More Jesus, Less Injustice

511 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 12:1-4,”Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: "There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 "The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 "But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 "And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." (2 Sam 12:1-4) Nathan comes to David (the government) with a complaint. It seems that one of David's poor subjects has been grossly mistreated by a rich subject. This is a matter of civil justice and Nathan rightly takes it to the king in order for justice to be meted out. Nathan is simply doing what believers are encouraged to do in Pr 31:8,9 “Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Nathan was pleading the cause of the poor man to the one who had the God-granted power to do something about it. David's instructions for handling the matter are found in Le 19:15 'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. With this principle as his guideline David is to determine the penalty. Rom 13:4 b says this about civil authorities: “for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” It's okay for Christians to point out injustice in society to the government, but let us never forget our main responsibility. “Go!” “Preach the gospel.” For the nation that embraces the gospel, embraces Jesus who is referred to in 1 Pet 3:18 as “the just one.” More Jesus...less injustice, and less need for the government to step in with the sword.

An Eyesore To God

510 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:27b-12:1a, “But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. 12:1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David.” The word “displeased” is difficult to translate. It is connected to the eye. My own take on it is that David's actions with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite were an eyesore to the Lord. An eyesore is something that sticks out in a landscape. It's something that just doesn't belong in the picture. It makes everything around it....ugly. The landscape of David had been made exceptionally beautiful by the promise of a Messiah coming through the his lineage. But now David's sinful actions of covetousness and fornication had erected an eyesore in the midst of this stunning landscape. His sin was not fitting for a saint much less a king. Eph 5:3 tells us to not erect similar eyesores in our own lives. “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; “ These sins and others are eyesores, and should not even be named among followers of Jesus. Every sin, that is ignored or swept under the rug and not dealt with sticks out like a sore thumb in the eyes of God. David was in need of some “urban renewal” and so are we. God sent Nathan to David bearing His Word and pointed out the eyesore, He does the same to us with faithful preaching and reading of His Word. How about you? Any eyesores on your landscape? Anything that needs to be leveled? Don't sweep it under the rug. Rather bring it to God with a sincere confession, and let Him take care of it with the wrecking ball of the blood of Jesus. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Thank You Father for making each of us a personal beautification project. You really do make beautiful things!

David Exhibits Some Signs of Depression

509 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:26,27, “When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 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. (2 Sam 11:26,27) Something very striking about this sequence of events is how rapidly everything has unfolded. There was the actual tryst between David and Bathsheba, and then within a month, she discovers she is pregnant. David immediately calls Uriah home from the battle. He stays home for two days, is sent back to the battle and is killed almost immediately. Bathsheba mourns for her husband which was usually a 7 day event, and then David marries her. Just around 42 days from the lustful glance to marriage. What a whirlwind of sin in a short span of time. Adultery, murder, trickery, lying and it looks like they are going to get away with it! With this kind of expediency, the whole nation may be led to believe that the child that Bathsheba is carrying is “legitimately David's! Yes everything is looking good on the outside, but things weren't going so well for David on the inside as we read in Ps 32:3,4 “When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah Seems to me that David was exhibiting the signs of depression. These symptoms surfaced because he “kept silent” about his sin with Bathsheba, and the idea of keeping silence here is sweeping it under the rug. But look what happens when David confesses those sins Ps 32:1,2 says, “ Blessed (the word means Oh how very happy) is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. I'm not saying that secret sin is the sole cause of depression, but it might be a place to start. One thing for sure, there is joy in knowing God's forgiveness, and God is more than willing to help us unearth those sins and be set free. Ps 19:12 says, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.' A great prayer for all of us.

He Cleanses Confessions Not Excuses

508 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:23-25, “And the messenger said to David, "Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate. 24 "The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also." 25 Then David said to the messenger, "Thus you shall say to Joab: 'Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.' So encourage him." (2 Sam 11:23-25) Is David making this statement to convince the messenger and others within earshot that Uriah's death was simply a matter of war taking it's random toll of lives? Is he acting here? Or is he already in the process of justifying his sin in his own mind? Has he already conveniently forgotten that Uriah was “devoured by the sword” by his own specific order to Joab? We don't know the answer to that question, but here are some things we do know: Jer 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Self -deception in the matter of justifying our actions is in the DNA of our flesh. It's part of our fleshly desire to save ourselves. It's “self-defense.” We forget that through faith in Christ we have the only sure defender. 1Jo 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Yes, sin will happen in our lives but we must never seek to find ways to excuse it or defend it. We have an Advocate, a defense attorney in Jesus, but His defense is of no avail to us if we seek to defend ourselves. On the Last Day, you cannot stand before God and tell Him you are not to blame. You can't say “I have an excuse.” David's excuses for sinning are a mile long. “It was a warm spring night. She was beautiful. All the other kings do it. She got pregnant, how would that look for me the King of Israel? Uriah left me no choice! Hey, it's not like I killed him...he died in battle, that happens all the time.” Listen, the blood of Jesus doesn't cleanse excuses...it cleanses sin. Oh God, forgive me. I confess I am an inexcusable sinner, keep me from that path that seeks to justify my sins, help me to turn to Jesus and allow Him alone to be my defense.

Two Out of Six

507 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, 19 and charged the messenger, saying, "When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, 20 if it happens that the king's wrath rises, and he says to you: 'Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 'Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?' -then you shall say, 'Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'" 22 So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. (2 Sam 11:18-22) This ruse of David and Joab is too much. Joab purposely used proven faulty military strategy to assure the death of Uriah. He put Uriah and others in a position so vulnerable that a woman would be able to kill them. Joab, being the good general that he was, knew warfare history and tactics. In the battle of Thebez, Gideons' son (Abimelech) met his demise by standing too close to the wall of the city where a woman simply using gravity dropped a millstone on his head. Jg 9:53 But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. Joab's strategy would make it easy for David to feign anger over the loss of men, and “Oh, by the way David, your loyal servant Uriah died in the battle.” Mission accomplished. Well played David and Joab. David and Joab knew military strategy, but apparently had forgotten the heart of God as it concerns actions toward the innocent. Listen to what the Holy Spirit speaking through Solomon says in Pr 6:16-18, “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,” David devised a wicked plan to shed the innocent blood of Uriah. In one incident he managed to violate two of the seven things that God especially hates. He paid for it later on, but the amazing thing about it all, is that God forgave him, and He is willing to forgive us of our own wickedness as well through faith in Jesus.

Making A Bad Situation Worse

506 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:14 In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die." 16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also. Wow! Just look at the ripple effect of David's sin with Bathsheba. Not only is Uriah murdered, but Joab is now an accomplice. It's true that Joab was only following orders as a good soldier is supposed to do. But this order was not about strategic battle maneuvers, it was about the murder of one Uriah the Hittite. Yes we are to obey and respect those that God has placed in authority over us, but when they command us to do something contrary to the Word of God, well, we must obey God rather than man. And in this case God's command “Thou shalt not kill” should've been Joab's overriding concern. When the ruling authorities forbade Peter and John from preaching the Gospel, Peter's response was, Ac 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.” Joab's refusal to put God's Word first, not only resulted in the death of Uriah, but in order to carry out the ruse, Joab had to send other men into the battle alongside Uriah. If he followed David's orders, he then retreated from them, left them alone to die, their blood effectively shed in the kings bedroom on that spring night with Bathsheba. How many wives were widowed? How many children were made orphans all because of a couple of minutes of illicit pleasure? Think it through, the sooner David stops trying to cover up his sin, and deals with it in accordance with God's Word, the fewer lives are negatively affected. Father, we are all sinners, and we thank You for the gift of forgiveness, help us to stop making bad situations worse as we try to cover our sins on our own.

