Treasure God's Word

744 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 2:2-4, "I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 "And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 "that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' (1 Kings 2:2-4) David is on his death bed and reminds Solomon of his awesome responsibilities as the next King of Israel. This is not just David handing down the reigns of government, this is God charging Solomon to rule well. Would that all rulers who profess faith in Jesus take heed to what is being said here. After all, has not God appointed all who rule? Ro 13:1b says, “there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” If then, they are appointed by God, then they are expected to rule in accordance with His standards. Rulers are charged to live personal lives aligned with the Word of God (to walk in His ways,) They are to “keep” His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses,” The word “keep” here means to put a hedge around something because you value it. So leaders are to treasure God's Word and in particular the Ten Commandments. In ruling in this manner, true prosperity comes to a nation, “that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;” I sincerely believe that this code guided our founding fathers and is the main reason that the United States has enjoyed prosperity for over 200 years! They didn't hide the Ten Commandments they displayed them! They didn't ban God from the public sphere, rather they extolled Him and gave Him the glory for all things! Father, forgive us, for we have not kept Your charge. Grant us the gift of repentance, that we may turn back to You, treasuring You and Your Word in our personal and national lives.

How to Slow Down the Decaying Process

743 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 2:1,2a, “Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: 2 "I go the way of all the earth; (1 Kings 2:1,2a) “I go the way of all the earth.” Death. It happens to all of us. There is no escaping it because it is the way of the earth. Unless the Lord returns, our lot is the same as David, the same as Abraham before him, and the same as Adam. We shall all return to dust through the process of decay. Ge 3:19 says, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." This is the price of sin. Death and decay! We have all inherited it from Adam: Ro 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned,” but not only man, all of creation has inherited it as well: Ro 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. By the way, sin doesn't wait until death to bring decay, it starts in this life as well. There is a striking story making the rounds on Facebook concerning a young woman named Victoria Berna. There is a before and after picture of Victoria. The before picture was taken 1o years ago and it was a police mugshot of a young woman ravaged by her lifestyle of sin. The after picture was of a very pretty, young lady who has been clean for seven years. Same woman, but the “after woman” had come to faith and Jesus had cleaned her up inside and out! You can see the change right before your eyes. Her eyes in the mugshot darkened, full of anger, despair, hopelessness, and the after shot, the dark circles are gone and her eyes radiate joy and peace. Now I know you should not believe everything you see on Facebook, but even if Victoria Berna is fictitious, the changes wrought in the countenance of a person who has left a sinful lifestyle to follow Christ are undeniable. You know people just like her and if you were honest, you cannot deny the change. Something is different! Something is better, and that something is a person who is now filled with Jesus. And Jesus is the one who has defeated, sin, death, and decay. This “change” is available to all, who put their trust in Jesus. If you don't believe my words, at least consider the proof of a changed life!

No Unforgivable Sin!

742 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:51 And it was told Solomon, saying, "Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'" 52 Then Solomon said, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die." 53 So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go to your house." Let's talk about this idea of taking hold of the horns of the altar. The altar of God in the Old Testament, and the cross of Christ in the New Testament are places of refuge. They are places to flee to and latch onto and receive mercy from God. With 58 million abortions being performed in America since 1973, we can be sure that many struggle with guilt, many are in need of God's mercy and grace. Maybe someone who is reading this right now. If you are struggling with guilt over past sins, listen carefully to what I am about to say, and listen all the way to the end! In Ex 21:14, God has stern words for those who are guilty of the act of pre-meditated ending of another person's life. "But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.” That sounds hopeless, but it's not, because in our reading today, Solomon introduces mercy to the equation when he says, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die." In other words, if his repentance is real, not one hair shall fall to the earth!” Understand what is being said here. Pre-meditated murder is a sin, but it is not unforgivable for the one who comes to the cross (the horns of the altar) with godly sorrow over their sin! (Just ask David as it concerned his murder of Uriah) And this is how we prove ourselves worthy. We cling to the worthiness of Christ alone! Having proved yourself worthy by faith in Christ, and confessing your sin, (abortion or whatever else it may be) and receiving God's forgiveness through Christ, you are now free to hear the words of Solomon that he spoke to Adonijah: “and Solomon said to him, "Go to your house." What did he mean by that? He meant, “go back to your life! Live as a free and forgiven person. ! It is as Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery. “I do not condemn you, go and sin no more! Thank You Father for mercy granted to us through the cross!

The Fear of God

741 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:49-51, “So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way. 50 Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 And it was told Solomon, saying, "Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'" (1 King 1: 49-51) Whenever you read the Bible, be sure to say a prayer asking the Holy Spirit for understanding as you read. And as you read, one of the things you should be looking for is words that are repeated. In this portion of Scripture the word “afraid,” shows up three times!he guests, (those who were in cahoots with Adonijah were afraid. And Adonijah was deathly afraid. Matthew Henry had this to say about this portion of scripture: “ He (Adonijah) had despised Solomon as not worthy to be his guest (1Ki 1:10), but now he dreads him as his judge:” Let that sink in for awhile. Those who oppose Christ and His kingdom, those who snub Christ away in this lifetime will shortly be made to tremble before Him on Judgment Day! Have you been snubbing Jesus? Do you not fear what that will mean to you on Judgment Day! Let me tell you what I am afraid of. I am afraid that far too often, only the “Mr Nice Guy Jesus” is preached and taught in the church today. When that truth is OVER-EMPHASIZED, people have a tendency to mistake that goodness for a “get out of jail free card,” and there is no trembling because, “after all, what loving God would send any person to hell?” Adonijah and his followers were afraid because they knew that the King had the power to put them to death, and we need to have that same kind of respect. Some people surely need to hear the sweet gospel, but some also need to have the very hell scared out of them. How did Jesus put it? Lu 12:5 "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Father, thank You for Your love, but let us not forget that You are also a just God!

Who Are You Betting On?

740 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:41-48, “Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, "Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?" 42 While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, "Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news." 43 Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 "The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king's mule. 45 "So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. 46 "Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47 "And moreover the king's servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, 'May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 48 "Also the king said thus, 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!'" (1 Kings 1:41-48) Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Adonijah and his retinue are just finishing their self-coronation meal, when they hear all the noise going on in the city. Come to find out, this was not a good thing for them. Solomon has been proclaimed king and is seated on the throne. The deal is done. Adonijah's victory is short-lived. This whole scenario is a picture of what is shown in the Book of Revelation as it concerns the Last Days. You can read about it in Re 11:8-19. But the jist of the matter is, the devil and all his followers, (and if you are not a follower of Jesus, you are a follower of the devil for it is as Jesus said in Lu 11:23 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”) are all celebrating the demise of the two witnesses, the silencing of the church, but the celebration is short-lived as the seventh angel blows the trumpet (isn't that what Joab heard) and it is game over. The true King Jesus returns, His church is raptured, and the time of the dead has come that they should be judged (Rev 11:18) It's going to happen folks. Jesus will return, and the Bible is full of warnings about that day, including this picture painted for us in 1 Kings of the rebellion and defeat of Adonijah. Who are you betting on Adonijah or Solomon? The devil or Jesus? Your ETERNITY is at stake!

