DEVOTIONS

  May 10, 2023
  Daily Reading – 2 Samuel 11-13 / Luke 24:1-35

 

 GOD’S WORD:

2 Samuel 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        As most of you know, the purpose statement of Living In His Word Ministries has always been, “Getting people into the Word of God, and the Word of God into people.” This ministry began with the idea that if we allow God to speak into our lives daily, we are much more in tune with His will for our lives. It is then that the Word of God also begins to take root in our hearts, and by doing so, changing our lives. This is one aspect of being daily in God’s Word. However, another reality is that when God promises us something, good or bad, we will also daily live in God’s Word.

 

        In today’s passage of 2 Samuel 11-13, we see this played out in grave detail. David has sinned. In chapter 11 he sleeps with Bathsheba, another man’s wife, and she becomes pregnant. To cover his sin, he has her husband Uriah killed in battle. He then takes Bathsheba as his wife. In 2 Samuel 11:27 it says “…the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” In chapter 12 God reveals David’s sin to him and tells him, there is a price to pay for your sin. Because David has repented of his sin, 2 Samuel 12:13 tells us that God does forgive him; “…The LORD also hath put away thy sin;…” However, the remainder of David’s life is filled with family turmoil as today’s verse said it would be. There are blessings along the way, yet trials and troubles continually follow David’s family. God’s Word will be played out daily in his life. There is always a consequence for sin. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Gal. 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” If we sow into the world, we reap from the world. However, if we sow in God’s Garden, we reap from God’s harvest.

 

Where are you sowing with your life today?

 

 

  May 9, 2023
  Daily Reading – 2 Samuel 7-10 / Luke 23:27-56

 

 GOD’S WORD:

2 Samuel 7:14-15 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        How many times have you begun a project, only to find out it turned into something much bigger than what you intended it to be? That is where David finds himself in 2 Samuel 7.

 

        David wanted to replace the tents used for a Tabernacle and build God a more permanent house for the Ark to dwell in. This in itself would be a huge and ambitious undertaking. God said no, I have something much bigger in mind. God did not simply want to build a building, He wanted to build a kingdom. David’s view was on something that would last a few hundred years. God’s view was on building something eternal. Something that would touch more than Israel, but all men throughout all history. God tells David no. Instead, He says that after David has died that he will allow his son to build a structure. Then God goes on to share how He intends to build a permanent eternal kingdom. Something marvelous and different is promised with this kingdom. God says, I will form a permanent, unbreakable relationship in this kingdom. In this kingdom, if sin is committed it will be dealt with here on earth with the punishments of the flesh. However, God says even then, I will not leave nor break this relationship. He promises His mercy will never depart in this new relationship in this new kingdom. Yup, this was a lot bigger project than David expected. He was also delighted to have God step in and take over this building by His will.. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        In this new kingdom, we too have this promise from God. God deals with the sin of the saints here and now, but His mercy endureth forever. Once you become a child of the King, you are a child of the King for all eternity. What a delight to live in God’s will.

 

Will you delight in God’s will today?

 

 

  May 8, 2023
  Daily Reading – 2 Samuel 4-6 / Luke 23:1-26

 

 GOD’S WORD:

 2 Samuel 6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six
 paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Doing things for the right reason in the wrong way can be costly. For example, I worked for hours making an accounting sheet on my computer that automatically calculated numbers I entered into it. I was so excited about what I had done. When I showed it to a guy in church who did that kind of stuff often, I was expecting; “WOW, that is great.” Instead, in a respectful and polite way he said, “you know if you did this and that it would work a lot better.” Then with a few clicks and keystrokes in a few minutes he built something that took me hours. Not to mention, His worked better. If I had called him first, I could have used those hours to do something else for the Lord. I had the right motive but did not use the best method.

 

        King David decided to bring the Ark of God to the city of David to place it in a tabernacle he pitched there. It was a great idea and desire to have the Ark close by. But David had forgotten the importance of doing things God’s way. He did what he saw the Philistines do. He placed the Ark on a cart pulled by oxen. The problem was, God never intended for the Ark to be transported this way. It was to be carried by priest with poles placed in the rings on its corners. When the oxen stumbled, the ark shifted and Uzzah reached out to hold it up. When he touched it, which God said no one was to do, God took his life. David later realized his sin and had the Ark carried instead; God blessed it.  