Uriah Serving As A Type of Christ

505 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:14,15,”In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die." (2 Sam 11:14,15) Oh the depravity of man! David sends a letter to his commander that basically says, “see that the man carrying this letter is put to death.” But as depraved as David's actions are, let's not lose hope! There are also good men, honorable men like Uriah. His honor was brought to our attention when he refused to bed down at his house while his fellow comrades in arms were engaged in battle for Israel and the Lord! This display of honor was not lost on David who had no qualms about sending this damning letter at the hands of the honorable and trustworthy Uriah. Uriah serves as a type of Christ here. Like Jesus he refused to bed down in the comforts of his home. “The Son of Man had no place to rest His head.” (Luke 9:58) Like Uriah, His number one concern was to fight for His brothers, and when Jesus came to this earth, He also bore a letter that dictated His mission. That letter was the subject of all the Old Testament prophets! He was placed in Jerusalem, the scene of the hottest battle between Law and Grace. When the time was right, the Father withdrew His protection from His Son, that He would be struck down and die. (My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?) God did it out of love for the world, David did it out of love for self. Uriah, the sacrificial lamb who covered David's sin. Jesus, the sacrificial lamb who covered the sins of the world! Thank You Jesus, for we are all sinners deserving death, but You died in our place!

Some Final Thoughts On Drinking

504 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13, “ Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. (2 Sam 11:13) Today I'm wrapping up my series on drinking, but before I begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. The Bible does not forbid drinking but more important for the alcoholic....it doesn't command drinking either. You'll do just fine if you never put another drink to your lips. It's fairly evident that God meant wine to be a gift to mankind for celebration and for medicinal purposes. Ps 104:15 speaks of God's gifts in creation, and wine is one of them. “and wine cheers the heart of man, and oil makes his face shine, and bread sustains the heart of man.” Eccl 10:19a says, “Bread is made for laughter, and wine makes merry;” Paul writing to his young protege Timothy, instructed him to use wine for his physical infirmities. “Drink water no longer, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake, and for your many infirmities. (1 Tim 5:23) Let us remember that, “every creation of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. (1 Tim 4:4) while at the same time remembering 1 Cor 6:12, “All things are lawful to me, but not all things profit. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” And for the sake of those struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction please don't use your liberty to cause others to stumble. 1 Cor 8:9 says, “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak.” Enjoy God's gift of wine. Let it gladden your heart and help you unwind, but don't abuse it to the point that it is , as Paul wrote, “exercising power over you,” I speak from the experience of one who allowed alcohol to have power over me. I found myself always looking forward to my next high. (This is one of many telltale signs) Here's the thing about seeking a high, it always leads to an eventual low. A low that is sure to bring pain to you and others. Prov 23:20 says, “Don't be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat' 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor;” I am forever thankful that by turning to Jesus Christ I was delivered from this sin. If you are struggling with alcohol abuse, turn to jesus and henceforth don't be filled with wine, which is dissipation, but be filled with the Holy Spirit! (Eph 5:18) Father, thank You for Your promise that the truth will set us free.

Drinking Part 5 - Feasting

503 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. Let's continue to talk about drinking. But before we begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. The Bible does not forbid drinking but more important for the alcoholic....it doesn't command drinking either. You'll do just fine if you never put another drink to your lips. The Bible has much to say about the sin of drunkenness and the ill effects of strong drink, but it also has some things to say about the proper use of wine. In the Old Testament system of tithing, God made provision for an annual festive occasion for the collection of what is called the “second tithe.” We read about it in De 14:26 And you shall pay that silver for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul desires. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.” This annual communal feast was to be shared with the Levites, but not to be used as an excuse to get drunk. Isa 5:11,12, “Woe to those who rise up early in the morning to go after strong drink; tarrying in the twilight while wine inflames them! 12 And the lyre, and the harp, the timbrel, and pipe, and wine, are at their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD. Yea, they do not see the work of His hands.” What's missing at this feast mentioned in Isaiah? The Lord is missing. Instead of merriment that celebrates the goodness of God, we have people getting inflamed by wine for the sake of getting inflamed. All feasting from thanksgiving to weddings should have God as the main attraction. Probably the closest thing we have to this annual feast of the Israelites in our country today is the holiday of Thanksgiving. These are annual communal gatherings for feasting and giving of thanks to the Lord, and it's okay to have some wine. Celebrate! Make merry! Feast! But let God be the centerpiece of your day rather than the food, the wine, or the football. And be responsible. Don't be a stumbling block to a brother who struggles with alcohol abuse and please, do not put yourself or others in harms way by getting behind the wheel of a car if you are in any way impaired. Where's the honoring of God in that? Father, it's so easy to make other gods the center of our feasting. Help us to remember that You are the source of any joy we may have!

Drinking Part 4 - You Can Unwind, But Don't Unravel

502 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. Let's talk about drinking. But before we begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. The Bible does not forbid drinking but more important for the alcoholic....it doesn't command drinking either. You'll do just fine if you never put another drink to your lips. The Bible has much to say about the matter of drinking and the sin of drunkenness. We hear an awful lot about the evils of alcohol and rightly so. Alcohol abuse is responsible for much pain and carnage in our lives and we would do well to respect it's negative impact. However, the Bible also has some positive things to say about wine and it's relationship to celebration, relaxation, and it's use for medicinal purposes. I have always hesitated to speak about these things because I'm afraid it will be misinterpreted by those who are looking for an excuse to get drunk. So before I dive into these other purposes let me pass along one more reminder from Pr 20:1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Don't allow the biblical use of wine to lead you astray. Do not cross that line into drunkenness and alcohol abuse! Let's start with the biblical usage of wine for medicinal purposes. Pr 31:6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. Note the two types of wine used here. Strong drink (undiluted) for the perishing, and wine (diluted) for the bitter of heart. In biblical times strong drink was pretty much all they had for pain, and it was okay to use it as a painkiller for the dying. But what about the bitter of heart, the destitute, and those who are just beaten down by their current circumstances. Is it okay to have a drink for the sole purpose of helping you unwind? Apparently, but be very cautious here, you can unwind but don't unravel. And if you don't know the difference, then stay away from alcohol. Always remember that the Bible never condones the abuse of alcohol or drunkenness, but it was valued in biblical times for use as medication and relaxation, and celebration. Father, everything you have created is good, for this we give you thanks. Help us to not abuse the goodness of Your created things.