Was That An Earthquake I Just Heard Or Did All the Graves Open Up?

739 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:35b-40, “and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah." 36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen! May the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. 37 "As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David." 38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and took him to Gihon. 39 Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!" 40 And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound. (1 Kings 1:35b-40) It is a great procession. Solomon is anointed as King, a trumpet sounds, and with shouts of acclamation, “Long live King Solomon,” he enters the city triumphantly. There is such a joyful noise that the earth seemed to split with the sound! This should immediately turn our thoughts to that Day when King Jesus will return It will be the earthquake to end all earthquakes! Re 16:17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. This earthquake is all part of the returning procession of King Jesus and all the departed saints! 1Th 4:16-18 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. The trumpet will sound! The entourage of Jesus and the souls of all the saints who have passed before us will descend from heaven. The bodies of these saints being released from the graves and glorified with their souls as the earth “seems to split with the sound!” Oh what a day that will be! Comfort yourself with these sure words of the final Day that were foreshadowed by Solomon's grand entrance into his reign of glory!

Long Live King Jesus

738 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:32-35, “And King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." So they came before the king. 33 The king also said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. 34 "There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' 35 "Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah." (1 Kings 1:32-35) David won the kingdom for Israel. He, often like Jesus, had no place to lay his head, and like Jesus defeated all his enemies. Solomon, then reaped those benefits and reigned over a kingdom of glory, riches, and splendor. In this regard, David foreshadowed Jesus in His first advent and Solomon foreshadows Jesus in His second coming. This account of Solomon's ascension to the throne is amazingly similar to that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Solomon would ride the king's mule to Gihon, which is area in which Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The word “Gihon” means “to gush forth,” and should cause us to consider that Jesus is the living water gushing forth into the world. He said in Joh 7:37, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” This was quite an entourage as those loyal to David accompanied Solomon with shouts of “Long live King Solomon,” and of course as Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey the people gave Him the welcome of a king shouting loud “hosanna’s”. Don't ignore these foreshadowings in Scripture. They were written as sketches for us to look at, and to kindle hope in us before the final picture is completed. May it strengthen your faith today, that even as Jesus entered Jerusalem as a king, He will one day re-enter our world as the King of kings and Lord of lords, and His forever, glorious reign will begin. A reign that will overflow with blessings for His servants, that will make Solomon look like a pauper. These blessings are reserved only for those who have put their faith in Jesus. Only those who from the heart say, “Long live King Jesus!”

Endure!

737 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:28-31, “Then King David answered and said, "Call Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before the king. 29 And the king took an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, 30 "just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,' so I certainly will do this day." 31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, "Let my lord King David live forever!" (1 Kings 1:28-31) The drama continues to unfold. Solomon had been chosen by God to be the next king (1 Chron 29:1) but Adonijah had taken steps to ensure that he would be next in line. David calls Bathsheba back to his presence and swears to her that Solomon will indeed be the next king. I want to talk a little bit about the oath of David. He swears by Lord God of Israel who had an impeccable track record of delivering David from every distress in his life. The word distress here is the idea of a tightening, a squeezing in. I like to think of the idea of a soul being in a trash compactor and the sides are closing in, tighter and tighter. I've been in that trash compactor and I know that some of you are likely in it right now. Circumstances in your life are squeezing in on all sides and you feel like you are being crushed. These squeezings can be financial, relational, or a myriad of other things that cause a sense of panic to your soul. What squeezes you doesn't necessarily squeeze me, but it doesn't change the fact of how you feel at the present time. These squeezings can be so intense that you find yourself tempted to ditch your faith. That's just what the devil wants. He wants you to bolt, to isolate yourself where he can easily pick you off. I have no magic formula or strategy for you in order to provide relief except this. Hang on. Endure. Trust God as David did in every instance, believing that He can and will redeem you from your every distress. Father help those in distress today. Give them the strength to endure.

Getting Godly Counsel

736 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:26,27, “ "But he has not invited me-me your servant-nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27 "Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?" (1 Kings 1:26,27) I love the question from Nathan. Who knows, maybe David had forgotten his promise to Bathsheba. Maybe he had been tricked into handing over the kingdom to Adonijah as Isaac was tricked by Jacob. So Nathan decides to get it right from the horses mouth. Good idea for all of us isn't it? Before we go off on a matter, maybe we should be sure of all the details. Mt 18:15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. Further, Nathan, a true prophet, wants to know if this was done without consulting Him. This is a major matter as it concerns the future of the kingdom and as such needs to be decided on what the Lord has to say, and the Lord has already said that Solomon would be the next king. So Nathan comes to David to remind him of that fact. Do you have some major decisions facing you in the near future? Have you considered waiting on those decisions until you check it out with the godly counsel of others? Prov 15:22 says, Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” I think another tool the Lord has given us as it concerns major decisions is the tool of fasting. Ezra used this tool as he sought safe passage for his family and returning refugees to Jerusalem. Ezr 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.” God honored that fast and showed Him the way, and I believe He will do the same for you and me.

This Is the Feast of Victory For Our God!

735 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:22-25, “And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23 So they told the king, saying, "Here is Nathan the prophet." And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. 24 And Nathan said, "My lord, O king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne'? 25 "For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, 'Long live King Adonijah!' (1 Kings 1:22-25) We know of course that the appearance of Nathan was rearranged, but his account is just as true as Bathsheba's and the biblical principle of a matter being settled by two witnesses is met. Nathan gives David a few more details to make it clear that this was no ordinary feast. This was a celebration of the crowning of a King! The army was invited, the clergy invited, and they would all eat and drink before Adonijah and proclaim, “Long live the King!” I find it interesting that the declaration of “Long live the King,” was made while people ate and drank before him. Have you ever considered that when you come to the Lord's table and celebrate communion that you are doing the same thing? As you partake of the body and blood of Jesus, you are eating and drinking before the King, and declaring to the world, “Long live our King! King Jesus! It reminds me of a song we used to sing during our communion services: “This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Worthy is Christ the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God. This is the feast of victory for our God Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Power, riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are His! This is the feast of victory for our God Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation. This is the feast of victory for our God Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. This is the feast of victory for our God Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia! This is the feast of victory for our God Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Think of it. Every time you participate in the Lord's Supper, you are celebrating, and remembering, the coronation of the one true King!

