Month: May 2015

Man Up 

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1 Kings 2:2-3
“I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

Israel is facing some very serious challenges. Their beloved king has grown old and is on the eve of his death, and the nation is divided between two drastically different successors. Surrounded by enemies and struggling with an array of internal conflicts, Solomon is chosen to take the throne and lead the nation. With what amounts to his final words, we read of a charge given by King David to his teenage son,

“I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man…

Today, there seems to be great confusion regarding what it means to be a man. An iconic figure from a few years ago was the Marlboro Man; a cowboy with a cigarette. More recently, we have been introduced to the most interesting man in the world; an aged playboy who consumes alcohol. We have movies like Fight Club, or the Fast and Furious series that portray manhood as living a fast paced life, not worrying about the consequences, and social media taught us a new term – YOLO – meaning you only live once. David had none of these things in mind when he charged Solomon to be a man. Instead, he defined true manhood when he said,

“Keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

A real man is one who looks to the word of God and lives by its principles. A real man is one who will not let culture shape him, but will be transformed by the Scriptures, into the image of Christ. It was Pilate, who looking at the beaten Christ declared, “Behold the Man.” And it is Christ who is the true image of manhood.

Like David, I believe that what our world needs is young people who will step up and act like men. Young men who will not be swayed by culture, but will seek to influence it, by taking heed to the Word of God and live accordingly.

Pastor Jim

 

One Man Army

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1 Kings 1:36-37
“Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, ‘Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.’”

As David’s final days drew near, a dark and ominous cloud hung over the nation of Israel. Following in the footsteps of his brother Absalom, Adonijah exalted himself in an attempt to usurp the nation’s throne. He convinced the princes of Israel, as well as the army, to join his rebellion. However, the palace guard, prophets and the mighty men remained loyal to David and young prince Solomon. The nation of Israel found itself once again on the brink of a civil war that would cost the lives of thousands.

In the midst of all this chaos, we are re-introduced to Benaiah. We met him earlier in the story line, and found him to be one of David’s mighty men. We read in 2 Samuel that He “killed two lion-like heroes of Moab, a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day and an Egyptian, a spectacular man” with his own spear. Benaiah was well known in his day for his acts of valor, but the greatest battle he ever fought was in a totally different realm.

As the armies of Israel joined forces to attack the king, Benaiah stood before the Lord and interceded for his nation.“May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

This short prayer may be what saved the kingdom from a brutal civil clash.

It is important to remember the value of prayer. Instead of being quick to grab the sword, or enter the physical battle, we need to be instant in prayer. We must remember that the real battles will be won on our knees, as we intercede on behalf of others. One man’s plea, can rescue a nation.

Pastor Jim

 

Book Of Tears 

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Psalm 56:8
“You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?”

David refers to God’s book. This is not a reference to the Word of God; for he tells us that the content of this book is David’s tears. He is not the only writer to refer to a book that God possesses. The Apostle John wrote,

“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27

The Old Testament prophet Malachi also refers to this book,

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” Malachi 3:16

These writers are speaking of a book whose author is God, and the subject is the saints. It is a book that contains the names of all who have trusted in Christ for salvation. As a result, they have become citizens of heaven, and children of God. It is of the utmost importance that your name be found on this scroll.

John further explained its importance,

“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15

Whether it is the same book, or another one that David is referring to, we cannot know. In addition to our names being listed, David makes clear that our difficulties are recorded as well. He states that our tears are saved in His book. In poetic fashion, Jesus illustrated God’s love for us when He stated,

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30

There is nothing we face that God does not know about. He watches closely the affairs of our lives. He does not watch as an uninvolved observer. Instead, He allows and even uses, the struggles we face to draw us nearer to Himself, and produce His character in our lives. A good friend of mine used the term “Father-Filtered”, to describe how God allows the trials we face. In the midst of these trials, God is carefully watching; providing His sustaining grace and even writing down our sorrows. I have to believe they are recorded, as they have to do with future rewards.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12

Malachi’s reference to this book is in the context of our communication about God with one another. He states that when the saints talk about God, heaven is listening and recording the conversation. Think about the majesty of that. When you are facing a trial and call a friend who counsels you with the Word, Heaven watches and writes it down. When you share a praise report or a verse that especially touched your heart, God Himself writes it down in a book. Perhaps, the greatest thing we can share is the simple truth of the Gospel with our family, friends and neighbors. This passage has always made me wonder how large my book is. I don’t want to get to heaven and find that mine is the size of a bulletin or Bible tract. Let’s be sure to communicate the things of God so that our book is more like a set of books or a full library.

