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?