No Longer Identified By Sin

689 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I trod them like dirt in the streets, And I spread them out. This is one of the Bible's favorite ways to describe the annihilation of an enemy. Pulverized into the finest dust to be trampled underfoot or cast to the four winds. A total loss of identity. This is meant to be a picture for us of the utter defeat by Jesus of the devil and his demons and all their workings, namely sin. In 1Jo 3:5-10 we read, “ And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. (Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was manifested, (came to this earth in the incarnation) for the sole purpose of carrying our sins away as the four winds carry away dust.) With the work of Jesus, sin is going to have an identity problem. 6 Whoever abides in Him (in Jesus) does not sin. (Is no longer identified by sin!) Whoever sins (keeps their old identity) has neither seen Him nor known Him. (Since they are not connected to Jesus by faith, they are still identified by their sin.) 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. (Our works testify as to who we are following, the devil, or Jesus. By the way the chief identifying work is love of brother 1 Jn 3:10) This dust problem has been with us from the beginning but, “ For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Jesus came to destroy sin! The word destroy is interesting. It means to “break up,” or “to beat to pieces” And the dust analogy of David fits the work of Jesus to a tee! 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, (does not have sin clinging to him, is not identified by his sin) for His seed remains in him; (therefore we are identified by the Seed that is in us namely Jesus!) 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. As children of God, we still sin, but we are no longer identified by our sin, because Jesus pulverized it on the cross, and though we pick up particles of sin in our daily living, we remove it daily through confession, contrition, and absolution as promised in the Word of God. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

It's Not Like He Doesn't Try To Reach Us

688 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.” Wow! What a chilling thought. The enemies of David were up against it and in a last ditch effort they even called out to the Lord to save them, but He did not answer them. Kind of makes you wonder, “is there a point of no return?” Can we reach a point of rejecting God, that He stops His ears to our pleas? I think it best that we let Him answer that question. He alone knows our heart. But to call on the Lord in emergency situations without repentance or an intent to follow Him is empty and He sees right through it. It's not that He hasn't tried to reach us. Listen to Prov 1:20-33, “Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: (God's wisdom calls to us everywhere!) 22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. 23 Turn at my rebuke; (Don't just receive God's rebuke, TURN because of it!) Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, (It's not like God hasn't been trying!) 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, (We have a choice!) 30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. (Every attempt to turn us toward Him) 31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. 32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; (That's a lot of bad news, now hear the good in v33, “ But WHOEVER listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil."Stop wondering if God hears you. He just asks that WE LISTEN to HIM! He will do the rest! And the proof of our listening is found in our turning.! There are two types of people in this world, those who turn toward God and those who don't. Maybe God is calling you to turn today! 2Co 6:2b says, “ behold, now is the day of salvation.

Like A Snarling Bobcat

687 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:40 For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose against me. 41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. I saw a video clip on Facebook the other day that showed two guys coming upon a bobcat that was caught in a trap. One of the guys filmed what happened next as the other guy sought to set the bobcat free. The guy used a forked limb from a tree to pin the bobcat to the ground by it's neck. The problem was, the bobcat didn't want anything to do with being pinned to the ground and kept breaking free. It was a very dicey situation as the bobcat clawed and snarled at his would be emancipator. Finally the guy was able to maintain his grip on the stick and pin the bobcat long enough to be able to open the trap and set the bobcat free! Happy ending for the bobcat, not such a happy ending for the enemies of David!David's enemies, like that bobcat continually sought to rise up against him, but eventually with the help of God he was able to pin them down at the neck where they became immobilized, unable to rise up against him and do him any harm. They were subdued. Joshua used this same imagery in Jos 10:24 So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, "Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings." And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." David and Joshua battled very real kings and we battle very real sin. The Lord promises to do what He did for David and Joshua...give you the neck of those sins that keep rising up against you. God will help you subdue them! But the key is you must fight! You must have the courage to go after your sins like those guys went after that bobcat. Oh it won't be easy, that bobcat kept trying to rise up against these guys and do them harm, but in the end through patient endurance they gained the upper hand! Persevere in your battle with sin and see the Lord give you the neck of your enemy!