Beware of Distraction

734 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:15-21, “So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 16 And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, "What is your wish?" 17 Then she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your maidservant, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' 18 "So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 19 "He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. 20 "And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 "Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders." (1 Kings 1:15-21) Bathsheba, following the advice of the true prophet of God (Nathan) takes immediate action. She enters the kings chamber, and what's this? What's this Shunammite woman doing here? This was cause for a major distraction from the business at hand, but Bathsheba ignores the distraction and immediately carries out Nathan's instructions. This is a good reminder for all of us. Know that the devil is in the business of distraction. In 2 Cor 11:3 we read, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, , your thoughts will be led ASTRAY (distracted) from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” And later in that same chapter, 2Co 11:14, “ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” Light attracts and diverts our attention, and we need to keep focused on the One True Light, Jesus Christ. Jesus warned us about distraction in Mt 24:23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.” Bathsheba, ignored the distraction and kept her focus on the Word of the true prophet of God and her mission was completed. Let us learn to do the same. Father, there is so much that distracts us in this world, help us to keep a sincere and simple devotion to Jesus.

Protective Measures

733 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:9-14, And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother. 11 So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12 "Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 "Go immediately to King David and say to him, 'Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, "Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?' 14 "Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words." (1 Kings 1:9-14) The drama continues to unfold. Adonijah throws a pretentious feast complete with sacrifices to the Lord in an attempt to show others that the people and the Lord are on his side. But Solomon would later write in Ps 127:1, “ Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;” Meanwhile, Nathan the true prophet of God, knows that it is Solomon whom God has chosen to be king, and as a true prophet is wont to do, takes action. Lives are at stake here! The business of kings is often not pretty as they will do whatever it takes to remove any rivals in the family. Bathsheba and Solomon are in great danger and Nathan knows it! And so he takes action! David is weak and restricted to bed rest, so Nathan suggests that Solomon's mother go to David and inform him of Adonijah's plan to take the crown. Then Nathan would come to David and confirm what Bathsheba was saying (this is the biblical procedure of a matter being settled by the testimony of two witnesses.) Nathan speaking up on behalf of Solomon and Bathsheba shows that he also understood the principle of Pr 24:11,12, “ Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. 12 If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? Bless you Nathan and when it comes to protecting others, may God give us your wisdom and courage!

Jots and Tittles

732 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:5-8, Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) 7 Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah. (1 Kings 1:5-8) As you and I read the Word of God we need to pay attention even to the tools of the grammarian. Concerning the Word of God, Jesus said in Mt 5:18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Jots, tittles, commas, periods, and even the parenthesis we find in our text today are all used to enhance our understanding of the Word of God. For instance, in our text today, we could read it just fine without the parenthetical words of v6. It is just an added sentence used by the Holy Spirit to provide a little more background on why Adonijah acted the way he did. He was a good-looking spoiled brat much like his brother Absalom, who wanted to take over the throne from his father. But you could read this passage without v6 and it flows nicely. Adonijah sought to be king. He enlisted the help of important military and religious figures, and was opposed by Shimei, David's mighty men, a priest and the mighty prophet Nathan, The stage is set for the inevitable conflict that will occur. Parenthetical statements are very useful and should be studied carefully as you read the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit could've thrown them out, but He keeps them in to help fill in our gaps of understanding! Father, thank You for your every expression in the Bible, truly, nothing is wasted and may Your every jot, tittle, and words help us on our road to spiritual maturity.

Discipline Your Children

731 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:5,6 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) Adonijah. The fourth son of David, born from his 5th wife Haggith. A handsome young man, with plenty of clout, and with Absalom out of the way. He assumed that he would ascend to the throne occupied by his father. The only problem with his assumption is he forgot the word of the Lord that came to David concerning Solomon. 1Ch 22:9,10 says, “'Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days. 10 'He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.' Quick lesson for all of us. How quick we can be to forget the Word of the Lord when it interferes with our own desires for self advancement and pleasure. How blind we can be even to lessons from the past. Adonijah's story is a mirror image of the story of Absalom which had a tragic ending, but it did not stop Adonijah from pursuing the same course. He, like Absalom, prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. The people would see this display of self-importance, and certainly notice how handsome he looked, and how he would be like Saul, a king to be desired. Things were looking good for still another spoiled child of David's. For we are told that David never corrected his behavior. The end result though was an untimely death for Adonijah. Parents. It can be difficult to discipline our children, we want them to have the world, but sometimes we need to learn to say no to their unhealthy desires and behaviors. Pr 29:17 says, Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul. Father, help us to understand the importance of loving discipline.

Medical Decisions

730 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 2 Therefore his servants said to him, "Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm." 3 So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her. I have had several surgeries and one of the things I appreciated after surgery was the heated blankets. I'm not sure of the why as it concerns the healing process of application of heat, but I sure appreciated it. Well, in David's day they didn't have blankets with these kind of thermal properties and so they relied on the truth of Ec 4:11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?” This is a fact of course, a natural truth and at the same time a biblical truth. But there is a greater biblical truth at stake here. The question begs to be asked, “where is Bathsheba?” She is David's wife and this is to be her role, not the role of yet another concubine! The Bible is clear on the matter of one spouse till death do us part. As bizarre as this incident is, we should remember that David's servants thought they were applying sound medical advice to his situation. He was cold, and this was evidently an accepted medical practice to keep him warm. It was a way that they saw to keep him as comfortable as possible until he passed. This would be a good time to pause and consider our own choices of medical treatment. Are they ethical? How do they measure up with Scripture. Are we choosing medical treatments that extend our life at the price of the lives of others. Do we really want to start creating embryos, so they can be destroyed for the sake of using them as spare parts? The time to answer these questions is now, before you find yourself in a crisis medical situation. Be informed about available treatments and (more importantly) be informed about God's view of life.

I'll Fly Away

729 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ki 1:1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. Without skipping a beat, the story of David is picked up in 1 Kings. He is old, advanced in years, probably about 70 years old because we are told that he was thirty years old when he began his reign and he reigned for 40 years. (2 Sam 5:4) By biblical standards he seems young, yet the 90th Psalm, which is attributed to Moses, we read in v 10, “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. “And we fly away.” Barring accidental deaths and death by disease we will all reach that point of “flying away” typically between 70 and 80 years of age. In 2012 the average life expectancy in the United States was at 78.8. One of the things that accompany old age is the inability to stay warm. Sweaters, afghans, sweatshirts, extra blankets, and cranked up thermostats are all part of the aging process. Feeling a bit old? Then the question begs to be asked, “Where do we fly to?” We fly to our God who then passes judgment on us. As the Bible says in Heb 9:27, “ And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” Of course we should always be ready for that moment when God calls us home, but when we find ourselves reaching for an extra blanket, or slipping on sweaters, or turning up the thermostat, it might be a good time to reflect on your readiness to “fly away” and meet your Maker. The thief on the cross flew away before his time of 70 years, but he made ready for his trip to paradise, with his simple confession that Jesus was a King who would rise again. It is as it is stated in Ro 10:9, “ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”Have you made that confession? Then you have been properly prepared to “fly away.”