Pastor Jim

Psalm 56

  1. What is David’s response to fear?
  2. Is fear starting to take rule over your life? Lay it before Jesus and do what David says. Verses 3-4.
  3. Where are your tears?
  4. Dwell on verse 13 for a moment… God really does love you!

 

 

Consequences

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2 Samuel 24:10
“And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.’”

King David committed a sin by taking a census of the people, rather than trusting in the arm of God as Israel’s defense. His sin was forgiven, but the consequences were grave.

This passage is a vivid illustration of temptation, failure, repentance and results. In the parallel passage in Chronicles we read,

1 Chronicles 21:1
” Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.”

The initial cause of David’s sin was giving into temptation. Instead of rejecting unbiblical thinking, he chose to entertain his thoughts, and before long found himself giving in. It is not uncommon for us to be bombarded with ungodly thoughts. We harbor bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness toward those we perceive have wronged us, and this often leads to justifying ungodly attitudes and actions. Many relationships have been destroyed because we entertained ungodly thoughts, which we should have used the shield of faith to destroy.

David’s thoughts soon led him to action and he took a census of Israel, rather than trusting the Lord. Almost immediately, he was bombarded with guilt and shame. Guilt can be positive or negative, depending upon how we react ito it. Often, guilt will lead to unhealthy actions like isolation, depression or substance abuse. Instead, David allowed his guilt to drive him to the one place it could be appeased; David sought the Lord. His prayer was simply confession. He did not attempt to justify his actions, but admitted his guilt. Years after this, the apostle John wrote

1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Because of the sufficiency of the cross, we can cry out to God, and all sin will be forgiven and intimacy with the Lord restored. That truth will never change, but there is a parallel truth that this passage illustrates. Although his sin was forgiven, there were still consequences for his actions. While living through these consequences, David learned to rely upon the mercy of God.

Perhaps you have failed in a big way and are living in the realm of the consequences. Your actions may have cost you a lot. Will you allow me to encourage you to trust in the mercy of God, and cling to Him, as He seeks to minister to you and those who you have wronged. You might not see immediate results, but a life of repentance will put you back on the road that ultimately leads to blessings. For David, it was this season in his life where he took the first step toward building the Temple, which in the long run, would serve as a place where many were drawn to God.

Pastor Jim

 

The Challenge 

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2 Samuel 23:8
“These are the names of the mighty men whom David had…”

David was a man mightily used by God. Although he started his journey walking alone into the valley to fight the giant, he did not remain alone. David’s faith was magnetic, and he was soon surrounded by men of great faith. This chapter tells the story of some of the men who surrounded the king. Among those listed are:

* Adino – He had killed eight hundred men at one time.

* Eleazar – He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day.

* Shammah – He stationed himself in the middle of a field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

* Three mighty men – broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem and brought it to David.

* Abishai – He lifted his spear against three hundred men.

* Benaiah – He killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day; and he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

With heroic faith, these men stepped out, risking their own lives, for the furtherance of the Kingdom. Living like that, they had an impact upon their generation, and upon every generation that followed. Countless Christians have been encouraged in the work of the Lord, by the faith of David’s mighty men. They are an example of living recklessly for the Kingdom of God.

As I read their stories, two things happen within me. First, I am encouraged, second I am challenged. It is the challenge I would like to bring before you. Take a moment to examine your life. What are you doing for the Kingdom? When is the last time you took a risk, of any kind, in the service of Christ? Perhaps you need to recklessly approach your personal sanctification, using the Sword of the Spirit to cut out some things that do not belong. Perhaps it is time to examine the use of your time, and enlist yourself in service for the King. Whatever the case, when this life, which is like a vapor, comes to an end, we want to be on a list as one of the mighty men.

Pastor Jim

 

Good And Evil

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Psalm 52:1
“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.”

We live in a world of contrast. On the one hand, we see the fingerprint of God all around us, demonstrating His goodness. Earlier in the Psalms, David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm19:1). When we see the beauty of creation, the birth of a child, or the love of betrothal, we are struck by the goodness of God.

On the other hand, there is another force clearly at work in our world. David calls it “evil,” and he witnessed its effects all around him. This Psalm was written after Doeg had murdered dozens of men, out of his selfish ambition and lust for gain.