Drinking Part 3 - When Drinking Becomes Drunking

501 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. Let's talk about drinking. But before we begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. The Bible does not forbid drinking but more important for the alcoholic....it doesn't command drinking either. You'll do just fine if you never put a drink to your lips. Drinking is not forbidden in the Bible, but excessive drinking, (to the point of drunkenness is) But when does drinking become drunking? First of all, understand this, the wine of the Bible is a lot different than the wine we drink today. It was typically mixed with three parts water. This watering down of the wine meant that your bladder would give out before alcohol would have it's forbidden effect of inebriation. Anything that was stronger than a three to one ratio was considered strong drink, and the Bible warns us about the effects of excessive strong drink. Pr 23:29 Who has woe? (Trouble) Who has sorrow? (Regrets) Who has contentions? (Fights) Who has complaints? (Babblings) Who has wounds without cause? (Injuries) Who has redness of eyes? (Hangovers) 30 Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. 31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, (undiluted) When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; 32 At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. 34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: 35 "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?" These various effects occur when drinking becomes drunking. Having once been in the camp of the drunkard, I can tell you that all these things are true and more. Perhaps the saddest thing about drunkenness is the effect that it has on all the innocent people in your life. I thank God every day that through faith in Jesus Christ He delivered me from the sin of drunkenness and all it's effects. Come to Jesus today it is His desire to (set the prisoner free) deliver you as well!

What the Bible Says About Drinking part 2

500 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.” Let's talk about drinking. But before we begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. The Bible does not forbid drinking but more important for the alcoholic....it doesn't command drinking either. You'll do just fine if you never put a drink to your lips. The problem with drinking is excess. Excess leads to drunkenness and drunkenness is lumped in with other obvious sins: Ga 5:19 says, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The word “practice” here means to “perform repeatedly.” And the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul has warned the Galatians in the past and is warning them now that they must seek to break free from these habitual sins or they will not inherit the kingdom of God. This is a scary verse, for which one of us does not struggle with at least one of these repeating sins? There can only be one answer here in accordance with Scripture. There can only be one solution to our battle with habitual sinning. The Apostle Paul admitted to his own struggles with habitual sin, in Ro 7:19 he said, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” And he found his solution in Christ: Ro 7:24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. The key to all this is don't stop struggling. The struggle is a sign that the Spirit is at work in you. Convicting you of all your wrong behavior and helping you to bring those behaviors to the cross to receive the forgiveness of Christ. Ro 8:13 says, “For if you live according to the flesh (with no regard of Christ) you will die; but if by the Spirit (with regard to Christ) you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Father, forgive us all of our besetting sins, and help us to turn from them in the power of the Holy Spirit.

What Does the Bible Say About Drinking Part 1

499 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.” In the next couple of days I am going to be looking at some of what the Bible says about drinking alcohol. Before I begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. In this portion of 2 Samuel, we see that David has tried twice to entice Uriah to go home and sleep in his bed. It was his hope that if Uriah would do this, David's sin with the now pregnant Bathsheba would be covered, but it didn't happen as David planned, so now David decides to play the alcohol card. Get the man drunk, that will turn his “no” button into a “go” button and surely Uriah would make his way home and spend the night with Bathsheba. That's one of the problems with alcohol. All it takes is two or three drinks and our ability to say “no” is greatly hindered! The Bible states this fact clearly in Eph 5:18, “ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;” (What is excess if not the inability to say no?) Having been a part of the “bar scene” for many years before my conversion to Christ, I can tell you that there is an interesting phenomena among drinkers. We all have a tendency to urge others to join in the festivities. Dangerous drinking games and challenges are issued to get others to join in the “so-called” fun. But the Bible has strong words for those who encourage others to get drunk. Think about this before you dangle that drink in front of someone or mock that person who refuses to participate in your debauchery. Hab 2:15,16 says, “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, Pressing him to your bottle, Even to make him drunk, That you may look on his nakedness! 16 You are filled with shame instead of glory. You also-drink! And be exposed as uncircumcised! The cup of the LORD'S right hand will be turned against you, And utter shame will be on your glory.” Plying others with alcohol for the purpose of turning off their “no” button invites the wrath of God into your life and exposes you as uncircumcised. It puts you in the camp of the unbeliever. This is how far David had fallen and he would pay the price of broken fellowship with God until he came to repentance through the preaching of Nathan. Father, thank You for holding out hope for repentance and forgiveness for our sins. Grant this gift to those who earnestly seek it today.

No One Gets Away With Sin

498 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:9-11, “ But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 So when they told David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house," David said to Uriah, "Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?" 11 And Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing." (2 Sam 11:9-11) Wow! What a man of honor! Uriah refuses to engage in intimacy with his wife because his fellow soldiers are being denied that privilege while they fight for Israel. Sounds good doesn't it? But is it more about Uriah's honor or God's sovereignty? Or is it a combination of both? Let me give you some verses to help make the point. Pr 15:3 “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.” God knew what was going on with David and Bathsheba and He was not going to let them get away with it. Pr 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths. 22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin. 23 He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. God wasn't going to let David get away with this sin. The truth is, none of us will ever get away with sin. It must be accounted for! If not in this life then the next. If we are not confronted with our sins, that is, convicted of them, and then instructed through the gospel how to shed those sins from our record, then we shall “die for lack of instruction.” It is great folly to think that we can cover our sins! We are all sinners in need of forgiveness and try as we might to cover our tracks, sin can only be obliterated by the blood of Jesus. For without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins (Heb 11:29) The shed blood is applied the moment you trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord, and those sins are taken off the books and tossed into the Sea of Forgetfulness. Thank You Father for removing my sins from Your sight as far as East is from the West.

Oh What Peace We Forfeit

497 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:6-8, “Then David sent to Joab, saying, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah departed from the king's house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. ( 2 Sam 11:6-8) David has a plan to cover his sin with Bathsheba. If he can get her husband home from the battlefront under the guise of a field report, everyone will assume that Uriah and his wife would do what husbands and wives do, and it would be assumed by all, that the child Bathsheba was carrying was fathered by Uriah. Good plan right? This way no one knows about the adultery except Bathsheba, David, and maybe the messengers who brought Bathsheba to David in the first place. We're all home free right? But think it through. Suppose this plan works. Who will the child resemble, David or Uriah? What will be going through Bathsheba's mind every time she sees that child? What will be going through David's mind when he sees that child. How will David handle the natural tendency to connect with that child while he tends to his family and Bathsheba tends to her family? How much peace will David and Bathsheba have for the rest of their lives as they seek to keep their secret sin hidden? But that's just the beginning of their woes. Pr 28:13 says, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. The word “prosper” means to push forward. Hidden, unconfessed sin keeps you in a spiritual rut and blocks the mercy of God! Is that a wise path to follow? To be sure our sins leave a trail of ramifications, but let it not be a trail that keeps us from the goodness of God. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Learn From Joseph and Mary

496 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:4,5 “Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child." (2 Sam 11:4,5) Two married consenting adults, caught up in sexual passion commit adultery in the middle of the night, and when lust has been spent, “she returned to her house.” It was as if it never happened. But oh oh, what's this? Bathseba's pregnancy test comes back positive, and she gets word to David, “I'm pregnant.” How many times in history have those two words sent tremors of fear into the hearts of those who have illicitly dallied. High school sweethearts who went too far. A night of partying away at college or a singles bar that crossed a line, and suddenly another life has been brought into this world. (You should know by now that life begins at conception) What to do? Perhaps the best thing to do in that situation is to learn from the experience of another couple who were surprised by a pregnancy. Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married, when Mary discovered that she was pregnant. Both Mary and Joseph were sent heavenly messengers who's first words to them were, “ “Do not fear!” This tells us that their initial reaction to the news was fear. It's a perfectly normal reaction under the circumstances! But the heavenly advice is meant for all of us. Don't let your fear guide your actions! Fear will lead you into all sorts of misguided steps to cover your actions. Rather, make the most of the situation! Embrace this new life created and loved by God. Remember there are more than the plans for your life at stake here, God has plans for that little one as well. In Mary and Joseph's case. God planned to use their little Bundle of Surprise to save the world from their sins, yes even their sins of sexual passion and abortion. Fear not beloved, and never forget that even if you have reacted negatively to fear, God forgives and He heals.