The Sword Is Sheathed

728 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:24 Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel. And so we end the Books of 1 and 2 Samuel. The threshing floor purchased by David which will become the future site of the temple and the hill on which the Savior of the world, God's only Son, Jesus Christ would die once and for all for our sins. Charles Spurgeon, commenting on this verse said, “Thus was the site of the temple marked out in a very special manner. Zion, the church of God, of which the temple was the type, is founded on the hill of sacrifice; it is a monument in praise of sparing mercy; and there the sword of justice is for ever sheathed. Have we come unto Mount Zion? Are we resting upon the precious blood of sprinkling? These are grave questions, which it behooves each one to answer on his own account as before the great heart-searching God.” Well said, Mr Spurgeon. Leave us not forget that the angel who was executing justice through this plague was at the ready with his sword ready to bring more death, but God accepted the sacrifice of David and commanded the angel to sheath his sword. 1Ch 21:27 says, “So the LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath. God's wrath was satisfied! And as Jesus died on the cross, on the hill of the threshing floor His last words included, “It is Finished!” It's a banking term that means the debt has been paid! The wrath of God against sin completely appeased. The sword is sheathed! The question is, will you receive this free gift of God or reject Jesus and face the angel of death on Judgment Day when his sword will once again be unsheathed?

One of the Devil's Hangouts

727 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:24 Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel. I don't mean to give Araunah a bad rap here, but he reminds me of the devil. Look where he is hanging out! At the threshing floor! This is one of the devils' favorite places to hang out, in order to put our faith to the test by sifting. Remember Peter in Luke 22:31? “And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” It was the devil's hope that he could separate Peter from the love of Christ, by making him think that Jesus couldn't possibly forgive him for his sin. Remember Job? Same kind of deal, the devil put Job through all sorts of trials hoping to shipwreck his faith and separate him from the love of God. When Jesus went out to the wilderness, He too was sifted by the prince of this world with the three temptations of lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. In all three, he sought to get Jesus to take the easy way out! “No need to be hungry Jesus, turn these stones into bread.” “Bow down to me now and I will give you all the kingdoms of the world!” “Make a spectacular show of Yourself by safely jumping off the top of the temple.” There's no need for you to suffer and die on the cross, you can have it all now!” And he wasn't done yet, he came at Jesus again in the Garden of Gethsemane tempting him to find an easier way out. Araunah offers the threshing floor to David at no price, an easy way out, but David says, “I will not offer up anything that costs me nothing.” And the Son of God said the same thing for our sake as well. You see there are no shortcuts. The wages of sin is death, and someone had to pay the price, and because Jesus didn't take any shortcuts, you and I have been handed the gift of eternal life. What kind of love is this? How can you say no to this Man who out of sheer love for you, said no to the shortcuts and paid the full price of your sins? Are you being sifted? Tempted to ditch the faith? Learn from Job and Peter and hang in there knowing that nothing is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8: 39

We Give Thee But Thine Own

725 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:22,23 “Now Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 23 "All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king." And Araunah said to the king, "May the LORD your God accept you." (2 Sam 24:22,23) Araunah, who is also called Ornan in 1 Chron 21:18 is a farmer. The king pays a God-ordered visit to him for the purpose of making a sacrifice that would end the terrible plague that God had sent to Israel because of the sin of David. Ornan is certainly aware of this plague that has already resulted in the deaths of 70,000 men, and he sees this as an opportunity for him to do something about. David came to the threshing floor with no animals to sacrifice and no wood to kindle a fire, not even any grain to offer up to the Lord, and so Ornan says, “Here I have what you need for a sacrifice, take it, and may God receive it and stop the plague.” This was not an inexpensive gesture on the part of Ornan. He was giving up some pretty pricey animals and equipment for the sake of stemming the plague. We get further details on this exchange with David in 1Ch 21:23 And Ornan said to David, "Take it to yourself, and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all." “I give it all.” Ornan evidently understood that everything he had was a gift from God and therefore was willing to place it in the Lord''s hands. This reminds me of an old hymn entitled “We Give Thee But Thine Own We give thee but thine own, whate'er the gift may be; all that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee. May we thy bounties thus as stewards true receive, and gladly, as thou blessest us, to thee our first-fruits give. To comfort and to bless, to find a balm for woe, to tend the lonely in distress, is angels' work below. The captive to release, to God the lost to bring, to teach the way of life and peace - it is a Christ-like thing. And we believe thy Word, though dim our faith may be; whate'er for thine we do, O Lord, we do it unto thee. Ornan was willing to give it all as a balm for the woe and distress of the people. The lesson for all of us is be willing to give, “whatever that gift may be.

A Sacrifice Was Required

724 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:19 So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. 20 Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 21 Then Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people." (2 Sam 24:19-21) David, following Gad's instructions seeks to build an altar on the threshing floor. Notice how he ties in the sacrifice, to the plague being withdrawn from the people. God had already determined that the plague would be stopped. He had told the angel that “It is enough,” but David didn't know that. All he knew was Gad told him to build an altar and make a sacrifice. When the plague of sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, God knew that He would one day put a stop to the curse. One Day He would say again, “It is enough!” He told Adam and Eve: Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." However, a once and for all sacrifice would be required to “withdraw” the plague of sin, and it would require the shedding of blood as foreshadowed by the skins of animals that were provided BY GOD for Adam and Eve's new wardrobe. The ultimate sacrifice to withdraw the plague of sin from the world was God's own Son, Jesus Christ: and when the time was right God sent His Son to that very same threshing floor to pay the price of lifting the plague: Ga 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Thank You God for the gift of Your Son. And the opportunity to be clothed with the robe of righteousness provided by Jesus. Help us to spread the word that the plague is ended. Move in the hearts of people that they may receive Your free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus.

The Place Where the Wheat Is Separated From the Chaff

723 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, "Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." God, speaking through Gad instructs David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. This is no ordinary place, it is Mt Moriah, the site of the future temple built by Solomon. We read about it in 2Ch 3:1, “Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” How apt that the altar would be built on a threshing floor on Mt Moriah. This was the same place where Abraham went to offer up his son Isaac, it was the Amen place where Abraham's faith was accounted as righteousness, and of course it was the future sight of the crucifixion of Jesus, where all things are accounted as righteousness. A threshing floor is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. Abraham's faith was found to be real on the mountain as he trusted God to provide a lamb. And our faith is tested in this same place. Will we trust that Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world or not? We must all come to the threshing floor on Mt Moriah, because it is what we do with Jesus that determines our final fate. On that final Judgment Day those who reject Jesus and the message of the cross will be like chaff, scattered in the wind and tossed into the fire, but those who trust Jesus will be brought safely into the storehouse of heaven! This is what John the Baptist said about Jesus in Mt 3:12 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." We must all come to Mt Moriah, what will it be for you? Wheat for the barn or chaff for the fire. Receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and live!

