The Power of Intercession and a Sacrificial Offering
on March 3rd, 2024
On that day Gad went to David and said to him, ‘’Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’’ So David went up, as the LORD had commanded through Gad.When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.Araunah said, ‘’Why has my lord the king come to his servant?’’...  Read More
We Can Never Understand The Ways Of God
on March 2nd, 2024
So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Ara...  Read More
May God Deal With Me Rather Than Man
on March 1st, 2024
Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer. ‘’Go and tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ ‘’So Gad went to David and said to him, ‘’Shall there come on you three years of famine in the land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue ...  Read More
Is It Hidden Pride?
on February 29th, 2024
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He incited David against them, saying, ‘’Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’’So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, ‘’Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.’’But Joab replied to the king, ‘’May the LORD your God multiply the troops ...  Read More
It Takes More Than One Great Leader
on February 28th, 2024
These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. Next to him was Eleazer . . .  As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines . . . the Israelites retreated, but Eleazer stood his ground and struck down the Philistines ti...  Read More
A Song Of Praise From A Grateful Heart
on February 27th, 2024
David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: ‘’The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior -- from violent people you saved me.‘’I called to the LORD, who is worthy of pr...  Read More
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
on February 26th, 2024
. . . When Shimei, son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king and said to him, ‘’May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.  May the king put it out of his mind. For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord...  Read More
Sometimes, A Strong Talk Is Needed
on February 25th, 2024
The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept.  As he went, he said: ‘’O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you -- O Absalom, my son, my son!’’Joab was told, ‘’The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.’’ And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, ‘’The king is gri...  Read More
God Will Give You Someone Loyal
on February 24th, 2024
So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.The king saId to Ittai the Gittite, ‘’Why should you come along with us?  Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an ex...  Read More
The Painful Truth
on February 24th, 2024
Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.  . . . Absalom said to Ahithophel, ‘’Give us your advice. What should we do?’’ Ahithophel answered, ‘’Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more ...  Read More
Trampled Upon When We are Down
on February 23rd, 2024
As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei . . . and he cursed as he came out. He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. As he cursed, Shimei said, ‘’Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! The LORD has repaid you for all the b...  Read More
When The Spirit of Absalom Gains Control
on February 21st, 2024
A messenger came and told David, ‘’The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.’’ Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘’Come!We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.’’. . . The king set out, with his entire household following h...  Read More
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