Well At Least She Wasn't Impure

495 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. (2 Sam 11:4) We will never know the complicity of Bathsheba in this whole sordid affair. Her husband was off to war and we must remember that she too was subject to sexual temptation. A warm spring night, a bath within full view of the palace, and the timing is such that she is free from the physical restrictions imposed by the Law against sexual activity. Le 18:19 says, “ 'Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity.” Why did the Holy Spirit feel it was necessary to include this little bit of information for us? Why is it necessary for us to know that Bathsheba had the physical green light for sexual activity? Could David and Bathsheba look back on this incident and say, “well at least we didn't commit adultery during her days of impurity!” In Paul Kretzmann's commentary on this verse, he says, “ The great sin of adultery she (and I might add they) committed without serious thought, but the act of purification she religiously observed, just as many people living in open transgressions of God's holy Law believe they may salve their consciences by small acts of charity.” Beware my friend, this is a trap that we all may fall into far too easily. We excuse our grievous sins by patting ourselves on the back for doing a good job in other areas. Let us not forget James 2:10, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” Father, we are so quick to recognize our areas of obedience and so slow to recognize our areas of disobedience. Holy Spirit search my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me.

Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery

494 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:2,3, “Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" (2 Sam 11:2,3) Odds are that our modern day trysts aren't going to be triggered by a night time walk on a roof. We have our own set of triggers, our own sets of circumstances and conditions that make for the powder keg of sexual sin. Whatever those circumstances may be, let us heed the advice of the Holy Spirit as given to us in Scripture. This is God talking to us about sexual sin! Hear what He has to say! 1Co 6:18 says, “Flee sexual immorality.” The word flee means to run away! Don't walk, don't saunter....run! Get far away from this sin quickly! In Job 31:1, He encourages us with these words, "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?” And Jesus tells us in Mt 5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Adultery! That's what's going on with David and Bathsheba, and it's a double dose of adultery, both are married, and God can't speak much plainer against adultery than He does in the Commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Now, one might say, but Jesus didn't condemn the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Yes that's true. Jesus forgives adultery, as He forgives all sins, but He certainly doesn't condone it. His parting words to the woman were, “Go and sin no more.” “Don't commit adultery. Father, help us to take your words about sexual sin to heart. Give us a new appreciation of Your passion for the sanctity of marriage. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Turn From Temptation

493 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:2,3 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" ( 2 Sam 11:2,3) The lingering glance. The lust of the eyes. Instead of turning his eyes away and removing himself from the temptation, David allows himself to take in the beauty of Bathsheba and as he does his imagination takes over. He now has a desire to connect with this woman and so he inquires as to who she is. This is a common temptation to man and we read about it in 1Jo 2:15-17, “ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Here the Holy Spirit speaking through John tells us “Do not!” and He gives us some helpful advice to enable us to turn from the temptation. He says, “Remember these things you are lusting after, this beauty of Bathsheba, is TEMPORARY! It's a fly speck on the timeline of eternity. Why let sexual sin endanger your standing in eternity? Oh the sin itself doesn't damn you, there is no sin that Jesus didn't pay for on the cross, but it, and all habitual sinning weakens your faith, saps your resolve to remain with Jesus. Listen to Jas 1:12 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. You see it's about enduring. Fighting to the end. Never stop calling sin, sin, and never stop dealing with it in the way Scripture prescribes. It's never too late to get back on the right path! Turn from sin at every possible moment, but if you fail, confess it, receive forgiveness and try again!

No Man Is An Island

492 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. (2 Sam 11:2) Let's pay a little attention to the “happenings” here. In v1 we read IT happened that David stayed behind, and in v2 we read THEN it happened. This tells us that the first event set the stage for this event. If David goes out with the army and doesn't isolate himself this second happening doesn't take place. I don't think we can overemphasize this enough. Fight isolation! So, one night David has trouble sleeping and decides to get up. He flips on the computer to see what's happening on Facebook and his eyes happen to catch an ad featuring a beautiful looking woman, who says she would like to meet a man like him. “Click” And, the snowball to a personal hell that will affect him and every one around him is out of the gates, and rolling down the mountain. Sound far-fetched? I don't think so. I know far too many men who have hit that button, with tragic consequences. And guess what? It all started with isolation. Stop isolating yourself. No man is an island! This kind of temptation is a constant struggle for men, and the best way to fight it, is to share that struggle with other men. Gather together on a regular basis around the Word of God to speak honestly with each other, pray for each other, and encourage each other to fight! These men are in your church. They also meet in your cities in groups modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous. Make the effort to find them and to join with them in warring against this sin. It's never too late to get started. Father, I pray for all of those who struggle with sexual sin. Lead them out of isolation and into victory.

The Perfect Storm

491 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. (2 Sam 11:1) Once again we are introduced to a portion of Scripture with the words, “It happened.” These words always tell us that some important events are about to take place. Some very important lessons are about to be taught. Pay attention whenever you see the phrase, “It happened” in Scripture. Even the time of the year is worth mentioning in this instance. First and foremost it was in spring that armies went out to war. The impossible conditions of winter, now passed, armies could move about freely and array themselves for battle. Yes, spring was the time when kings went to war. But, let us not forget that spring is also a season when “Love is in the air.” The sights, the sounds, the aromas, of nature are noticeable everywhere, except on the battlefield. It's when we learn about the birds and the bees just by observing God's creation. Amore is ever placed before us and consequently, thoughts of romance are easily stirred. “But David remained at Jerusalem.” Away from the battlefield and left alone with his thoughts, David is about to become a willing participant in the perfect storm. Conditions are ripe for a nasty fall. Sexual temptation is all around us. It needs no help from the seasons, but there are some steps we can take to guard against our own nasty falls. First of all, don't isolate yourself. The devil roams around like a lion seeking those who have separated themselves from the herd. Keep connected to fellow followers of Christ. Talk with other warriors about those perfect storm conditions that give you trouble. This will help you to more readily identify them, and flee from them when they occur. Decide to remove yourself from those environments that cause you to stumble. Do not be a willing participant in your perfect storm. Get on your horse David and flee sexual immorality! Connect with the troops. Open up to them and find out that you are not alone in your struggles. Then pray up! And let the Lord provide the help you need to overcome! Father, help those today who are fighting sexual temptation. Help them to overcome.