Don't Forget the Cost

723 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, "Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." It was the third day of the plague. 70,000 men had died and David had taken full responsibility for his sin and he begged the Lord to stop the plague and put it on he and his family rather than the people. That very day the prophet Gad was sent to David telling him to build an altar. David was to offer up a sacrifice to God. This was a sign from the Lord that the plague would be stopped. There would be peace once again between God and His people. An invitation from God to sacrifice is a good thing. It is a plea for peace and at the same time, an affirmation of peace, and an expression of thanksgiving for the peace between God and man. The OT church had an open invitation to sacrifice to God, but sometimes those offerings became rote, second rate, after thoughts. Such was the case in the days of Malachi where we read: “And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?" Says the LORD of hosts. (Mal 1:8) This is an easy trap to fall into even today as we start taking our peace with God for granted, forgetting the cost of His great sacrifice. God continues to invite us to sacrifice on a daily basis for the sake of remembering His mercies in establishing peace with our own souls. Of course we no longer offer up animals, rather we have the privilege to offer up ourselves as spiritual sacrifices. Ro 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Make this a daily habit! Recount God's mercies in establishing peace with you and then simply pray, “Lord, here I am, what is it that you would have me do.” Then keep your eyes and ears open for those opportunities to serve Him. It is indeed, your reasonable service.

It's Not Just About Putting the Bad Guys Behind Bars

722 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:17 Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, "Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father's house." (2 Sam 24:17) King David looks at his subjects and sees them dropping like flies as the three day pandemic continues. He realizes anew that it was his sin of numbering the people that was the flashpoint for the discipline of God and so he appeals to God to spare the people and put the punishment onto himself. History is replete with examples of rulers making wrong choices and the citizens suffering for it. (Ought to make us think twice before we cast our ballots!) It's no guarantee of course but we certainly should seek out qualified candidates with platforms and ideology that align with godly standards. Something we should remember though about this incident is it started with God's displeasure with the PEOPLE. As we read in 2Sa 24:1 Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah." Israel had strayed from God and needed to be disciplined so God used the ruler David (and his poor choices) to bring that punishment about. This action on God's part puts a different spin on Ro 13:4, “For he (governmental authority) is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. This verse is not limited to governing authorities putting individual lawbreakers behind bars, rather we should understand that sometimes God allows us to have bad rulers to execute His wrath or discipline against an erring land that hosts His erring church. 1Pe 4:17 says, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? In short, as it concerns our rulers, we often simply get what we deserve!

Discipline Is Not Punishment, It Is Training

721 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:16 “And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” (2 Sam 24:16) “It is enough.” Three words from God the Father that we all long to hear when we are being disciplined. It's like a parent who says, I am going to give you 10 spanks on the butt, but stops short of that mark, saying, “It is enough” Only the Father can utter them for He alone knows when we've had enough. Only He knows when the trial, the tribulation, the discipline, has accomplished its purpose. And only an omnipotent God can restrain the hand that brings trial and tribulation, and discipline. A couple of things we can be sure of. First of all, just living in the world will cause us to bump into sin and it's effects of trial and tribulation. Jesus said in Joh 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Secondly, as children of God, we will experience discipline. The NIV puts it this way in Heb 12:7 “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? The word “discipline” here in the Greek means, “tutorage, education, or training.” So, let's remember this about discipline! Discipline is not punishment, it is training! Training that sometimes comes by way of affirming right behavior or correcting wrong behavior. No matter the form of trial, no matter the length of the trial remember as David did, that we have a merciful heavenly Father who knows when “it is enough.” Trust that and believe that as you cast your cares upon Him believing that He cares for you (1 Pet 5:7)

Is It Time To Pray and Fast?

720 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:15,16 So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. 16 And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. A pandemic rages through all of Israel. 70,000 men are dead and after three days it stops. Jerusalem is spared the ravages of deadly disease, only because that mercy that David was relying on came through. God said, “it is enough,” and the plague stopped. On October 17, 2015 the nation of Zambia declared a day of fasting and prayer. Bars were shut down and all football matches were shut down! Can you imagine such a thing occurring in the United States on a Sunday? Why did they do this? Well, they have declared themselves a Christian nation and they are in the midst of a currency crisis. Food prices have soared, the price of copper, (their main export) has tumbled, and they have experienced crippling power shortages because the water levels in Lake Kariba, where hydropower plants supply much of the nations energy are extremely low. Bishop Simon Chihana president of the International Fellowship of Christian Churches in Zambia said, “ Let us pray to God to have mercy on us. God has done that before and He can do it again!” I read this and find myself wondering, “What would it take to bring America to its collective knees?” Zambia is a nation that obviously gives glory to God acknowledging that He is in control and able to put an end to their crisis. They believe Joe 2:13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. 14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him-” Who knows if he will relent? Only those who humble themselves and pray! 2Ch 7:14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. If the citizens of Zambia can call for a day of prayer, cannot the church in America do the same? Or do we need to wait for things to get worse?

Written For Our Admonition

719 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:14 “And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (2 Sam 24:14) David has been given a choice for the punishment of his sin. Years of famine, months of losing at war, or days of pestilence. No wonder David was in great distress, this was not going to be pretty. We have a difficult time in America grasping the horror of famine, we've really never experienced one of biblical proportions. We've seen the pictures of famines in other places, but even then we can't grasp the reality of it all. The Great Famine of China which occurred in the early 1960's resulted in the slow, painful death of an estimated 43 million people! Famines are usually a combination of extreme weather conditions and gross mismanagement by the regimes of men. His next choice was three months of losing war. The worst battle in the history of warfare is said to be the battle of Stalingrad in WW II. AN estimated 2 million lives were lost in that battle. Get the picture? War and famine are never pretty. Man's basic instinct for survival can bring about unspeakable barbaric acts. Pestilence: The worst recorded plague in the history of mankind was the Black Plague in the 1300's which resulted in an estimated 75 million deaths! Famine, war, or plague. Tremendous suffering no matter how you look at it. No wonder David was distressed! Of the three choices, only pestilence removes the inherent wickedness of man from the equation. Pestilence knows no economic boundaries and even the powerful are susceptible to it's effects. So David wisely chooses pestilence relying on the mercy of God. Now some may say, “Merciful God? How can a merciful God exact such punishment on a nation for the sin of their leader?” Don't go there. Remember what was written in 1Co 10:11 Now all these (OT) things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. The point is sin has consequences and will be accounted for on the Last Day. Those who are in Christ will not be punished, (plagued) but those who reject Him will live in eternal punishment. A punishment that is basically a total absence of the goodness and mercy of God! So let the pictures of the ravages of famine, war, and pestilence be etched in your mind, because hell will be even worse! Then run to Jesus and be saved!

Which Punishment Would You Choose?

719 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:12,13 "Go and tell David, 'Thus says the LORD: "I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you."'" 13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me." (2 Sam 24:12,13) David's sin, in taking the census, has been affirmed by Gad, a prophet of God, and now the loving heavenly Father feels it is necessary to discipline David for his sin. It is interesting that this time, the Father gives His child, David, a choice in the matter. It is much like an earthly father giving his child a choice of punishment for misbehaving. “You can be grounded for a week, or you can lose your social media privileges, or you can be spanked.” Of course, David's options were much more serious than the ordinary discipline of our children. Famine, defeat in war, or disease. People are going to die as a result of this punishment. The first thing I notice about these choices is the duration of each. If David chooses famine for his punishment, it will last for years. If he chooses war, it will last for months, and if he chooses pestilence, it will last for just three days. I don't know about you, but I am all about the short duration. It's like when I go swimming in Lake Michigan. I don't make it a long drawn out process of entering the water, I just dive right in and get it over with. Even as a youngster, I always preferred spankings over the long drawn out “groundings.” They were painful, but at least they were short. But you know what? Maybe a better response would be to fire a question back at God? “Father, which one would be the best one to teach me the lesson I need to learn?” And I think I know the answer. It would be, “Any of the above.” Because God's discipline, no matter what it may be is always grounded in His perfect love. Pr 3:12 says, “For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Conviction Or Condemnation?

