Full Price

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1 Chronicles 21:24
“Then King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.'”

When it comes to worship, we can learn much from King David. The longest book in the Bible is a book of praise songs, and David was its largest contributor. In addition to being a king and a prophet, he was also called the Sweet Psalmist of Israel. In our text, we find David bringing an offering to the Lord. Because of his position as king, Ornan offered him the field and the animals free of charge. Instead of accepting the gift, David made a statement that should become a foundational principle in our worship, “I will not offer that which cost me nothing.”

Worship is one of the highest expressions of our love for the Lord, and should be a costly exercise. We should not be giving the Lord only our excess or our leftovers. We should be offering our best, no matter what the cost. That does not mean we should go into debt to offer to the Lord, but it does mean, we should rethink our spending if we do not have enough to give to God. Worship is expressed when we deny ourself some earthly pleasure, in order to have something to offer the Lord.

David even took time to store up for future offering. In the next chapter we read,

1 Chronicles 22:14
“Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the Lord one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for it is so abundant…”

It would be worthwhile to take some time today to examine your checkbook and see what you have given to the Lord, and what has been spent on frivolous things. We live under grace and are free to enjoy the provision God has given us, but we should keep in mind, that Jesus told us to store up treasures in heaven.

Pastor Jim

 

Ashamed? 

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Psalm 119:5-6
“Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments”

The devil is crafty and a master of deception. Paul referred to him as an angel of light, because of his ability to disguise himself in order to fool the Christian.

When we are first introduced to him in the garden,  we watch as he tricks Eve into thinking the one thing that her loving God has forbidden, is of more value than all the fruit of the garden or the freedom she has been given. He has been deceiving people ever since, fooling us into thinking the ways of God are too restrictive and that sin will satisfy us. Once he has convinced us to walk outside the boundaries of God’s Word and get involved in that which is forbidden, his job is only half done. Instead of leaving us alone and moving on to deceive another, he turns his weapons back on us and begins an assault of shame. His fiery arrows begin to assault our minds with shame. We are defeated by the sin we have committed, and continue in defeat as we wallow in shame and guilt. We are repulsed by our failure, and instead of entering boldly into the throne of grace, where mercy and grace flow from our loving Father, we cower back with feelings of unworthiness. We question how God could love us and fear that we will never overcome the weaknesses of our flesh. There, in our miry clay, the devil holds us bound in shame and guilt; keeping us from abundant life or from impacting others for the kingdom of Heaven.

I want to assure you, that if you have received the pardon of sin that Christ offers on Calvary’s Cross, ALL your sins have been washed away. The blood of Christ is rich enough to pardon the sin that you have stumbled back into. Right this moment, receive that pardon and rise from the ashes of your failure to walk in the victory that is yours in Christ.

That being said, the Psalmist speaks here of one of the greatest ways to avoid pitfalls of the devil and ending up overcome with shame.

“Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments.”

The key to avoiding the pitfalls of the enemy, is walking in the right direction, and staying in bounds. The key to remaining on track, is allowing the Word of God to shine continually upon your life and guide your steps. One of the ways we fail, is when we come to a crossroad and find ourselves face to face with temptation. On the one hand, we are being greatly pressed to step outside the boundaries and pursue what we know God has forbidden, while on the other hand, we desire to please Him and do what is right. Right there, in the midst of the battle, we will find great strength from the perfect Law of liberty. Like a valiant soldier, as we reach into the sheath, removing the Sword of the Spirit, we will find the enemy is vanquished with the power of the Word. Later, in times of confusion, when we are not sure what the way of the Lord is, we can find guidance that keeps us on track. Have you ever, when facing decision time or great temptation, taken a moment to search for what the Scripture has to say? Using an online concordance, you can look into the statutes of God regarding the situation you are facing. The light of the Word will shine in your life, and you will find the help you need to avoid falling again into shame.

Let’s be sure, today, to allow our steps to be directed by His statutes.

