God's small still voice. This implies patience with our circumstances and patience with God.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

8.Realize that you are human and you will fail but God is patient & faithful to us.

Once again, we see God repeating the question, “What are you doing here?” And Elijah is still sitting on his pity pot.

I love Elijah because he is just like me. So many times God comes through for me in one way or another and yet, I find myself sitting on my pity pot again and again. Elijah gives me encouragement. Not that his life gives me an excuse for anything, but just for the fact that God was so patient and faithful to him and used him in spite of his imperfections.

Ps 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

To sum up, here's what we learned about overwhelm from Elijah:

1. Things outside Our control can cause overwhelm.

2. Comparing Ourselves to Others Can Cause Overwhelm

3. The Enormity of the Task Ahead Can Cause Overwhelm..

4. Physical Nourishment, water and rest are essentials to combat overwhelm.

5. Spiritual Nourishment is essential to combating overwhelm.

6. Remember, you are not the only one dealing with the issues you face.

7. To combat overwhelm, we need to quiet ourselves before God.

8. Realize that you are human and you will fail but God is patient & faithful.

Quiet Time:Ahab wins the prize for doing evil

1Ki 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

This whole chapter tells of how each successive king did more evil than the one before. It seems almost like a contest. Ahab wins the prize for doing evil according these verses.

1Ki 17:17 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

(KJV)

The barrel of flour and cruse of oil never ran out as Elijah promised the widow. It was a miracle and yet she didn’t believe he was a man of God and that the word of the Lord in his mouth was truth until her son died and Elijah prayed and God revived him.

What does it take for me to believe God’s promises? God shows me in smaller ways every day that He keeps His promises and His word is truth, but do I doubt Him? Do I have to have a BIG Miracle in order to believe Him? Should I need any signs at all? Shouldn’t I just take Him at his word?

1Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

Here is a simple prayer that we can pray for our nation. God honored this prayer of Elijah when he prayed for a nation that had fallen into deep sin just like our nation has. Perhaps, if we pray, God will see fit to save us and our nation out of the sin we have committed in rejecting Him.

Lord,

You know the mess our nation is in. You know it is because we as a nation have been complacent and have rejected your commandments and You in our leadership. Oh, God, I ask forgiveness of my own sin of complacency and I ask that Your people would rise up as one and stand for what is right no matter the cost. Please, if it be your will, turn our nation around.

Quiet Time~Obedience to God's Word when Another Claims to Speak for Him

1 Kings 13:7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel. 11 ¶ Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. 12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. 15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: 21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. 23 ¶ And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 25 And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. 26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.

The prophet had God's word telling him what he was supposed to do, but another prophet came along claiming to speak God's words and gave him a message that contradicted what God had told him to do. Instead of sticking to what God had told him, he decided that maybe this other prophet was giving him a more updated message from God. He followed the other prophet's word and it cost him his life.

In modern times, we have God's revealed written word in the Bible. There are many false prophets that come along claiming they have more up to date messages from God and often these messages do not match what God has already said. Many choose to follow these prophets because they are convincing and what they teach strokes their ego. What the false prophet told the man of God in the Scripture reading appealed to his physical need for food and water and comfort. Much of what these modern day prophets teach is not God-centered but man-centered. It appeals to either people's physical needs for comfort or it appeals to their ego. What is sad, is many people follow these prophets instead of what God has already revealed to them in the pages of the Bible and they follow to their ultimate spiritual death.

I need to be careful to always check what I hear from others who claim to speak for God and see if it is in complete agreement with the Bible. This shows how important is is the know the Bible well, so when false teaching comes my way I recognize it.

Dear Father,
Please keep me searching your Word, teaching it to my kids and help us to stay faithful to it and not be led astray by those who would claim to have an updated message from You. Help us to always be comparing the messages we hear with what You have revealed in Your Word, the Bible.

Devotion: Learning to Live

Learning to Live

by Marsha Iddings

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Lately, I've had some tough days physically. There have been some days that I have done very little but sit on the couch because the energy just wasn't there to get up and do much else. One of those days, I was looking at my Twitter feed and saw a wonderful quote by Richard Baxter.