Sin Has Consequences

490 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:1a “It happened in the spring of the year,” (2 Sam 11:1a) Today we begin one of the most noted accounts in all of Scripture. We begin the account of David's sin with Bathsheba. The Bible never sugar coats it's heroes. Even David, “the man after God's own heart,” was prone to temptation and sin. His sin would have devastating effects on very real people. There would be serious consequences in his family, in Bathsheba's family, and even in the families of his subjects. May this account help us to realize that our sin has far reaching consequences in the lives of others. And may it act as a curb to our own behavior, before we cross that line and bring ruin and pain to those whom we claim to love. It's true, not all of this account is bad news. For even in this situation, we find God working to redeem it. David's accounts of this incident, it's results on him personally, and the joy he experienced when he received the forgiveness of God are all recorded for us in various Psalms that we will visit in the days ahead. This is great news for those who have fallen into sin. There is hope! But it doesn't remove the fact that our sin has consequences. The end result turned out well. What the devil meant for harm God turned into good, but let us not use that as an excuse to give place to sin on our own lives. As the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul reminds us in Ro 6:1-4, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” The ripple effect of sin is inevitable, but we can prevent that effect, we can avoid the pain, by learning to live in the newness of life that comes with faith in Christ. Father, help us all to embrace the newness of life we have in Jesus. Guard our hearts from all manner of worldly lust.

Jesus The Victor!

489 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:13-19, “ So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem. 15 When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. 16 Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam. And Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore. (2Sa 10:13-19,) What do we have here? Joab defeats the Syrians, Abishai defeats the Ammonites. The Ammonites retreat to their fortress and Joab returns to Jerusalem. But the Syrians aren't done, they amass for more warfare with Israel. When David heard that the Syrians were ready for one final battle, he gathered his troops and annihilated them, and the commander of the Syrian army was “done in.” Then all the kings became subject to Israel. I am reminded of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The devil tried to defeat Him with three temptations, but like the Syrians and the Ammonites was defeated. But we are told that the he backed off and waited for another opportunity. Lu 4:13 says, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” Another opportune time came in the Garden of Gethsemane but Jesus prevailed again and went on to crush the enemy on a hill outside Jerusalem called Calvary. On that day, the devil was “done in.” And as followers of Jesus the devil no longer has power over us. The accuser has been cast down! And one day our conquering Savior will return and remove the enemy once and for all! Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Let's At Least Agree To Call Sin, Sin

487 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:10-12, “And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. 11 Then he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 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." (2 Sam 10:10-12) What a picture of Christian responsibility in the area of spiritual battles. When a brother or sister is in the midst of spiritual battle and they are being overcome by the enemy, we need to come alongside them with prayer, exhortation, and loving correction when necessary. Joab encourages his troops to “man up” and be strong not for themselves but for the sake of the people and the cities of our God.” The people and the cities of God is just another way of saying “the Church.” Do you get this? We need to be strong in the face of the enemy for the sake of God's Church. Again, this speaks of a unified front in prayer, exhortation, and loving correction. Let's, (like the Israelites,) “ get on the same page and see what God will do.” We see this same exhortation from the Holy Spirit in Paul's instructions to the Corinthians in 1Co 16:13,14, “ Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.” It is imperative that we seek to guard all aspects of faith in our individual congregations, for the sake of God's church at large. And we are to do it with love. This includes taking steps against moral laxity as the Corinthians were instructed to do. The biblical commentator Lenski says that “faith is always endangered when the eye is sleepy or dulled against wrong conduct.” There will always be doctrinal differences in the church, but can we at least agree on calling sin....sin, and then deal with it in accordance with the Word of God......courageously, and with love. Father, help us to be loving and strong for the sake of Your church. In Jesus Name, Amen

Strength In Unity

487 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:10-12, “And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. 11 Then he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 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." (2 Sam 10:10-12) What a picture of Christian responsibility in the area of spiritual battles. When a brother or sister is in the midst of spiritual battle and they are being overcome by the enemy, we need to come alongside them with prayer, exhortation, and loving correction when necessary. Joab encourages his troops to “man up” and be strong not for themselves but for the sake of the people and the cities of our God.” The idea of being strong here is that of fastening onto something and that speaks of unity. Joab is saying, “let's get on the same page and see what God will do. This fully aligns with that beautiful message in Ps 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-Life forevermore.” God loves a unified front in His church and commands a blessing wherever He finds it. Jesus emphasized this truth in His priestly prayer found in Joh 17:20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. So God not only commands a blessing for unity in His church, but this display of unity or strength is a great aid to evangelism! More on this subject of unity next time. Father, help us to develop this kind of strength in Your church, that the world may better know Jesus.

We Don't have To Wring Our Hands, Just Fold Them

486 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:7-9, “ Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 8 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of Zoba, Beth Rehob, Ish-Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field. 9 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel's best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 2 Sam 10:7-9) Warfare is warfare, whether it be physical or spiritual. The people of Ammon and their hired thugs the Syrians, serve as a type of the the forces of our great enemy.....the devil. Eph 6:12 reminds us that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” There is but one weapon that men of flesh have against spirit beings and that is prayer. When Joab saw that the battle was before him and behind him, he chose Israel's best warriors to meet the attack from behind. These warriors could be likened to the Christian prayer warriors of today. They are those who, moved by the Spirit, stand in the gap. They know full well that the enemy's greatest threat is from behind. His attacks are more subtle than frontal, and often catch us off guard. Eze 22:30 reminds us that God is looking for mighty men and women of prayer in His church! “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land,” As Christians we are all called to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17) and even if we don't not know how to intercede, we can always appeal to Jesus Christ, our great Intercessor, who has defeated death and the grave. Heb 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Christians in Muslim dominated countries today, are facing tremendous persecution. Unspeakable acts of violence are being carried out against them and even their children. How helpless we often feel in this situation. What can we do? Well, because of Jesus Christ, we don't have to wring our hands........ just fold them in prayer, and come to the True Seat of Power asking for His intervention. Father,we are helpless to come to the aid of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Please Jesus act with power on their behalf.

The Stench of Sin

485 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:6 “When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of Maacah one thousand men, and from Ish-Tob twelve thousand men. (2 Sam 10:6) I like the way the King James puts v6, “and when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David.” These people were a stench in the nostrils of David! In my teen years I worked at a diner, and there was a regular customer who would come in for a meal after his shift at the local rendering plant. We lived downwind from that plant and I can still remember the putrid smell that would waft our way. But this man just reeked of the renderings, and the smell clung to his clothing. He was oblivious to it all, because he was used to it. But I literally would have to hold my breath when I approached him to take his order and deliver his food. It was a retching odor that I remember to this day. This is the way it is with sin. It reeks in the nostrils of God, and one of the dangers we face is we get comfortable with it. We forget how offensive it is in the nostrils of God, and unless we do something about it. The smoke of our sin clings to us and wafts up to God. Isa 65:5 says, “Who say, 'Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day” A holier than thou attitude is pride, it says to God, “I don't stink!” This attitude is repulsive to God! So what do we do about it? Well Jesus came to this garbage dump of sin, and touched the reeking lepers. He cleansed them and offers to cleanse us as we receive Him as Lord and Savior. Beware of becoming comfortable in your sin. Make it a practice to regularly wash yourself in the promises of God's Word. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, (admit that we reek) He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Father, thank You for cleansing me from the stench of my sins.