Pastor Jim

 

When Things Go Wrong

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1 Chronicles 19:4
“Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away.”


David sent a handful of his men, as goodwill ambassadors, to Ammon. They went with a gift, as a way to offer condolences to the king for the death of his father. When they arrived, instead of being welcomed, they were brutally mistreated and embarrassed; their beards were shaved and their clothing cut to reveal their nakedness. These poor men were forced to turn around and make the long journey back to Jerusalem in shame. What should have been a time of celebrating the great opportunity they were given to further the kingdom, became a time of shame and embarrassment.

While we have probably never been sent to a palace with gifts from our president, we have had an experience where we attempted to serve King Jesus and found it did not go as we had planned. Perhaps you tried to share Christ with a family member or friend, thinking they would be receptive, only to find they became hostile and even attacked your character. Perhaps you signed up to work in the children’s ministry at church and found, even when you had prayed, planned and prepared, things went badly, and you experienced one of the more difficult hours of your life.

What should we do when ministry doesn’t go the way we expected? Is that a “sign” that we should not be serving the Lord, or taking risks to share the Gospel? I don’t think so. I think the difficulties are designed to cause us to go back to the King for further orders. These men, after their difficult experience, went back to David and were instructed to wait until their beards grew back, then get back to the business of the kingdom.

Perhaps you have had some difficulty in serving the Lord. The proper response is not to stop serving, but to go before the King and let Him comfort, restore, and instruct you for further service.

Until He comes,
Pastor Jim

Short But Sweet 

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Psalm 117
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!
For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!”

It is not always the longest, or even the most creative works, that become the most well known. I am not a poet, and cannot speak to the artistic side of things, but I doubt whether any poem is as well known as “Roses are red and violets are blue…” Sometimes, the simplicity of things is exactly what is most needed. In a songbook filled with some of the most elaborate and beautiful expressions of praise, we find a simple song, consisting of only two short verses. It is the brevity of this song that magnifies its content. We find the Psalmist emphasizing two things that make God worthy of the praise of all the nations. He states, God is kind, and His word is true.

Perhaps, rather than going into great detail to explain these things, it might do us good to simply put  the teaching of this psalm into practice. Take some time to express thanks to God for His merciful kindness. If you need to confess things you are doing wrong, then go for it, and allow Him to wash away all your sin. Then decide that you are going to forever view His Word as the truth, and live by its statutes.

Pastor Jim

 

Team Work

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1 Chronicles 18:1
“After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines.”

This chapter records the successful military endeavors of King David. We read of his defeating, or subduing, at least eight separate kingdoms, as he established Israel among the strongest of the nations. His military exploits resulted in peace and prosperity for Israel, and the entire region. However, I think it is worth noting that while we read, “David attacked, David defeated or David subdued”, scripture makes it clear, he did none of these things on his own. His exploits were accompanied by both the presence of the Lord and a host of faithful men. As the chapter concludes, we read of Joab, Jehoshaphat, Zadok, Abimelech, Shavsha, Benaiah and David’s sons, all of whom served alongside the king, making this success possible. David started out as a Lone Ranger, stepping into the valley of Elah when no one else would, but as time went on, a host of others teamed with him to accomplish the work of God.

This is a vivid picture of how the church works today. When ministry takes place, it usually begins in the heart of one man or woman. As he or she seeks the Lord, the calling becomes clear and they step out in faith to see what God may accomplish. As time goes on, the Lord will raise up others around him or her to assist in the work, because the work of God requires a host of different giftings and abilities. The leader must learn to give ministry away to those who choose to serve if the work is going to grow and the purposes of God completed.

