Month: February 2023

Scripture 2 Sam 12:9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.

Observation: Doing evil is the same thing as despising God’s commandments. To do evil is to do something that you know is wrong and yet you do it anyway. That is like saying to God I know what you want me to do, but that doesn’t matter I’m going to do what I want to do. We do things like that and then we are surprised when God chastises us for our sin. When I do evil things I’m doing them intentionally it’s the same as when we break the law. If we speed or do some other traffic violation and get caught. We may get angry that we got caught and have to pay the fine, but not often enough are we mad at ourselves for doing what we knew was wrong in the first place.

Application: I don’t need to be doing anything evil in God’s sight or in others, since they are God’s children. Before I do anything I need to think it out and pray to make sure it isn’t anything against God and knowing also when I don’t do something that I know God wants me to do, that it’s just as evil, they are both a sin. I need to put my desires off to the side and place God’s on top. I need to focus on the fact I’m only here for a little while longer and what I do with that time will affect my whole eternity with God.

Prayer: My Lord I am an evil man and a sinner. I’m trying to do better and I know you know my heart. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and guide me to the finish line of this race, that I will finish with glory to you. I’m a weak runner, but you are my strength, please strengthen me to win the crown you have set aside for me.

Scripture 2 Sam 11:27 And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Observation: David had an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed to cover it up. Saying the Lord was displeased would be an understatement. I can’t imagine doing something so terrible, but with God a sin is a sin and they are all terrible in his sight. Taking that to mind I’ve displeased God plenty over my life. I might not have an affair or had anyone killed, but the sins I’ve committed are just as terrible in God’s eyes. To displease God is to sin, He loves me and even through this sinner’s life. I’ve displeased my heavenly Father so much, he has every right not to love me, but he chooses to.

Application: Realize my disobedience and not doing my Lord’s will is displeasing to my God and that can’t be taken lightly. My Lord has given me everything and the most important thing being His love for me. It’s got to be hard enough to love me without sin in my life and I need to stop making it more difficult by living a sinful life. I know what pleases God and that needs to be my goal each day, doing the things that honor Him. All I need is to get myself out of my way and put God first in my thoughts and all that I do.

Prayer: My Lord I know I must displease you so much of the time and I’m sorry. I know I put my needs and what I want before pleasing you and I want to change. You need to be my top priority no matter what and I will do my best, but I need help Lord to do it right. You are worthy of all that I am, please help me lead the life that will show you and please you.

Scripture 2 Sam 10:12 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

Observation: We all have visions what we think is right or wrong and we act on it most of the time, but how often do we figure God in the equation. He knows so much more than us and He is the one with the plan. When things don’t go our way we are normally quick to place the blame that God doesn’t care, but we forget we’re not here for us we are only here because God desires us to be. The purpose of our existence is to honor God with our lives, a living sacrifice that should be holy and pleasing to Him. If we are walking with our Lord and ask for his will in our lives no matter what happens we need to look at the situation through God’s eyes to see what is good. For God works the good in all things, but we need to abandon our agenda and serve our Lord whole heartily.

Application: I’m Mr. planner and I think I figure out everything and when it doesn’t go to my plan I feel I failed and wallow in that failure. I need to let go of my preconceived plans and let God guide me and when things don’t go as I plan I need to stop to see what God desired and embrace it and follow his guidance. I need to remember this place is temporary, but where I go after this is my true home. I need to start following God’s plans here so I will be better prepared to follow them when I get home.

Prayer: My Lord give me wisdom and help me see what is good in your eyes. Take this arrogance from me and humble your servant to know your commands for my life. I want to be the best servant for you, you know my heart, but my pride gets in the way. Help me see clearly your direction for my life. I love and want to please you.

Scripture 2 Sam 9:3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.”

Observation: Can you imagine trying to show someone the kindness of God. First you would have to put their needs above our own. Wait I think we were called to do that somewhere. We would have to genially want to please them, not a false kindness but one from the heart wanting to glorify God by the way we treat that person. We would want to make sure that person is happy and then give God the glory. I wish I could say I’ve done that for someone, I seem to always get in my way of fulfilling things the way God wants them fulfilled. Through the grace of God I’m still breathing so I still have the opportunity to show God’s kindness to someone.