Helping Those Who Have Been Humiliated

484 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?" 4 Therefore Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return." ( 2 Sam 10:3-5) David's gesture of kindness to Hanun is met with suspicion and an act of degrading mockery. In the culture of the day a beard was considered a man's greatest ornament. One could even swear by it. ( I wonder if that's where the three little pigs got their line, “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin?”) A beard could even be offered as a pledge! You know, if I don't make good on this loan you may shave off my beard! Then to add insult to injury, they cut a hole in the back of their pants, exposing their buttocks, (another sign of degradation) and sent them away. The men could buy new britches, but it would take a while for the beards to grow back, so David tells the men to stay in Jericho until they grow back. Jericho was a city of ruins with fallen walls. It was like a deserted town and the men could avoid public shame. I think there is a lesson for us here in how to handle humiliation in the church. Allow me to use an example that unfortunately is becoming more and more prevalent in the church today.....divorce. Try to put yourself in the shoes of a man or woman who had such high expectations for their marriage, only to have the other party walk off. Think of the humiliation the spouse and children must feel. Here the church needs to step in and allow that person a place to recover from their wounds. We don't need to chatter about it and make a public display of it, just love on that person and give them the time and space they need to recover. We need to be their Jericho and help them rebuild the walls of their life. Father I pray for those who are enduring humiliation of any kind. Let us be a people that come alongside and be a part of the healing process.

When Grief Strikes

483 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:1,2 “It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon.” ( 2 Sam 10:1,2) It is not specified in the Bible as to what this act of kindness toward David was. We can only assume it was something done to him when Saul was chasing David. So David decides to repay that kindness by sending an envoy to comfort Hanun in the passing of his father. The word “comfort” here is interesting. It means to sigh. I think we could learn from that as we seek to comfort those who mourn. So often, well meaning people grasp for words to say to those who are grieving, and quite frankly, we wind up putting our foot in our mouth. Instead of consoling the person suffering the loss, we inadvertently wind up wounding them. There are no words in a sigh, but a sigh sends a strong signal of compassion. There is no judgment in a sigh, no condemnation, no advice, just a wordless pronouncement that I am here, I care, and I have no answers. In sending emissaries to Ammon, David was sending a message that he appreciated the kindness that Nahash had shown him. He was telling his son (Hanun) that his father would be remembered by David as a kind man. What a sweet statement to make at the passing of someone else's loved one. To let a grieving person know that your life was touched by the kindness of the deceased, goes a long way, especially when it is followed up with a sigh. Father, help us to be kind people. Let us leave a legacy of kindness, and help us to do a better job of comforting others. In Jesus name, Amen

Don't get Greedy

482 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 9:9-13, “And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given to your master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 "You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do." "As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons." 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet. (2 Sam 9:9-13) This is such a great story. We can't repeat it enough. David's kindness to Mephibosheth mirrors the kindness of the Lord to us. We like Mephibosheth are crippled. But our crippling is a spiritual one called sin. But Jesus came, sought us out, deals with our sin, and allows us to sit at table with Him in the heavenly banquet to come! Ziba is given charge by David to take care of Mephibosheth's estate. It's called stewardship. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but as we shall see, Ziba, with his 15 sons and 20 servants would get a little greedy and plot to keep the whole estate for himself and his family. This is something we all need to guard against. God has given us charge of His estate, He has made us stewards, and we are not to use that responsibility to build our own kingdoms at the expense of others. 1Co 4:2 says, “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” Father thank You for the grace and mercy that allows us to sit at table with You. Help us to be good stewards of all that You have given us to manage, until Jesus returns.

We Are Royalty!

481 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 9:6-8, “Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your servant!" 7 So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually." 8 Then he bowed himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?" (2 Sam 6b-8) I love the story of Mephibosheth! Once, a member of a royal family, but now deposed, and physically crippled to boot. He lived in a society that assigned little or no value to him. He knew it, and even referred to himself as a “dead dog.” But David seeks him out, restores his royal estate, and bestows the highest honor of always being welcome at the king's table. What a beautiful picture of what God has done for us through faith in Jesus. We too were once a member of the royal family, but then Adam and Eve sinned, they were deposed, and as their children we lost our estate. Crippled by sin, we were like Mephibosheth, “dead dogs.” But Jesus came, and like David, sought us out, restored our heavenly estate, and invites all of us who are crippled by sin to eat at His table continually. Note too, how Mephibosheth approached David as he was called into his presence. We too approach Jesus in true humility, with hearts willing to serve Him. And listen to His promise to us found in Lu 22:29,30, "And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 "that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Jesus speaks to us as David spoke to Mephibosheth! And we like Mephibosheth are elevated from the status of a dead dog, to members of the royal family! Thank You Lord for including me in Your kingdom. Let me ever serve You with a glad and thankful heart.

At Your Service!

480 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 9:2-6, “And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "At your service!" 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." 4 So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar." 5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your servant!"” David is bent on honoring his promise to Jonathan to extend kindness to his family and so he calls Ziba, a servant in the house of Saul to him to find out if there is anyone still alive in Jonathan's family. Pay attention to Ziba's response when he arrives at the palace. He tells David that he is “at his service.” In that one short phrase, he admits to David that he is an underling, and he is willing to take orders from him. This should be our attitude toward those authorities that God has appointed over us, unless of course they demand that we do something contrary to God's Word. In those cases we are to answer to the higher authority of God. Note too, the response of Mephibosheth when he is ushered into the presence of David. He says, “here is your servant!” The idea of willing obedience to the authority of God is woven throughout Scripture! Men like Abraham, Samuel, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, and so on have responded to God's call by simply saying, “Here I am,”which is another way of saying, “at your service!” The lesson is plain. God is looking for willing servants. None of these men approached their Master with “So what's this all about?” No, they simply put themselves at the disposal of their Master, and waited for further instructions. This is what we do when we surrender our lives to Jesus. He is our Savior, but He is also our Lord, and when we receive Him into our lives, we need the same attitude of Ziba and Mephibosheth. Thank You Jesus for calling me to You. Here I am, at Your service!