Battling Besetting Sins Part 5

685- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:38 "I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. We've been talking about overcoming besetting sins. We read here that David “did not turn back,” he didn't give up! That is key in our struggles with besetting sins. There are times when we are sailing along with apparent victory and suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, we fall again. I don't think there is anything more spiritually disheartening than these relapses. The devil is more than willing to use these setbacks to convince us to give up the struggle. I know it's wearisome, but I beg you, keep fighting! Finish the race! Fight to the finish! Persevere! The Lord is on your side and His desire is for you to endure! The Apostle Paul endured all sorts of hardships and besetting sins, ( Ro 7:19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.) But he persevered, believing, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.” (2 Ti 4:18) The Psalmist also believed it and wrote in Ps 121:7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. 1Co 10:13 reminds each one of us that the way to victory over temptation involves endurance! “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear (endure) it. I pray that you are able with the Lord's help to persevere and overcome your besetting sins, but if you mess up, allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of those sins, let Him bring forth holy tears of contrition as you experience godly sorrow over them, and the peace and joy that comes from knowing you are forgiven! Ps 126:5 says, “ Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.” Cling to that promise and keep fighting!

Battling Besetting Sins Part 4

685- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:38 "I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. We have been talking about getting victory over besetting sins. God gives us the power for victory but we must also cooperate with Him as David did. We must pursue them and not turn back until we get the victory. Keys to victory that we have discussed so far are confessing those specific sins, and repenting of them. Repentance is in reality an offensive weapon as with the help of God, you turn on your enemy seeking to live in accordance with the Word of God! Last time we added a couple of more keys. Memorizing Scripture, and becoming an active part of a Bible believing congregation. Today, let's talk about the weapon of prayer. Jesus reminded us of this weapon as He was wielding it in the Garden of Gethsemane. He said in Mt 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Ain't that the truth!) Our spirit says, “I don't want to do this sin against God!” But our flesh is weak and often gives in to the temptation!) He also gave His church the gift of what we call the Lord's Prayer. In that prayer we specifically ask for help in dealing with our temptations to sin: Mt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. In this brief petition we are reminded that succumbing to temptation is living in the wrong kingdom. Our kingdom, the kingdom of God is the true kingdom, and we can tap into the power of that kingdom to overcome the devil and our besetting sins. I remember when I quit smoking. One of the tools that helped me was simply repeating the Lord's prayer every time I was tempted to light up. Sometimes I had to repeat it many times, but eventually it took my mind off the temptation and put it where it needed to be! So pray my brothers and sisters, and don't worry about the repetitive nature of the Lord's Prayer. These are words Jesus Himself gave us to pray. It's all part of the persistent asking, seeking, and knocking, that will help give you the victory over your besetting sins.

Battling Besetting Sins Part 3

685- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:38 "I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. We have been talking about getting victory over besetting sins. God gives us the power for victory but we must also cooperate with Him as David did. We must pursue them and not turn back until we get the victory. Keys to victory that we have discussed so far are confessing those specific sins, and repenting of them. Repentance is that 180 degree turnaround that turns “going with the flow of the world” into a desire to live in accordance with the Word of God! In repentance, you turn and meet the enemy head on! It is very helpful in this battle to not only read Scripture, but memorize it! Ps 119:11 says, “ Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!” And in Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. This verse adds still another dimension to the fight. Paul is not addressing an individual here, he is addressing a church. Let the word of Christ dwell in your congregation! Use that word then to teach and admonish one another! So it is important that you find a Bible believing church and that this church is one that gets involved in mutual teaching of the wisdom of God and a church that is open to mutual admonishment. I know this can be difficult because it opens up our often secret lives to others! But it is a major part of going on the offensive against our besetting sins. And don't forget the great promise connected to Jas 5:16, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” While 1 JN 1:9 reminds us that there is forgiveness from God when we confess our sins to Him, this verse in James reminds us that there is HEALING in confessing our sins to others!

Battling Besetting Sins Part 2

684- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:38 "I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. Last time we talked about battling besetting sins. God has the power to deliver us from our enemies, but we like David must cooperate with Him. David pursued and he didn't turn back. In other words he went on the offensive against his enemies and kept at it, he didn't turn back. We mentioned the first step in our battle against besetting sins is to confess them. Stop excusing them and like David confess that you have sinned against God! Be specific, don't generalize! Moses said in Le 5:5 'And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing;” “That thing,” speaks of being specific! Sincere confession wipes the slate clean, but unless we go on the offensive, it won't be long and that besetting sin will be back! Our next weapon is repentance. This is the starting point of pursuit of the enemy. Repentance is a 180 degree turnaround of the mind, and instead of going with the flow of sin, we turn back against it with a whole new mindset. Repentance is the desire to say, “I'm done doing it the worlds way, from now on I will seek to do it God's way!” Ro 12:2 puts it this way: “ And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The will of God is perfect and contrary to the will of the world and you will find the will of God in the pages of Scripture. Mind renewal in your battle against sin is vital and it is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit as you spend time in God's word. Read it, believe it, and seek to put it into practice in your daily living. Anytime you pursue the things of God, you, like David, go on the offense against sin. Father, give me that heart that desires godly pursuit in my life.