Application: I need to put the needs of others above my own. God commands it and He deserves my obedience. I need to focus on what I do is for God and not the person. When I focus I people I have a tendency to compare myself to them, but when Focused on God my heart fills with love and gratitude and that is what I need to fulfill the way God wants me to love others. As I love that way people will see God through my actions.

Prayer: Dear Lord fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can love the way you want me to love. I do not have that ability apart from you. I’m selfish and it seems to be my nature to look out for me above anything else. Please change me into the man you desire, for that is my desire to please you. You are worthy of all my worship, praise and love, may others see that in my life and attitude toward them.

Scripture 2 Sam 8:11 King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued–

Observation: Throughout the Bible people are dedicating things to the Lord, but what have I dedicated? I dedicate my tithe I guess to the Lord, yet I’m only giving him back a small portion that he has given me, I dedicate my marriage and try to be the man He calls me to be, but I fail too often.. I have no riches like David or King Solomon and I have the one thing God wants. My life it should be a living sacrifice so that is holy and pleasing to Him. He deserves at least that since again he gave it to me and has preserved it through these years. He deserves much more than a tithe of it, he deserves it all and this life needs to be dedicated to him.

Application: So what do I do to dedicate my life to him. It’s a living sacrifice and a sacrifice was an offering that was pleasing to God so each day of my life should be, pleasing to God. I should live it as though God is looking down on me to see what I’m doing. As he looks it should please him in what I’m doing, make him laugh and maybe even bring a tear to his eyes now and then when I do something extraordinary for one of his children. A life worth watching and at the end of each day when God remembers me it brings a smile to his face.

Prayer: Dear Lord I dedicate this life to you. May it be holy and pleasing to you. May I follow the path you have made for me and that at the end of this life it multiplied the talent you had entrusted me with.

Scripture 2 Sam 7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?

Observation: I’ve asked myself more than a couple of times. I tried to end my life six times and at least once was in an accident that should have killed me and yet I’m still here. Not only am I still alive, but I’ve prospered over the years, maybe not in worldly wealth but in knowledge and blessings. God has taken care of all of my needs, has blessed me with things that I wanted, has watched over my family and has blessed me with the most amazing woman to be my wife. But why? Who am I that I should be the recipient of just great mercies and blessing? Like John I’m the one He loves, like all of his children. God loves and cares for me and has a purpose for my life and if I’m obedient He will show me all the things he wants of me.

Application: Be aware of the many blessing God has bestowed on me and be grateful. Continue to ask God what he desires of me each day and then do them, no excuses. Realize I’m his creation, his child and that he loves me and wants the best for me and not to question it but to receive it by faith. Who am I? I’m his.

Prayer: Dear Lord take me by the hand and use me, increase my faith and draw me near. I am your creation, your servant and your child, command me as you desire and give me the wisdom and courage to do it. I love you with all of my heart and want to serve and please you all the days of my life.

Scripture 2 Sam 6:8 And David became angry because of the LORD’S outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day.

Observation: So often we get angry because things didn’t go as we wanted. We don’t ask to see if we did something wrong to have that outcome, we just want what we want. Jesus told us we would have trial and tribulations, basically saying you’re not always going to get your way. These are our opportunity to learn and grow and not get angry. We need to find out what we need to learn when a situation doesn’t go the way we thought and ask God what to do next. With David he should have known there was a special way God wanted the ark to be moved and that it wasn’t to be touched. If he thought and prayed before he moved the ark, God would have given him the correct way to move the ark.

Application: I still get angry without cause. If something doesn’t go right or I make a mistake I get mad. It used to be before Jesus entered my life it would happen every day and it was to the point my family didn’t want to be around me. I never took the blame for not being more careful I just got angry, angry at God and any one that might be around. When Jesus did come into my life I was better, but still even now my anger can flare up quickly and if I don’t stop and pray it can get out of hand. I need to stay close and be aware that God is moving in my life and he knows exactly where I am and I need to reach out to him instantly when things do not go as plan and ask him to take my anger and open my eyes to what he is showing me.

Prayer: My Lord forgive this sinner. My thoughts go to anger before anything else and I can’t control it without you. Help me be calm and quiet so I can hear you give me directions in what you desire of me. I want to please you and I know an angry man can’t.