Always Remember Where You Came From

479 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 9:1, “Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2 Sam 9:1) David has secured the borders of Israel. He has appointed his cabinet, and God has granted him a period of rest. It was during this time that David evidently had done some reflecting. He found himself considering a promise he had made to his beloved friend Jonathan many years ago. We read about it in 1Sa 20:14,15 "And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I may not die; 15 "but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth." Isn't that something? Jonathan's challenge to David was to be addressed “when the Lord had cut off every one of David's enemies,” well that day has arrived, and David seeks to make good on his pledge. The word “kindness” here is the equivalent of the New Testament word for grace. So David is wondering if there is anyone left in the family of Saul, that he can show grace or unmerited favor to. When you came to Christ, God, in a sense, gave you rest from your great enemy...sin. No more guilt, you now have peace with God through the blood of Jesus. Col 1:20 tells us, “having made peace (with God) through the blood of His cross.” And now with this God-granted peace, we are to look for ways to extend that same grace to others. Col 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” So enjoy your peace, but always remember where you came from, and look for ways to extend that same kind of unmerited favor to others. Father, thank You for giving me rest from my sins, help me to have that same kind of gracious spirit in my day to day interaction with others. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Blessings of Good Government

478 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 8:15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers. (2 Sam 8:15-18) David, with the help of the Lord has secured Israel's borders, and now we read of how he has secured the day to day operation of his government. Under his leadership all judgments (governmental decisions) were carried out in a just manner. There was no partiality. In this sense we see once again that David serves as a type of Christ who makes war against the enemies of God and judges perfectly. “and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (Rev 19:11) Then we read of how David delegated responsibilities n governing the people. We could call this his cabinet. Joab was made the Secretary of War, Jehoshaphat was the record keeper. (By the way, it's always a good idea to keep meticulous records in any administrative position. Whether you own your own business, or just keeping track of your family finances, good record-keeping can prevent a lot of problems down the road.) Zadok and Ahimelech were in charge of the priests, who basically performed religious duties designed to maintain and nurture Israel's relationship with God. Seraiah (sair A ah) was the chief scribe and the scribes duties were to study and interpret the Word of God, for the purpose of day to day application. Benaiah (Ben A ah) was in charge of David's personal bodyguards or what we would call the Secret Service, and finally David's sons carried out the duties of princes. Secure borders, secure system of government, what a gift from God! God thank You for the gift of secure borders and good civil government. Continue to guard our borders, bless our government when it is good and correct it when it is bad. In Jesus name, Amen.

Untouchable

476 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 8:6-14, “Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought tribute. The LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze. 9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 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- 12 from Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. 14 He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went. (2 Sam 8:6-14) David enjoys a tremendous amount of success in subduing Israel's enemies, and with that success comes material gain. He receives tribute from the nations he conquered. He received “shields of gold, a large amount of bronze, articles of silver, gold, and bronze, more silver more gold, and spoil.” What did he do with these material blessing? He brought them to Jerusalem and dedicated them to the Lord. The idea of dedicated here is to make something holy. And lest you have forgotten the incident with Uzzah, when something is holy, it is untouchable. All this loot, that God had delivered into his hand was brought to Jerusalem, where it would remain untouched until Solomon had use for it to build the Lord's temple. The lesson for us is obvious. God has blessed us with many material blessings and He doesn't ask for all of it. He just desires that we, like David would set some aside as untouchable, holy, reserved only for the Lord's use. Whether it's a tithe, or more, learn to set aside a portion of your God-given income for His Kingdom purposes. Father, give us the resolve and self-control, to dedicate a portion of what You have given us to invest in Your kingdom

Safe and Free

476 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 8:6-14, “Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought tribute. The LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze. 9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 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- 12 from Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. 14 He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went. (2 Sam 8:6-14) All of these enemies of Israel, defeated, subdued, subjected to David. Again we see a picture of Jesus and the power that He wielded over the demons when He walked this earth. This same power is available to all who put their faith in Jesus. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and 1Jo 4:4 tells us that, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Twice in this passage we read that the Lord preserved David wherever he went.” The idea of preservation here is that David had complete freedom to move about in utter safety. Still another picture of the status of all believers as stated by Jesus in . Joh 10:29 "no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.” The picture I get is one of an open hand and we are free to roam as long as we remain in that hand, safe and secure from the enemy. Father thank You for the security and safety we have in Jesus. Let us learn to use the power You have given us to give us victory over the devil, the world and our flesh.

So What's God Got Against Horses?

475 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 8:3-5, “David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots. 5 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. (2 Sam 8:3-5) David sets out to recapture territory that had been promised to Abraham back in Ge 15:18, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates-” He is successful and soundly defeats Hadadezer and the Syrians who came to help him. Then in what seems to us a cruel act, he hamstrings the captured horses. The hamstringing of a horse renders it incapable of running and totally useless in war. In modern terminology David scrapped the enemies weapons, but that's not why he did it. He did it because God forbade the king to accumulate horses. In De 17:16 we read, "But he (Israel's king) shall not multiply horses for himself,” That's why He told Joshua to hamstring the horses he captured in his battle with the kings of the north.” (Josh 11:6) But why would God forbid the accumulating of horses? The answer is found in Isa 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD! Ps 20:7 puts it this way, “Some boast of chariots, and some of horses; but we boast of the name of the LORD our God.” Plain and simple God wants us to rely on Him. He says in Zec 4:6, “ Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” Father, I confess that sometimes I get impatient and turn to other things to help cope with my fears and my problems. Forgive me, and give me the patience and strength to wait on You and Your deliverance, that You alone may be glorified.

Will You Measure Up?

474 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 8:2 Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. (2 Sam 8:2)Having defeated the Philistines, David now defeats the Moabites. Let's try to picture what this looked like. All the Moabites were forced to lie on the ground, and then they were judged. Two lines were used to measure those who would be put to death. Those who fell short of either of those two lines were executed. One “full” line (an exact measurement) was used to determine those who would live. This whole scenario is a picture for us of Judgment Day. As it is written in Ro 14:10b-12, “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” With knees bowed to the ground, accounts will be given. Who will live, who will die? What are these two lines a picture of? What are these measurements? To what measuring lines can they be compared to in the New Testament? Mr 16:16 says, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” We find two measuring lines in the first part of this verse. Belief and baptism. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. These are both vital units of measurement (lines) in the Kingdom of God and why we always see them together in the accounts of the early church. It's why all Christian churches through the ages have made faith and baptism a point of emphasis. But what do we make of David's second line of measurement? It is called a “full” line or a complete line. Those who measured up to the complete line were saved. In the New Testament, the one exact line of measurement spoken of here fits all of those who have by faith put on Christ, because in Christ, we are made complete. Col 2:10 says, “and you are complete in Him,” Some believe that Christ is put on in baptism and kept on by faith, others believe Christ is put on in by faith and the act of baptism is an affirmation of that faith. Both camps understand both faith and baptism to be important, and that certainly seems to be in line with God's Word. One thing we all know, we cannot measure up to salvation on our own, and so we thank God for His gift of faith by grace however and whenever it comes to us. Father, as we seek to sort these things out on earth, my prayer is simply this, that when all is said and done, I will be found in Christ.

Jesus Take the Wheel

473 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 8:1, “After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines. (2 Sam 8:1) We start chapter 8 with the Holy Spirit showing us how David went forth and conquered his enemies, securing the borders of Israel. These Old Testament incidents serve as great pictures of New Testament spiritual realities. For starters, he conquers the Philistines who serve as a picture of the perpetual enemies of God. They can be likened to the devil and his forces of evil. As David was able to attack and subdue these enemies, so it is with our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” So in the first part of this verse we get a picture of Jesus as Savior. In the latter part of the verse we get a picture of Jesus as Lord. Students of the Scriptures know that names of people and places are often very significant. This is the case here as we read that David “took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.' Metheg means bridle. So David took the bridle from the hand of the Philistines. Which is just another way of saying he took control. This is a picture of what it means to receive Jesus Christ as Lord. He takes control of your life. He takes the reins. Jesus takes the wheel. Jesus has saved us from our sins and now we submit our lives to Him as Lord. We seek to live lives pleasing to Him by following His guidelines set forth in His Word! Ro 6:16-18 says, “ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” David saved Israel from sin (the Philistines) and took the bridle from their hands. (Wrested control away from the devil.) Jesus desires to do the same for you. Jesus thank You for saving me. Help me to turn the bridle over to you.