717 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:10,11, “ And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly." 11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,” I don't want to get into a detailed account about the difference between Holy Spirit conviction and conscience, but there is a difference and it is important to note. Bakers Evangelical dictionary says this about conscience: “ Conscience is an aspect of self-awareness that produces the pain and/or pleasure we "feel" as we reflect on the norms and values we recognize and apply. Conscience is not an outside voice. It is a inward capacity humans possess to critique themselves because the Creator provided this process as a means of moral restraint for his creation. So why do I bring this up in light of this text? Because David's heart (conscience) “condemned” him. My friend have you not read that in Christ there is no condemnation? (Rom 8:1) The Holy Spirit “convicts” us of sin but does not condemn us, rather He leads us to repentance, forgiveness, restoration, and healing. Our conscience is greatly influenced by society customs and mores and can lead us to self-condemnation or self-gratification as we just seek peace by “fitting in.” This self-gratification is becoming more and more evident in our land today, it is as Paul warned Timothy: 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, Here's my point: You can never rely solely on your conscience. It may condemn your behavior or applaud it, in accordance with society's accepted rules of behavior, but your behavior must always, in the final analysis, be measured with Holy Spirit conviction of God's accepted rules of behavior. God didn't leave David in his self-condemnation. He sent a prophet the very next morning to let him know for certain how his actions measured up with the Word of God! Our culture has wandered far from the guidelines laid out in Scripture, and in many cases, searing our consciences. Let us return to the guidelines as found in Holy Writ.

What Is This Thing Called Iniquity?

715 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:10 And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly." (2 Sam 24:10) Iniquity. We often see the word used in Scripture, but we seldom use it today in our “Christianese” language. The Hebrew word is Ay von, spelled awon, and it comes from a root word that means to deviate from the proper path. It's primary meaning is perversity, or depraved action. We most often use the term “perversion” in the context of abnormal sexual behavior. In that context perversion is a deviation from the proper path of sexual expression as laid out in the Word of God. But perversion is not limited to sexual sin. The fact is we all have deviated from the proper path. We all have committed iniquity (sin) and fallen short of the glory of God. We all, (since the fall of Adam and Eve) have strayed from the proper moral path that God has set before us in His Word. This straying, (sin) separates us from God, and we, like David need to be convinced of our meanderings from the proper paths and then take them to God asking Him, as David did, to “take them away.” But there's even more to this word “iniquity,” it not only includes the specific sin, but also its consequences! The chief consequence of sin is the punishment associated with it. When I misbehaved as a child, my parents punished me. There were consequences for my actions. They disciplined me in an attempt to teach me the proper path. So it is with God. Heb 12:6 tells us, “For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves,” David was asking God to forgive his sin and he was asking for mercy in regards to his punishment. It's certainly okay to do that. And God may indeed pass on punishing us for our wanderings. But however God chooses to deal with our iniquities, we can be certain that His motivation behind it is love. It's always “for our own good! So let us be quick to confess, confident that we are in the hands of a perfect loving Father.

Don't Ignore the Prickings

714 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel. 5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon; 7 and they came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10 And David's heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly." In spite of advice from his military commanders, David presses on with his orders for a census. It takes Joab a little over 9 months to complete the task. When the deed is done, David's heart condemned him. His heart was smitten, the Hebrew word implies a sharp striking like a clap. His conscience was pricked. Now just think about that word. Think about the last time you were pricked by a thorn or a needle. It was sharp, quick pain that got your attention wasn't it? These prickings should not be ignored. They are reminders that can be verified by the word of God, that you have taken a course of action that is wrong! When Peter preached on that first day of Pentecost, his audience was reminded of the actions they had taken against Jesus and in Ac 2:37 we read, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?” When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was reminded of all the wrongs he had done in persecuting the church, Jesus asked him in “why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” Friend don't harden your heart against these prickings. Stop and consider what is causing them. Be willing then like David to confess them as sin before God and imploring Him for His abundant mercy!

What's Your Motivation?

713 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:1-3, “Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah." 2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, "Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people." 3 And Joab said to the king, "Now may the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?" (2 Sam 24:1-3) Great question Joab? What's your motivation David? We would do well to ask ourselves that same question before we take action in our own day to day business. A quick test of all our actions is to ask ourselves, “Will my actions be pleasing to God? Many times we opt for pleasing ourselves (men) rather than God: Ga 1:10 says, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. Jesus said in Lu 16:15, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” A good place to start in determining whether our actions are pleasing to God is to get out a Bible Concordance and look up the words, “abomination” and “hate.” For instance in Pr 6:16-19, we read, “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, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. This is not the complete list of things that God hates, there are many more. God hates divorce. (Mal 2:16) Sexual sin is also displeasing to Him and HE urges us to distance ourselves from it: Flee sexual immorality. (1 Cor 6:18) Bottom line God is not pleased with sin. Bottom line we are all guilty of these things. What to do? Remember that there is no sin that Jesus did not pay for on the cross, then trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, confess those sins, agree with god that they are sins and receive His forgiveness: 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.

Satan is on A Leash

712 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:1 Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah." This is puzzling and fascinating at the same time. God's anger was kindled and so He moves David to take a census. Here's the thing about a census. It required a tax on the people that were being counted. Ex 30:12, 13 says, "When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them. 13 "This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall be an offering to the LORD.” Please note that it is imperative that this census include a tax. If the tax isn't levied and collected, the leader is inviting a plague to come upon the people. With that said, I also find it interesting that in this reading, we are told that “God moved David” to take the census, but in 1Ch 21:1 we read, “Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.” So which is it? Did God move David or Satan? The best answer is God allowed Satan to act and then ultimately used it for His glory. It is similar to the situation in Job. The devil asked permission of God to sift Job through trial and tribulation and got it, (with God imposed restrictions) Job 1:12, “And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." Ultimately God was glorified in the situation. We know that Satan also desired to sift Peter with trial and tribulation Lu 22:31 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." Take heart from these passages, especially when you feel like Job or Peter knowing that Satan is on a God-ordained leash, he can only go as far as your loving Father allows!