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Just being busy for the Lord is not always doing the right thing. God intends for us to be a good steward of all He entrusts to us. Our time, our talent, and our treasure. Doing things God’s way always bring God’s blessings.

 

Do we ever miss God’s best, by settling for our good?

 

 

 May 6 & 7, 2023
 May 6 – Daily Reading – 2 Samuel 1-3 / Luke 22:35-71
 May 7 – NO READING

 

 GOD’S WORD:

2 Samuel 3:36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        We have all heard the old phrase, “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” Children are the ones who are most likely to emulate someone they respect. They see daddy with a paintbrush, they want to paint too. They see mommy putting on makeup, they want to put on makeup too. It is always so cute to see them copying their parents. That is until they blurt out a bad word that they have heard or ask an inappropriate question. Then the cuteness wears right off. We see it with teens and young adults as well, following after people they look up to in society. That could be a good thing, or that can have disastrous consequences. None of this is new. I think Solomon said it best in Ecclesiastes 1:9 when he said, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” 

 

        The People of Israel saw that David was mourning the death of Abner, and his sorrow quickly became their sorrow as well. In fact, the verse says; “as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.” Their high regard for David, caused them to also have a high regard for what David said and did. It was more than just, “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” It was a deep-down regard for this man and a care for what touched him. As with everyone, we are all influencing someone. We can use that influence wisely for God, or foolishly and selfishly. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        The people loved David, so whatever touched or moved David, touched, and moved the people as well. This should be our response to Christ. That we love Him so much that whatever touches or moves the Lord, touches and moves us as well.

 

Do we emulate Christ well with our lives?

 

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        Although we all know David made mistakes in life, one thing He did well was to be “Reverent Toward God.” We saw it many times this week in:

 

  ● Run Toward The Enemy
  ● Recognizing What’s Evil
  ● Respect Not Earned
  ● Righteousness Over Ego
  ● Reign Was Ended
  ● Respond With Emulation

      He did not push ahead of God, He did not touch God’s anointed, nor push his way into leadership. He kept moving onward with “Reverence Toward God.”

       Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.  

 

 SUNDAYS:

       Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastors heart. Whatever scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

May 8, 2023	2 Samuel 4-6	Luke 23:1-26
May 9, 2023	2 Samuel 7-10	Luke 23:27-56
May 10, 2023	2 Samuel 11-13	Luke 24:1-35
May 11, 2023	2 Samuel 14-15	Luke 24:36-53
May 12, 2023	2 Samuel 16-18	John 1:1-34
May 13, 2023	2 Samuel 19-20	John 1:35-51
May 14, 2023	No Passages Assigned

Reverence Toward God

 

  May 5, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Samuel 28-31 / Luke 22:1-34

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Samuel 31:6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together. 

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        It says in today’s verse that Saul, his three sons, his armourbearer, and all his men were killed in the same day. This must be the day that the reign of King Saul and his family is done. (At this point I feel almost like Paul Harvey, and now for the rest of the story.) You see, all of Saul’s family was not killed in this battle. When we get into 2 Samuel, we find one of Saul’s remaining sons, Ishbosheth, is anointed King over a portion of the nation of Israel for about two years. In fact, later we will find that Saul has two more sons by the names of Armoni and Mephibosheth. Since the Reign of King is a matter of heritage in those days, when did King Saul’s reign really end?

 

        To find the answer for that question we will need to turn back in our Bibles to 1 Samuel 13:14. That is where Samuel tells Saul; “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.” The reign of Saul actually ended years before he died. His kingdom and leadership were like a person being kept alive by life-support. He was there, but not really in charge. When did the reign of King Saul end? It ended when he decided he was above the law of God and could do whatever he wanted. It ended when God took his kingdom from Him. God is always in control.  

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        We must never confuse action with authority. Just because someone is going through the motions or being in charge, never removes God’s authority over an issue or His creation. The Lord has never stepped down from His throne. He will always be KING.

 

Do we follow the right leader?