Not all of us are called to be David and venture into uncharted territory, some are called to be a Joab or a Zadok, who comes alongside to assist in the work of God. The key lesson is, whatever God has called us to, we want to go after with all our heart, soul, mind and strength

Pastor Jim

 

Not Now 

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1 Chronicles 17:2
“Then Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’”

David learned it is possible to have a great desire to do something, that is not the will of God. His heart burned within him to build a more permanent structure to house the Ark, and to provide a place for sacrifice. He prayed, sought godly counsel, and went forward with his plans, only to find out later, God had other plans for his life, and for the completion of the task. There are some important lessons we can glean from this story.

Obviously, it’s possible for us to desire things that are ungodly and harmful. We have all, at one time or another, pursued something the Word of God clearly forbids.  That is not what is happening here.

Then there are times when we desire something good, for all the wrong reasons. I met a man in West Africa who told me he had a dream that God was going to make him a great man. I could see in his eyes that he had visions of grandeur. It was almost as though he could see the stadiums filled with the people he would pastor. I did not want to undermine what he thought the Lord was saying, but I did take him through the Word and explain God’s definition of greatness; the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all (Mark 9:35). That being said, I do not think David was hindered because of pride, or a desire to promote his own name.

Finally, we can desire things which are simply not the will of God for us. David’s desire was to see the work of God furthered. He was willing to give the time, effort, and finances necessary to make it happen. The looming question is, “Why would God forbid David to accomplish such a noble task?” I think the answer is simply, God had other plans. It was the will of God to build a Temple, but it was the will of God for Solomon to complete the task. Later, the reasons would become clear as Solomon became a picture of Christ, the Prince of Peace, making a way for man to fellowship with God.

I have seen too many Christians waiting for some ministry desire in their life to be fulfilled, instead of being involved in the ministry opportunities that are right in front of their faces. It may be, God will fulfill the desire that is burning in your heart to serve Him in some elaborate way, but in the mean time, remember that God designed the church and made you a functioning member of its body. Instead of always having your eyes on the horizon, look for ways you can get on board supporting the work of God in your local church. Remember, a servant must first be tested, and he who is faithful in little will be given much (Luke 19:17).

Pastor Jim

 

Let’s Talk 

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1 Chronicles 16:23
“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.”

Over the years, I have met Christians who seem crippled by uncertainty. They struggle with every decision they make, because they don’t seem to be able to determine God’s will. It is true God has a perfect plan for our lives, and to understand it, we must get alone with Him, and listen to His still small voice. But it is equally true, God has already laid out much of His will for us in the pages of His Word. In the text before us, we learn what we should be doing with our mouths.

First, we should be singing. Privately and publicly, at home and in church, our mouths should be expressing praise to God. This praise will serve at least three vital purposes in our lives. One, It will draw us closer to God. Praise is like a gateway into the throne room of heaven. The Psalmist declared we should walk through the courts with praise. Second, praise will increase our confidence in God. Too often, we magnify our problems while neglecting to magnify the Lord. The more we focus on God, the easier it will be to handle the situations of life. Third, praise is a marvelous witnessing tool. I can remember my first encounter with Christians and being amazed by the joy they expressed as they worshipped the Lord.

David gives us a second charge. We are to use our lips not only to praise God, but also to declare the good news of salvation, every day. It is the will of God that we tell others about Christ. There are many different ways to share the message of salvation. We can straight-up share the simple message of salvation with them, and invite them to receive Christ. We can invite someone to join us at church. We can even invite them to a meal afterwards, and discuss what they just heard. We can have someone over for a meal or take them to coffee, and ask them what they think about Christ; giving ample time to carefully answer any questions they have. We can pass on copies of a Bible study, or invite them to tune into an online message. The opportunities to proclaim the good news of salvation are endless, the only question is are we taking advantage of them.

Take a moment to consider, when was the last time you declared the good news of salvation with someone? Facebook and twitter are wonderful tools, but they don’t replace the need for one-on-one conversations with others. Take a moment now to pray for someone who you will invite to church, or to sit and discuss the way of salvation with this week.