Battling Besetting Sins

683- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:38 "I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. David has been acknowledging God as His Deliverer and now he recounts for us the truth, that in his lifetime, he pursued his enemies and totally destroyed them. Those who weren't destroyed were wounded and were now under his feet, unable to rise up against him. God enabled, or empowered David to do this, but notice that there was some cooperation needed from David to accomplish the task. David's part was to pursue and not turn back. This is useful information for those who battle besetting sins. God has given you the power to gain victory over these sins, but you can't just sit there wishing they would go away. You must pursue them with the mindset of eventually destroying them or putting them under your feet so that they may not rise up against you again. And most importantly, you must not turn back! Don't give up! You may slip and fall along the way, but pick yourself up and get back in the fray determined to fight until the end! Here are some practical things you can do in your battles with besetting sins. First of all, confess them! Agree with God that they are indeed sin. Name them! Don't excuse them, and then believe that God has forgiven you based on the truth of 1 Jn 1:9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Please note the word “all!” God doesn't forgive “some” of your unrighteousness, He forgives all of it! Don't fall for the lie that your sin is unforgivable. More on winning your battle with besetting sin, next time. Father grant hope to those who are battling sin today.

The Ever-Widening Road

682- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:37 You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip. I don't know about you, but when I drive in the mountains on roads without guardrails, I freak out. I get queasy just looking at video of some of the crazy trails that people have carved out of mountains. If there is height involved, I want a very wide trail with very high railings. David points out here that we don't need to live our lives precariously. God is more than willing and able to widen the road beneath our feet and give us sure footing. He does this with His Word. John the Baptist came preaching the Word of repentance. He established the grade and Jesus came and paved the way to heaven with the Gospel. Mr 1:2 As it is written in the Prophets: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You." 3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. This preaching of the Word opened the way of salvation through faith in the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! Here's the thing about God's Word. It not only leads to salvation but it is an ever-widening road of wisdom and understanding as we prayerfully read and study it with the help of the Holy Spirit. This Word will give us sure footing as we travel the road of life. As it says in Pr 4:10-15, “ Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. 13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. Pilgrim, take the road God has laid out for you in His Word.

Lessons From Boot Camp

681- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:35,36- “He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 "You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great. ( 2 Sam 22:35,36) This passage takes me right back to my boot camp days in the Navy. In Boot camp our hands were taught to make war. We were given small arms training and training in hand to hand combat. Physical fitness was also a high priority. We double timed everywhere and built up our upper body strength as well. I entered boot camp weighing 162 pounds and came out at 187 and honestly, it was the best physical condition I was ever in. I was able to “bend a bow of bronze.” We learned how to “shield” ourselves from shipboard enemies such as fire, flooding, and chemical warfare. And it was the “gentleness” of the company commander that made me great! Don't laugh! I mean that! The word gentleness here means browbeating. I can't tell you how many times Company Commander Fleming was right up in my face attempting course corrections for my attitude and failure to comply with his orders. It was quite humiliating, but then that is perhaps the most important part of military training. It is vital that self be laid down in the military for the sake of the unit and the battle. And it is vital too, if we are going to have any success in our ongoing battles with the evil one! It is as John the Baptist said of Jesus. “He must increase and I must decrease.” This browbeating or gentleness is all part of the process of breaking down pride and fostering the humility that God desires in His soldiers. The Law browbeats us in that it shows us how far short we fall of the glory of God, and it opens us up to the flow of grace from God which is the heavenly help we need to succeed. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. And it's in His grace through faith in Jesus Christ that we are able to obtain victory!

A Sure Word of Prophecy

680- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. Why would you want feet like a deer? Because they make for great sure-footed mountain climbing. It is this sure-footedness that allows them to move freely through rough terrain. One of the interesting facts about the deer found in biblical lands is the way they climb mountains. When the deer goes up the side of a mountain, it uses its front foot to test for sure footing. When that foot finds sure footing, the back foot is placed in the exact same spot!. The young deer typically follow the mother up the slope placing their feet in the same spot. The spiritual implications here are very evident. The Holy Spirit, using the Word of God is the front foot, leading the way of sure footing in life. Guiding us to the high places of safety and security. 2Pe 1:19 says, “We also have a more sure word of prophecy, to which you do well to take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Daystar arises in your hearts, “ Ps 33:4 in the Living translation says, “For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” And so we (the back feet) follow the leading of the Holy Spirit trusting God's Word by believing it and applying it to our life. If we do this, He will keep us from falling. This same Word then is held up to our children that they might learn to follow it as well. Ps 119:9 says, “ How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” God grant me the feet of the deer, and give me the faith to follow Your lead.