We, too, see evil all around us with the ability to access information from all of the world. We have all been stunned by thousands killed in floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. As horrible as these things are, they pale in comparison to the evil that men inflict upon other men. Wars, fought for nothing more than a selfish drive for power, have been responsible for the brutal death of millions, upon millions, of lives. We have all heard of the atrocities under Hitler and Stalin. Tragically, these are not just distant memories of the dark days of man. The events, in places like El Salvador, Liberia, and Rwanda, in recent decades, have been nothing short of evil.  Nor has evil stopped. We hear today of threats of terrorism, and even global war. Sadly, we do not need to look far to find evil. We have all been dumbfounded by reports of shootings at schools or job sites, where an expressionless gunman shoots innocent victims; leaving the victim’s families to grieve in shock and horror. We all know, and perhaps even are the victims of abuse. I have sat in my office with people who were molested by the very ones who should have loved them, and seen the far reaching and devastating effects of that evil. As a result, we are all left to wonder how these two truths can be reconciled. We ask the age old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Allow me to have Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck answer this question for us: “It is a strange thing. Dozens of times I have been asked by patients or acquaintances: ‘Dr. Peck, why is there evil in the world?’ Yet no one has ever asked me in all these years: ‘Why is there good in the world?’ It is as if we automatically assume this is a naturally good world that has somehow been contaminated by evil. In terms of what we know of science, however, it is actually easier to explain evil. That things decay is quite explainable in accord with the natural law of physics. That life should evolve into more and more complex forms is not so easily understandable. That children generally lie and steal and cheat is routinely observable. The fact that sometimes they grow up to become truly honest adults is what seems the more remarkable. Laziness is more the rule than diligence. If we seriously think about it, it probably makes more sense to assume this is a naturally evil world that has somehow been mysteriously “contaminated” by goodness, rather than the other way around.”

The mystery of goodness is even greater than the mystery of evil. “An evil world contaminated with goodness.” The Bible explains this clearly. When Adam sinned, sin entered the world, and has affected everything. However, God, through Christ, has infused His goodness into this world. James went on to explain, that every good and perfect gift comes from God. The evil in this world goes against the nature of God, and is caused by sin. The good in this world is left by the fingerprint of God, who loves us, and desires to work in us, even to be a fortress when evil is on the rise. Will you cling to Him today?

“At the tree in the garden we passed from good to evil
At the tree on the hill we passed from evil to good.”

Pastor Jim

Psalm 52

  1. Read chapter 21 and 22 of 2Samuel, for background on the writing of this Psalm.
  2. What is the confidence and strength of the wicked man?  Where does he place his trust and what does he love?
  3. Yet what is the end of the wicked man?
  4. In contrast what is the strength, confidence, and trust of the righteous before God?

 

Battle Plan 

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2 Samuel 22:35
“He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”

As the sun begins to set on David’s life, he begins to recall how faithful the Lord has been. As king of a nation surrounded by hostile adversaries, he was faced with constant battles. With the poetic expression he became known for, he attributes his success to the Lord.  It was never his strength that led to victory, but the enabling work of God.

Our situation is quite different than David’s. Few of us are facing armed adversaries attempting to take our kingdom and our life. That does not mean we are not engaged in continual warfare. Each of us faces constant attacks from within that attempt to keep us from growing in Christ, or serving Him. It is important that we allow God to “teach our hands to make war.”

It is important to keep in mind who the enemy really is. Christians are notorious for engaging in the wrong battles. We rally the troops to fight on the wrong fronts, and as a result, end up giving away vital territory. The greatest enemy of the Christian is our own self-centered desires, that drive us to disobedience. The battle plan for such an enemy is self-denial. Jesus declared that following Him required denying ourself. Our passions, desires, and emotions must be held in check by the word and Spirit of God. We need to pray that He would “teach our hands to make war.”

Pastor Jim

 

Giant Killers 

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2 Samuel 21:22
“These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.”

In middle school, I could always be found hanging around with my friend Sean. We spent so much time together, we soon walked and talked the same. Truly, we had a walk; it was more like a strut. If you can imagine two 12 year old kids, 4’10″ tall, weighing in at 80lbs, strutting their way from class to class on the middle school campus, then you have a good idea of what that looked like. My point is, hanging together, we soon became like one another. This principle was true of those who hung around David, and is true of us today.

When we are first introduced to David, he is stepping into a valley to fight a foe that can only be described as a giant. Over 9ft tall and weighing well over 300lbs, stood a warrior that put fear into the hearts of all who saw him. The greatest champions of Israel cowered in their tents at the sound of his bellowing voice. Then came David. A young man, undaunted by the boastings of this giant, boldly approached, and in poetic fashion, defeated Goliath. There is little doubt, being around this young man would have a tremendous effect upon your life. It seems almost predictable, that we should read of David’s friends also conquering giants.