Let Your hands Not Be Idle

711 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:1 Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel,” We aren't told what it was that aroused the anger of God against Israel, but we know that God is slow to anger. We know that His anger is often aroused when His people drift away from Him, and often this drifting occurs during times of peace and prosperity. As the old English proverbs says, “Idle hands are the devils workshop.” it was idleness that led to the worship of the golden calf, and it was idleness that led to David's sin with Bathsheba. We need to be on guard against it. Let's list some other verses that deal with this subject matter: Ec 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. Ro 12:11, Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Col 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 1 Sam 10:7- Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. Eccl 11:6 - Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Do you get the drift? Yes enjoy the blessings of God! Thank and praise Him for any peace and prosperity you are experiencing, but don't forget the words of Jesus in Lu 9:62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Beware of idleness. Press on! Finish the race! Receive the crown! Say with the Apostle Paul: 2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Are We Drifting Away?

711 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:1 Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel,” Again. This isn't the first time that God's anger was aroused against His people. The King James uses the word “kindled.” Think about that. Kindling isn't a raging fire, but it's the first step. It's the start of a fire, the awakening of a fire if you will. Therefore, Israel had done something that awakened the wrath of God. We aren't told what caused this kindling, but one thing we know about the character of God is that He is “slow to anger.” The phrase “slow to anger” as it concerns God is found six times in the New King James Bible. Joe 2:13 says, “So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. This admonition to “return to the Lord,” would speak then of a drifting away by the people. This drifting away is a common problem of the church especially in times of peace and prosperity, and this is what the people were experiencing at the end of David's reign. There is an old English proverb that says, “idle hands are the devils' workshop.” This proverb is born out in several places in Scripture. For instance what did the people do in their idleness while waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain? They fashioned a golden calf and worshiped it. And was not the way paved for David to sin with Bathsheba through his own idleness? Pr 6:10 says, “ A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep- 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. The church in America has been blessed with peace and prosperity. Has this led to spiritual idleness? Have we drifted away from the Lord? Are we basking in His grace while ignoring those things which His Word tells us to do? Has His anger been kindled? These are questions worth pondering for the sake of ourselves and our children.

The Valiant Act of Uriah

710 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all. Were you expecting this? Were you expecting to hear Uriah the Hittite's name on the list of David's valiant men? Kind of caught me by surprise. It's not that I didn't think Uriah was valiant. The word valiant means “strong,” and Uriah exhibited great strength of character when he refused a conjugal visit with his wife, when David was trying to cover up his sin with Bathsheba. He said, “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 11:11) This was a great sacrifice on his part as he chose to abstain from personal pleasure for the sake of identifying with the lack of like opportunity for his fellow soldiers. Such acts are regarded as valiant in the eyes of the Lord. Think about that the next time you have opportunity to show compassion on someone less fortunate than you. We are blessed to have many opportunities to spend ourselves on the pleasures of life, but what about those who don't? What if we would look for opportunities to identify with their lack by “paying our blessings forward?” That would be a noteworthy act of valor! Why, just giving a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus is an act of valor in that it is time and water that you could have spent on yourself! Jesus said in Mt 10:42 "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." One more thing, David's inclusion of Uriah on this list must have stung him. It must have pained him to be reminded again of his awful deed against Uriah. But by the grace of God he was able to do it. We too are often stung by reminders of our past sins, but being able to talk about them demonstrates that we, like David have a deep understanding of the complete forgiveness that God offers us through Christ!

Getting Inked In the Book of Life

709 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from a wrap up of the list of mighty men given in 2 Sam 23:20-39. I'm not going to list all the names again, but I do want to remind you that God keeps books, and it is of eternal importance for you and I to be found in the Lamb's Book of Life. It is only those whose names are in that Book who will enjoy eternal bliss in heaven. The Good News is that as long as you or I have breath in our bodies there is room for us in the Book of Life. The thief on the cross is the classic example calling out to Jesus in a spirit of repentance and acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior as he hung dying on the cross. Lu 23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." 43 And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." The thief on the cross did what was necessary in his final hour and Jesus inked his name in the Book of Life. What did the thief do? He admitted he was a sinner who justly deserved to die, and then acknowledged Jesus as Lord and King. The Bible assures us of life saving faith with these words found in Ro 10:8,9 “But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” The thief on the cross acknowledged that Jesus was Lord and King, and as a King He had a kingdom. This means he believed in a coming kingdom of Jesus which can only mean he believed in the resurrection! How about you? Do you believe you are a sinner? Do you believe Jesus died for your sins? Do you believe that He rose from the dead? Have you acknowledged Him as both your Savior and King? Don't wait till the end like the thief on the cross! Today is the day and hour of your salvation. Receive Jesus and be inked in the Book of Life!

When the Role Is Called Up Yonder

708 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all. Quite a list of names. It's like reading one of those “begatting” chapters of the Bible. Why bother? Why make mention of these mighty men of David? For one thing it adds to the veracity of Scripture as real men from real families performed real deeds in service to their king. This is flesh and blood with names and names are important to God. In fact in Re 2:17, we read, “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."' This portion of 2 Samuel reads like a roll call and the question begs to be asked as the old hymn puts it, “When the roll is called up yonder will you be there?” Bow your knee to Jesus now! Receive Him as your Lord and Savior and be counted as one of His mighty men.

Don't Forget the Gospel

707 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to notoriety of the first three. 2 Sam 23:18,19) The other three were mentioned in verses 8-12, but we don't find a lot of information about their exploits in Scripture. That's not the case for Abishai. We have read of him before and his exploits while serving David. The first mention was the time he volunteered to go with David into the camp of Saul. They were able to sneak in all the way next to a sleeping Saul and Abishai wanted to thrust Saul through with a spear, but David restrained him. Abishai and his brother were also involved in the slaying of Abner (who had killed his brother Asahel) It was Abishai who wanted to kill Shimei for his verbal outburst against king David, when they were fleeing Jerusalem, but again David restrained him. There were other exploits mentioned as well. There can be no doubt that Abishai was a great and mighty warrior, but sometimes a little over-zealous. We would do well to learn from the mistakes of Abishai and season our zealousness for the Lord with mercy and grace. I can't help but think of the Apostle Paul in his pre-conversion days and his zealousness as a Pharisee. He freely admitted in Php 3:6 his zealousness in persecuting the people of “The Way.” But then Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and everything changed. Jesus met him with grace and mercy and Paul became a spokesman for the grace and mercy of Christ to the Jew first and then the Gentile. From that day forward he determined to preach nothing but Christ crucified. Let us learn to do the same. Preaching Christ crucified involves the Law, (it is our breaking of the Law that put Him on the tree) but let us not leave out the sweet message of the Gospel, with the sure promise of forgiveness and eternal life for all who believe!