The "Tornado" Power of God

679- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:32,33, “For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? 33 God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect. Having just spoken of trial by fire which is used to test the veracity of God's Word, David now reiterates some of the things he has learned from the Word of God about God. First and foremost, who is God but the Lord? There are no other gods! Though we may chase after idols and look for other means to escape the trials of life, it is only God who can deliver. He is also our rock, our solid base. He is our strength as the Apostle Paul was reminded of in the midst of his trials, “And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9) He is also our power. The word means “force” and it comes from a root word that means twist. Does that remind you of anything in nature? How many times have we seen news reports or maybe even some of you have experienced the power and devastation of a twister. At this point some may say, well I've never seen that kind of spiritual power working in my life! But just because we haven't seen it doesn't mean we haven't experienced it. Let's recall the time when the Syrians had surrounded the Israelites. “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Ki 6:15-17) God's twister power was unleashed on behalf of the Israelites and the Syrian army was roundly defeated and scattered. The servant couldn't see it, but God's angel armies were there and they delivered. I think we would all be amazed if we ever saw how many times God has wielded his “tornado” power in our own lives against our spiritual enemies. Are you embattled today? Remember the twister power of God and pray with David in the 68th Psalm, “Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered;”

Trial By Fire

677- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. This is a great passage to remember when faced with trial and tribulation. It's at these times that we are tempted to say that maybe God's way isn't so perfect after all! Sometimes we bring on these trials and tribulations ourselves through wrong choices, but other times they seem to come out of nowhere. We find them even in the paths of our right choices! David reminds us here that “the word of the Lord is proven.” That means it is tested by fire. It is in the fires of trial and tribulation that the promises of the Lord are put to the test. This is good news! The test of the veracity of God's Word is most often revealed in the midst of our own intense struggles. It's one thing to say “Amen” to God's Word in the good times, quite another to say it when all h-e double hockey sticks breaks out. If and when it does break out in your life remember these words and remember that in the midst of it God is your shield, your protector! This whole concept of trial by fire is beautifully illustrated by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Tossed into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar for making “right choices”, God's promise to be their protector would be literally tested by fire. The Hebrew boys clung to the Word of God and told the king, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” 18 "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." These boys chose to do what was right and literally “proved” the Word of the Lord!(They tested it in the fire!) And look who showed up in Daniel 3:25! Their Shield! Their Protector! The Lord Jesus Himself! Nebuchadnezzar said, "Look!" "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." We are faced with choices every day. Choose right over wrong, but don't be surprised if your choices bring on trial, and know that your brother Jesus will be with you providing the protection you need!

Peak Performance

677- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. David continues his high praise of God, and we would do well to stop and consider what is being said here. God's way, that is His course of life, is perfect. The Hebrew word is Tamim (Tah meem) and it means without blemish. Do you want to follow a course of life that is perfect? Wouldn't you love to live out a life where you always reacted in accordance with God's Word? If you and I were able to do so, then we would be fulfilling God's plan for our lives perfectly. Those plans that He talks about in Jeremiah 29:11 to give us a hope with a future would be fully realized! Everything He says about sexuality, relationships, marriage, finances, speech, integrity, humility, love, forgiveness, and so on is perfect. His ways bring joy, peace, happiness, because they are the blueprint for living in accordance with how He has made us. When we follow God's Word, we enjoy peak performance! He encourages His children to follow this path that He has set before us in His Word. And you're never to old to start. Ge 17:1 says, “ And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Even at 99 years of age, God invites Abraham to model his life after the ways of God. Jesus does the same in His sermon on the mount where HE laid out God's ideas of living perfectly and then said in “ Mt 5:48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. So the standards are there, the path is laid out before us, but the problem is we are sinners. Prone and dispensed to wander from God's path of wholeness. Only One has ever walked perfectly with God and that was Jesus. Faced with every temptation you or I will ever be faced with, He stayed the course and lived out His life in perfection. Our only hope then to achieve that God-demanded perfection is to put on Jesus. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior, and receive also His lived out life of perfection. There is salvation in no other name.