“Weakness and pain helped me to study how to die; that set me on studying how to live.”

It seems the Apostle Paul found himself in this situation. He despaired even of life at times. He said they had the sentence of death in themselves. Paul and his companions learned how to die.

Paul and his companions didn't stop there, however, they went on to study how to live. They learned that to live they should not trust in themselves, but in God who raises the dead.

Notice that Paul says God delivered (past), doth deliver (present) and will yet deliver (future). This brings great comfort to my heart. I can look back and see how God has delivered me in the past. In my present troubles, I can be confident that He is delivering me and I know he will deliver me in my uncertain future.

This is not to say that He will heal me of my ills and that life will be a bed roses and ease. But God has accomplished my redemption in the past through Jesus Christ. He is presently sanctifying me through my trials and He will ultimately deliver me from this world of hardship in the future.

Have you learned how to die yet? Has that taught you how to live? It should teach us to live with eternity in view. It should teach us to have a greater trust in Christ, and to live with a view to doing all things for His glory.

---

Quiet Time: God is In Control~Oct. 30

1Ki 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

It amazes me that Solomon was so wise and yet in this one area he forsook God's wisdom and it was his downfall.

1Ki 11:9 ¶ And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Solomon did not keep that which the Lord had commanded. In not keeping God's commands, he was turning away from the Lord.

Are there times when the Lord has showed me through His Word what I am to do and I have not obeyed? In not obeying, I am turning away from the Lord. This is convicting.

1Ki 12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the older, wiser men, and went instead with he counsel of the younger ones. It didn't turn out well.

In our society and in our nation's government we are seeing more and more the older, wiser citizens being set aside as too old fashioned and the younger ones are giving advice to our president instead. It is turning out to be disastrous for our nation.

How do I treat the older folks? Am I respectful of them? Do ask for their advice? Do learn from their experience?

1Ki 12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him; 14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Once again I am impressed with the fact that God uses evil to accomplish His purposes. It says the king did not listen to the people to grant their request "for the cause was from the Lord". God is in control of the evil that comes our way. If our president and his cronies make life extremely difficult for us, we can still be confident that God is in control. He has a purpose for all of this and it is a good purpose...to purify His church, to separate the sheep from the goats, to test His people to see who will be faithful to Him and He probably has plans that only He knows and we just need to trust Him through this.


Lord,
Please help me to be willing to listen and learn from the older people. Help me, Lord to heed your commands and to not turn away from you in disobedience.

Help me to trust when I don't understand. Help me to be faithful to you if persecution comes my way.

Quiet Time: Glory of the Lord~Oct 29

1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. 12 ¶ Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.



I am inclined to think that when it says the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, it means just that. They could not stand on their feet to carry out their priestly duties because they were so overwhelmed with the glory of God in that place.



I really like that statement Solomon makes when he says the Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. In the context, I think that the cloud of the glory of the Lord caused the area to be covered with a thick darkness, literally. However, in a spiritual sense, this is meaningful as well. In the darkest times of my life, God dwells there. He is with me in the darkness of my life.



1Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?



Our God is big. Nothing can contain Him. You can't put Him in a box, walk around Him and say what you think of Him. He can not be analyzed, scrutinized and pigeon-holed. He is much bigger than that. He is big enough handle my problems.



1Ki 8:33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: {in: or, toward} 34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their father



I see a picture of our nation in these verses. We are in the process of being smitten down before the enemy because we as a nation have sinned and we as individuals have sinned. The answer to our mess is this:



1. Turn again to God

2. Confess His name

3.Pray

4. Make supplication to Him





1Ki 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)



God is all-knowing. He knows all of our hearts. Should this knowledge not make us more wise in what we think, and do?


My Prayer:
Oh, Lord, You are great and awesome. You are faithful, all knowing and you fill heaven and earth. You dwell in the thick darkness. This gives me much comfort knowing that You are with me in my darkest hours. Fill me with Your glory, Lord, that I might be a reflection of You to a lost and dying world.