Solomon would later exhort us to choose our friends wisely. One reason is, we become like those with whom we spend time. It is so important to find others who will challenge us to press onward and upward in Christ. I personally want to be around men who will challenge me to be more holy, loving, and bold in my service of Christ.

Look around, are you surrounding yourself with those who influence you to become more like Jesus? Or are you settling for those who will allow you to be comfortable in compromise?

Pastor Jim

 

Promises 

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Psalm 50:16-17
“But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?’”

One of the strangest phenomenon that I have experienced, over the years, is to hear the unbeliever quote the Bible. It fascinates me how those who have read so little of it seem, at times, to consider themselves the authority on what it says. Those who are living a lifestyle which the Bible does not condone, and quite frankly, they know to be wrong, are so quick to pull words from the Bible to justify their behavior.

“Do not judge me” seems to be the anthem of the sinner. We have all heard the Hollywood rhetoric, or political speeches with the token Scripture reference, from a person whose lifestyle is contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. Perhaps the most common abuse of the Bible is when a person who is living in sin, uses the promises, given to the child of God, as a source of comfort in their difficulty. To that, God has some very strong words,

“What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?” 

The promises of the Word of God are given to those who are in a covenant relationship with God. Those who have looked at the cross, recognized that they are sinners, and received Christ as their Savior, are the ones to whom the promises of God are written. It is that person who is able to take the covenant in their mouth, and benefit from the promises of God.

The promises of God are abundant, and should draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. He promises our sins are removed from us, as far as the East is from the West, casting them into the depths of the sea. He promises that we become brand new in Christ; all our past failures are forgotten, and life gets a fresh new start. He promises power to overcome the struggles, even addictions that we face in life. He promises peace to calm us in the midst of life’s biggest storms, joy that wells up in us like a fountain, love that is shed abroad in our heart, removing all prejudices and hate. A love so great that enemies become allies, and victims become friends. He promises to never leave us or forsake us, to be an ever-present help in time of need, One to whom we can cast all of our cares, concerns, fears and struggles. He promises to be a shelter from the storms of life, much like a walled city or a high tower, which provided safety for those in battle. He promises to be the bearer and giver of abundant life; a life with meaning and purpose, a life that He has preordained with good works for us to walk in, and experience. But all these promises are given to those who are in a covenant relationship with Him through Christ.

If you have not yet received and surrendered to Christ, there are promises for you. He invites you to come to Him, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Take Him up on His offer. Stop striving against God and surrender all to Him. Watch how He takes your life and transforms you into the person He has designed you to become.

Pastor Jim

Psalm 50

  1. Sometimes we forget about the Majesty of God, how does the description of God in verse 1-3 change your view of Him?
  2. The Psalmist goes into great detail to explain that God is not in need. If He were hungry, He would not ask man for help. Contrast that with what He declares in verse 15.
  3. We often hear people who are not following God making reference to the Word of God. It is even common for those who do not read the Bible to misquote the Bible to defend their actions. According to verse 16-17, what is God’s reaction to that?
  4. Verse 23 requires a response. What response will you give to it today?

 

It’s Not Free

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2 Samuel 19:4
“But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!’”

I recently watched a news segment which focused on two teenagers who decided to rob a local business. One of the boys was reluctant to get involved, while the other boasted confidently that “no one would get hurt.” Sadly, as the story unfolded, one man lay dead and two young men were sent to prison for life. Sin is just like that. It promises to bring us happiness, and ensuring us that no one will get hurt. Regrettably, David found this out the hard way. One night, while allowing his passion to be distracted from the Lord, David made the choice to pursue his lust and begin a relationship with another woman. What he thought would bring him pleasure, continued to cost him over and over again. This chapter reveals some of those costs.

After what must have been the worst battle of David’s life, his son Absalom lay dead in the street. Because of David’s inability to deal with the pain, the nation was confused and susceptible. It did not take long for someone to seize the opportunity and take advantage of Israel’s vulnerability; the nation was divided, turning the cities into a battle field.

We must be clear, even though sin is confessed, repented of, and will always be forgiven, it never comes without cost. No man is an island, and we never sin only unto ourselves. When a man walks away from his family, his children and unborn grandchildren will be impacted. This will become a great mountain they will struggle to clim, for the rest of their lives.

If you are toying with sin because you have such a difficult life, believing you deserve the pleasure you think it will bring, remember the consequences of sin are far greater than you want to pay. You don’t want to observe all that you have built being ripped apart, as you weep at the loss of that which matters most to you.

Pastor Jim