Overcoming Obstacles

676- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. David continues bragging on God, and in this one verse we are reminded of David's many military victories. He tackled his enemies head on, (ran against a troop) and no fortress was impenetrable for David. (He was able to leap over walls!) It's interesting to note that none of his exploits were especially miraculous. By that I mean God didn't supernaturally break walls down (ala Jericho) or decimate the troops. David had to actually run against the troops and find a way over the walls. This should serve as a great reminder for you and I. In this life we will find obstacles and opposition as we seek to follow Jesus, but we must “gird up our loins” and with the help of God we can run through or leap over to the other side. With God our obstacles are not insurmountable. I am reminded of a poem I read many years ago called “Wit's End Corner.” it goes like this: 'Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner," Christian, with troubled brow? Are you thinking of what is before you, And all you are bearing now? Does all the world seem against you, And you in the battle alone? Remember--at "Wit's End Corner" Is just where God's power is shown. Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner," Blinded with wearying pain, Feeling you cannot endure it, You cannot bear the strain, Bruised through the constant suffering, Dizzy, and dazed, and numb? Remember--at "Wit's End Corner"Is where Jesus loves to come. Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"? Your work before you spread, All lying begun, unfinished, And pressing on heart and head, Longing for strength to do it,Stretching out trembling hands? Remember--at. "Wit's End Corner" The Burden-bearer stands. Are you standing at "Wit's End Corner"? Then you're just in the very spot To learn the wondrous resources Of Him who faileth not: No doubt to a brighter pathway Your footsteps will soon be moved, But only at "Wit's End Corner" Is the "God who is able" proved'. Facing obstacles in your life today? Are you at “wits end? Remember, with the help of God, you can overcome!

Glitterized!

675- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:29 "For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness. The Bible is full of references to God as light. 1Jo 1:5b says, “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” Jesus made the same claim in Joh 8:12, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."” Most of the time we hitch these likenesses to light to the concept of divine guidance, and rightly so. As the Psalmist says in Ps 119:105, “Your word (the Word of God) is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. But I think David is getting at something a little different here. The word “lamp” as used by David here means glitter. As does the word “enlighten.” let's substitute and see what it sounds like. "For You are my glitter O LORD; The LORD shall glitter my darkness. Do you see the difference? Glitter isn't light but it sparkles as it reflects light. When David faced dark days, he looked to the Lord to “glitterize” him. He looked to the Lord to provide sparkle in the midst of his darkness. There is a phenomena in the ocean known as bioluminescence. It is amazing to observe at sea. In the midst of the darkness of night, the ocean sparkles with light as the ship cuts through the waters. When Jesus said that His followers are the light of the world, He meant that His followers would be “luminous!” As followers of Jesus Christ, we add sparkle to a dark world! We don't sparkle on our own, indeed we can't. We, like David, look to the Lord for His light and then reflect it in the world around us. The more fully yielded we are to the Light of the world, (Jesus) the more fully we will sparkle, not only in our own times of darkness, but in times of darkness in the world around us. Thank You Jesus for being the source of glitter in my life, may I spread it around wherever you have placed me.

It's More Than An Individual Thing

674- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:28 You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down. David continues his fact-stating song about God. In Christianity we talk often about pride and it's polar opposite...humility. Jas 4:6 says, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." And according to Eph 2:8,9 we are saved by grace, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. It's easy to see how vital humility is. The Bible also tells us that God's eye is always on the lookout for loyalty: 2Ch 16:9 "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. But here, David says God's eyes are also on the haughty, the proud, for the sole purpose of looking for loving ways to bring them down. When I look back on my own life, I can see how God kept orchestrating things in a manner to bring me down so that I would finally look up to Him for my salvation. This is all pride and humility 101 for the Christian. One thing we don't want to miss in today's text is that David isn't talking about individual persons here, he is talking about people. The word literally means congregations and that can be individual churches or even nations. From two or more gathered in His name to the largest mega church on earth. From the smallest nation in the world to the largest nation in the world God desires humility, and if He sees pride and arrogance, in His time he will bring you down. But, there is hope for your congregation. There is hope for our nation, and the hope lies in recapturing a spirit of humility: 2Ch 7:14 says: "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.