No Greater Love

705 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:15-17, “ And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. 17 And he said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.” Imagine yourself as one of the three here, who risked life and limb to bring David a drink of his precious water from Bethlehem. You hand the flask over to him and wait in eager anticipation to see the enjoyment on his face as he takes a long draft of this precious water. But then he simply takes it and pours it out on the ground, and says “this is for You Lord!” What? That's how you show your gratitude to us David? Yes it is! He was basically saying “Guys this is so awesome it belongs to God rather than me!” As he pours out the water unto the Lord, he acknowledges the fact that these men were willing to risk it all for the sake of their love of another. This incident should cause us to reflect on the words of Jesus concerning greater love. Joh 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. This is the love of Jesus and the kind of love He desires to awaken in us. Jesus is our greatest friend. He laid down His life for us, and now we ought to lay down our life for Him. We love Him (lay it down for Him) because HE first loved us (Laid it down for us.) Ro 12:1says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Jesus, you poured out Your life for me, help me to learn to pour my life out for others. Let me like Paul understand what it is to be poured out in the service of faith. ( Php 2:17)

Living Water Is Not Cheap

705 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:15-17, “ And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. 17 And he said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.” These three mighty men of David broke through the enemies camp in order to bring the water of Bethlehem to David. Much like God breaking through the enemy's camp and bringing His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Living Water of Bethlehem to the world. One lesson we can take from this incident is the price of this Living Water is expensive! It comes at the price of shed blood. As the writer in Hebrews states : Heb 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Heb 9:22) The water that gives eternal life to you and I through the forgiveness of our sins, came at the terrible price of the suffering and death of God's own Son! Who was poured out like a drink offering for us! David's water came at the RISK of bloodshed, and he poured it out on the ground as an oblation to the Father, how much more then should we esteem the offering of Christ! We are not at liberty to cheapen the offering of Christ. We are not at liberty to cheapen grace by spending it on fleshly lusts, (cheap grace) or attaching conditions to it. (legalism) Heb 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? Living Water (Jesus) is precious and God desires us to treat Him that way. Forgive us Lord for those times we forget the price You paid for our redemption.

Heaven Is My Home

704 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:15 And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" David had been longing for a taste of home. He wistfully announced that he would like a drink of water from the well of his hometown of Bethlehem. This well water is meant to be a picture of the living water that came to the world through Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem. Every soul, every created being, has a vacuum in it that longs for it's true home. That longing can only be satisfied by Jesus Christ, and the homecoming can only be accomplished when He returns. Ro 8:19-22 says, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. (This will happen in all its finality when Jesus returns) 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” It is as the old hymn goes: I’m but a stranger here, Heaven is my home; Earth is a desert drear, Heaven is my home; Danger and sorrow stand Round me on every hand; Heaven is my fatherland, Heaven is my home. Beloved, have you made your reservation? Underneath the layers of the trappings of this world is a deeper desire in your soul to know and be known by God. A deep desire for a quenching that can only come from the living water of Bethlehem. No need to be wistful about it like David. The living water is yours for the asking. Isa 55:1,2 says, "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. No formula, no works, no hoops to jump through, just sincerely ask and your long parched soul will be satisfied as you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior! He is the Living Water of Bethlehem!

Oh That Someone Would Give Me A Taste of Home

703 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:13-15, “ Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" (2 Sam 23:13-15) The exploits of David's “mighty men,” continue to be recounted, but before we get to the next exploit, let's talk about David's yearning for the spring water of Bethlehem. David and his men were holed up in a cave, on the run from Saul, and the dreaded Philistines were in control of David's home town of Bethlehem. It's times like these that our thoughts often take us back to better days and David wistfully says, “oh that someone would fetch me some water from the well at Bethlehem.” In other words, “Oh that someone would give me a taste of home!” There is a spring located in the southern kettle area of Wisconsin where my father-in-law would take me after hikes or cross country ski outings. I cannot describe how delightful and refreshing that water was, and is to this day. Yet I know that it pales in comparison to the water at the well of Bethlehem. The water that David longed for at Bethlehem serves as a picture for us of the living water that would be born in Bethlehem and refresh the world...namely Jesus the Christ! It is the water that every soul has a longing for. The Apostle Paul spoke of it when he preached in Athens: Ac 17:26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; Men have been spread out around the globe since the days of the Tower of Babel, but one thing we all have in common is a yearning deep in our souls for God. The Christian mathematician and philosopher Pascal said, “ There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. Friend, if you have not yet tasted Jesus, this offer is for you. Come to Bethlehem and drink, He is the living water and He promised in Joh 4:14 "whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

Standing on the Promises

702 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. Then the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the LORD brought about a great victory. Here we have another example of someone standing alone against the Philistines. Shammah stationed himself in the middle of the field. There were no trees or rocks to hide behind. No tower to offer protection. He was out in the open, vulnerable to all that the enemy wished to throw at him. Here's the thing about lentil plants. They grow to a height of 6 to 18 inches....that's it. The man had no covering except the covering of God! The ESV says that it was in this field that Shammah “took his stand and defended it AND THE LORD WORKED A GREAT VICTORY.” His victory was the Lord's doing and it happened because Shammah took a stand. This same kind of victory can be ours when we learn to stand on the promises of God! Remember the hymn, “Standing on the Promises?” It was written by Russel Kelso Carter. He was what we might describe as a “nominal Christian” even though he had serves as a minister and had written several hymns. This particular hymn was actually written BEFORE a major health crisis in his life at the age of 30. It was during this health crisis that he turned to God earnestly seeking help and healing. He knelt and made a promise that healing or no, his life was finally and forever, fully consecrated to the service of the Lord. It was from that moment that the written Word of God became alive to Carter. He began to stand upon the promises of healing, determining to believe no matter what his physical condition, no matter how he felt. Over the course of the next several months his strength returned, and his heart was completely healed! Carter lived another healthy 49 years. This song became his mantra for the rest of his life, may it be ours as well:” “Standing of the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let His praises ring. Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God! Stand on the promises found in God's Word and you like Shammah will have victory over the enemy.

I'll Call Her Eleazer

701 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 23:9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. The second of David's mighty men was Eleazar. In a certain battle with the Philistines, all the other men retreated but Eleazer held his ground. He went on the offensive with his sword, (which we may liken to the Word of God.) and he clung to it to the point that his hand cramped up and literally became part of the sword! He won the victory and the others were welcome to the spoil. I saw a powerful picture on Facebook the other day concerning the event known as “See You At the Pole.” This annual event is an opportunity for students and teachers at schools throughout the world to gather at the schools' flagpole and pray. In this picture a lone girl was kneeling at the base of the pole and praying. She was alone! Her mother had even called the school asking that at least one teacher would join with her in prayer, but no one responded. This was the second year in a row that she prayed alone. The mother wrote, “I left work to get my baby and walked her to the pole... She dropped to her knees and prayed for them all!! God is moving in my girls life.. And I love it! Shes not afraid to let everyone know who she serves.. Even when it means standing alone!! I don't know this girls name but I will call her Eleazer because she stood on the battlefield of the school ground and prayed for others! I certainly don't know what or how she prayed. But the point of praying at the flagpole is to intercede for others and her mere presence at the flagpole was a prayer that said, “Your word matters and the souls of my classmates, and my country also matter to me O God.” What promises in God's Word was she clinging to as she prayed? One thing we know, God was certainly aware of her display of loyalty. 2Ch 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” Bless you little girl at the flagpole, may God grant your every petition!