Did I Hear You Right?

471 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:25-29, “Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 "So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 "For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You. 28 "And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29 "Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever." (2 Sam 7:25-29) Doesn't this prayer of David's strike you as being redundant? He keeps repeating his grounds for giving thanks over and over and over. It's almost like he is trying to convince himself that what God has spoken to him through Nathan is really true. His prayer centers around the promise of God delivered to him through the prophet Nathan. We might rewrite it in this fashion. “OK God, You have made this promise to me and my house, now let it be done! You spoke it to me and now it has given me the courage to come before You with this prayer. Here's my prayer, “did I hear You right?” Your Word, (which is truth) has stated that my house, (my family) will continue ever before You? Oh God, if that's what You said, let it come to pass! Do you see the value in praying in this manner? God's Word contains over 3,000 specific promises. If you read God's Word and meditate on it, you will eventually stumble upon some of these promises. Some of them will make you feel like David felt. The promise will seem too good to be true. Your spirit will say something like, “You'd do that for me Lord?” And then like David, repeat the promise. Ask God, did I hear You right?” Here's a brief example. “God You said that You loved the world so much that You gave us Your Son, and that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life! Did I hear that right? You mean that You would do that for a sinner like me? Then let it be done for me!

The Greatest Thing

470 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:23,24 "And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name-and to do for Youself great and awesome deeds for Your land-before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 "For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God. (2 Sam 7:23,24) Israel, a type of the modern day Church with a capital C. The Church (Capital C) is the One group of people that God has called with the gospel by which we understand and believe the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He has done this as He did for the Israelites, to make a name for Himself, the idea being to establish a reputation. His reputation is greatly enhanced among mortals when they observe the changed lives of those who have put their trust in Jesus. Sometimes I think we forget how much God wants to enhance His reputation through us. We forget that truth found in 2Ch 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” God desires to exhibit His strength and power to the world through those whose heart is united with His. He wants to do great and mighty things through us, so the world will know that He has associated Himself with us. God granted many miraculous signs and wonders to the early church. They were awesome deeds just like the awesome deeds He performed for the Israelites. He is still performing these deeds today as He sees fit. As Jesus said in Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Greater works? Greater works than what was witnessed in the natural realm? What could those be? What greater things will God do through us to enhance His reputation? What greater things will He do through us to show the world that He is associated with us? The answer of course is love. Jesus said, the world will know that we are connected to Him by our love for one another. Oh God, grant me that perfect heart, that others will know that I am associated with You.

Only One Way

470 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:23,24 "And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name-and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land-before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 "For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God. (2 Sam 7:23,24) God chose just one nation out of all the nations. He chose this nation (Israel) and then redeemed it. In Zodhiates Hebrew Greek Study Bible, this redemption is described as an intervening action which effects a release from an undesirable condition. David was talking about God's miraculous deliverance of His chosen people from Pharaoh. Then we read why he did it. He did this to make a name for Himself in the world as He continued to go before His chosen people with many miraculous deeds. This recounting of God's interaction with His chosen people is a beautiful picture of God's interaction with the new Israel, the church of Jesus Christ. First of all, we read that God chose just one nation. Understand what this is a picture of. Of all the people on this earth, there is only one person chosen by God to be redeemed. That one person is anyone who puts there faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Jesus said in Joh 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Then Peter, speaking about Jesus before the council in Ac 4:12 said, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." All roads DO NOT lead to heaven. There is only one way to salvation. There is only one “intervening action which effects a release from an undesirable condition.” that intervening action was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ whom God sent to effect a release from our sins. Thank You Jesus for dying for my sins, and thank You for showing me the One Way to salvation.

Our God Speaks

469 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:22, “"Therefore You are great, O LORD GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Sam 7:22) There is no God like our God. This is a sentiment that is often expressed in the Scriptures. Moses sang it in Ex 15:11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? Hannah prayed it after the birth of Samuel, "No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.” 1Sa 2:2 The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed it in Jer 10:6 Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might) Still another prophet (Micah) put it this way: Mic 7:18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. I like the way David says that this truth is according to all that we have heard with our ears. What is it that we have heard with our ears? We have heard God's Word. One of the things that sets our God apart from all others is the fact that He speaks to us through His Word. All other gods fall short in this area as the Psalmist says in Ps 135:15-17, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men's hands. 16 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 17 They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath in their mouths. There is no life in man-made idols. But there is life in the words of God. As Jesus said in Joh 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. David's faith in God came to him the same way it comes to you and I....... by grace, but grace arrives in the taxi of God's Word, Ro 10:17 says, “ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Thank You Father for all we have heard from You according to our ears. May You continue to speak to us by the Holy Spirit through Your blessed Book.

No Other God

469 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:22, "Therefore You are great, O LORD GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Sam 7:22) David expresses a sentiment that is oft repeated in Scripture and we would do well to keep it in mind. There are many gods that have, and always will, vie for our attention. It's not by accident that God's first commandment given to His people is "You shall have no other gods before Me.” )Ex 20:3) Moses sang about it in Ex 15:11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? Hannah prayed it after the birth of Samuel, "No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.” 1Sa 2:2 The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed it in Jer 10:6 Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might) Still another prophet (Micah) put it this way: Mic 7:18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. Yes, we need to be reminded of this fact often, lest we become complacent in our relationship with the Lord. What other god is willing to forgive your sins completely? What other god is willing to “pass over” your sins. What other god loved the world so much that HE gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross, and then promised that whosoever believed in His Son would have eternal life? There is no other god, who has done that! Therefore, let us bow down and worship Him and Him alone!. Father, thank You for being the only God. Let us ever acknowledge that fact in our day to day living, In Jesus Name, Amen.

How Can I Say Thanks

468 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 7:20,21, “Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. 21 "For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.” Ever feel like David? He has gone to the temple to spend some time in prayer, giving thanks to God, and he has this sudden realization that his words just aren't enough. In fact, he almost seems to be saying, “why do I bother to pray Lord? You know my words even before I can express them! David expressed this same sentiment in Ps 139:1-4, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.” So why pray? Why keep on praying? The answer in part is found in v21, "For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.” We pray to strengthen our faith in the veracity of God's Word, and to have more and more of God's heart revealed to us. We pray, because it is part of God's personal revelation to us. (Remember, prayer is a TWO-way conversation! As I read this prayer of David's, where he seems to be searching for words of thanksgiving, I am reminded of the classic hymn, “To God Be the Glory.” It goes like this: How can I say thanks for all the things you have done for me. Things so undeserved, yet You gave, to prove your love for me. The voices of a million angels, cannot express my gratitude. All that I am or ever hope to be I owe it all to Thee. To God be the glory. To God be the glory. To God be the glory. For the things He has done. With His blood, He has saved me. With His power, He has raised me. To God be the glory, for the things HE has done. Father, how can I say thanks? Even the words of thanksgiving that well up in me are a gift from You! Give me the words and give me the actions today and everyday that say “thank You” for all You've done for me.