Don't be A Conniver

673- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:27b “And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.” Let's continue looking at these spiritual laws of cause and effect. These are sure promises from the mouth of God. This one doesn't sound so good does it? If you want to experience the shrewdness of God, then live a life of deviancy. But what does He mean by devious, and what does He mean by shrewd? To be devious is to live a life of distortion. It is to be crooked, false. It comes from a word that means “to knot,” Think of a knot on a fishing line on a reel. The line and reel will not function correctly with the presence of knots in the line. There will be major snags. So that's our part. If we want to live our lives as liars, twisting the truth into knots, then we are going to have to deal with the shrewdness of God. The word “shrewd” in the Hebrew means to twine or struggle. Picture two wrestlers grappling with each other and tying themselves up in a knot. Suddenly the richness of the language is very evident, and the actions of God are perfectly just. If you are going to be like a knot in a fishing line, conniving and causing snags everywhere you go, then God will be a similar snag unto you. Is this reminding you of anyone in Scripture? How about that conniving Jacob? Remember how he connived to steal his brothers birthright, purchasing it for a pot of stew? Remember how he connived to steal the blessing from Esau as he put on a hairy costume to fool his father into blessing him instead of Esau? What happened? He ended up fleeing for his life and the first night on the lam, he ended up in a wrestling match with God! Jacob lived the life of a knot, a snag, a conniver, and God literally showed himself shrewd, as He wrestled with Jacob and turned him into a knot. Here's the lesson. Stop conniving. Stop manipulating. You are only creating snags in your life and the lives of others. Let go, let God. It may take Him all night like it did with Jacob, but He alone can untangle the mess you have created with your manipulations.

You Want To Be Astonished?

672- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:27a, “With the pure You will show Yourself pure;” (2 Sam 22:27a) Let's continue looking at these these spiritual laws of cause and effect. These are sure promises from the very mouth of God. Here God promises to show Himself pure to those who are pure. OK, what does that mean? Perhaps the best explanation of purity can be found in the Sermon on the Mount. It was here that Jesus said “ Mt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” A paraphrase of this passage would sound something like this, “How fortunate are the sincerely hopeful, for they shall be astonished in seeing God!” A person who is pure in heart lives his life without ulterior motives. What you see is what you get. There is no attempt at deception or distortion. The pure in heart make lousy poker players because they can't hide how they feel. The world views this trait as a curse, but are you kidding me? It's these kind of believers that God promises to show Himself in astonishing ways! The word “see” here means to gaze with wide open eyes at something remarkable! That's the kind of eye-popping stuff that God promises to the pure in heart. A classic example of someone pure in heart is Nathaniel. When Phillip told him that they had found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. He responded with complete honesty, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Refreshing honesty....purity. Not very complimentary, but honest. The pure in heart aren't perfect, but always willing to believe the best about others and so Nathaniel goes with Phillip to meet Jesus. What's the first thing Jesus said when He saw Nathaniel coming? “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit! ( Behold! Look folks, here is a guy who is pure in heart!) Now watch what Jesus does next. He tells Nathaniel that He was familiar with Nathaniel when he was just a little baby under the fig tree. Nathaniel was astonished! (The reward for the pure in heart!) But Jesus went on to say, that Nathaniel, (the pure in heart) hadn't seen anything yet, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." You want to be astonished by God? Then ask the Holy Spirit to help you put away the facade. Be refreshingly real, look and hope for the best in others!Blessed are the pure in heart, they will see astonishing things from God!

People of Integrity

671- Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 22:26, “With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;” Let's continue looking at these these spiritual laws of cause and effect. Last time we talked about God returning mercy for mercy. Today we are told that with the blameless, God will show Himself blameless. What does it mean for a man to be blameless and how does God show blamelessness to a man? What does that look like? The King James uses the word upright, well that helps define it a little more, but even then I find myself scratching my head and asking “what does it mean for God to show Himself upright? The word upright used for man is a little different than the one used for God. For the man, the Hebrew word means “integrity,” OK now we are getting somewhere. To be a man of integrity is to be a man of truth. So that's our part here. Be truth speaking and acting people. God says if you and I are persons of integrity, then He will show himself upright with us, and the Hebrew word here means “to complete!” Suddenly the richness of these words leap off the pages for me. If I desire God, (the Potter) to complete me, to help me fulfill all that HE created me to be, then I must be a truth speaking and acting person, a person of integrity. Ps 51:6 is a mirror image of this concept, “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” The more godly wisdom that God makes known to us, (and remember wisdom is APPLIED knowledge) the more complete we will be. Friend, desire to be the complete person God created you to be! Start with surrendering your life to Christ and then seek to live in truth. Speaking it and acting in it! Oh Lord let me be a man of Your Word and my word.