Pastor Jim

 

The Proper Order 

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1 Chronicles 15:13
“For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”

This was David’s second attempt to bring the ark of the covenant to its new home in Jerusalem. The first time was an utter failure, resulting in death. This time, David wanted to be sure to do things right, so he consulted the Word of God. Because God designed the Tabernacle, He is also the one who wrote the instructions for how things were to operate. When David and Israel chose to look into the Word of God, they found the proper way to move the ark. What had once been a disaster, became a time of rejoicing; and the same will be true of us.

The New Testament refers to God as the “Author of life.” He designed us, and His Word serves as the instruction manual for a successful life. You might look at you life and see it is in need of repair; remember, the secret is to “consult Him for the proper order.” Dating, marriage, finances, kids, work or whatever else you might be struggling with, you will find the proper order when you consult the Word of God and do things His way.

Remember, God’s ways bring life.

Pastor Jim

 

In His Image 

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Psalm 115:8
“Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.”

I remember being in a cultural anthropology class in college, when the professor said, “the Bible says man was created in the image of God, but I believe God was created in the image of man.” While I totally disagree with his rejection of Biblical truth, I do agree, that man has been creating gods in his image since the beginning of time. We like to pretend we are a more evolved and sophisticated race than our ancestors, but the reality is, mankind has not changed. We are still creating gods in our image. Whenever we pick and choose verses we like, and reject the ones that make us uncomfortable, we are creating God in our own image. The Psalmist speaks of the folly of that, when he declares;

Psalm 115:8 “Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.”

When we reduce the God of the Bible to the creation of our own mind, we create an impotent god who is unable to save from sin, or help in our times of weakness. Again, the Psalmist declares about their gods,

“They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat.” Psalm 115:5-7

Not only are man-made gods unable to aid in times of trouble, but those who fashion them become like them. One of the great values of following closely after Jesus, is that we in turn, become like Him. Instead of being reduced from the purpose for which we were created, as we follow Jesus, we are transformed. Walking daily with Him, will result in our lives being transformed into His image, and we will be able to live up to the potential for which we were created.

Instead of rejecting God because there are things about Him you do not understand, or have a hard time believing, why not submit to Him, and allow Him to reveal Himself to you? If He is not real, what have you really lost? But if He is, you will find that your life is transformed and you will begin to experience what Jesus called “living waters,” welling up in you like a fountain of life.

Pastor Jim

 

Lesson Learned 

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1 Chronicles 14:10
“And David inquired of God, saying, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’ The Lord said to him, ‘Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.’”

David’s domestic policy included doing everything possible to ensure that the Lord was at the center of the nation of Israel. To this end, he sought to bring the Ark into the city of Jerusalem. In doing so, David committed one of the more common mistakes in ministry; doing the right thing, the wrong way. Instead of opening the Word of God and doing the necessary research on the subject of transporting the Ark, David used “common sense” and a pattern set by the Philistines. The Ark was placed upon a new a cart and driven to Jerusalem. Tragedy struck along the way and a young servant of the king was killed. The reason for the failure was that David had failed to seek the ways of the Lord.

Before Chronicles returns to the subject of the Ark, we are told that David was forced to deal with the problem of the Philistines. Since the time of the Judges, the Philistines had become an increasing problem to Israel. Much land and countless lives had been lost, as they continued to attack the nation. David realized the problem must be addressed. His recent failure with the Ark taught him a valuable lesson, and rather than using charts and graphs, he determined to seek the mind of the Lord. In two decisive battles, David received his marching orders from the Lord.

It seems appropriate to say, David had learned his lesson. What started as a failure, became a learning experience. David came to understand the proper way to live his life, serve the Lord, and lead the people, was to begin with searching out the mind of the Lord.

We have available to us, the counsel of God. It is critical that we take the time to both pray and listen. God wants to direct us, and He does so with His Word. Before making life decisions, be sure to take the necessary time to look into the pages of your Bible and to seek the ways of God.

Pastor Jim