Tag Archives: David

The runt of the family makes good, November 13, 2017

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Bible Reading Plan – www.Bible-Reading.com; The Story, Chapter 11; You Version Bible app Engaging God’s Story Reading Plan Days 71 through 77

Whether you are a church goer or not, you probably know the story of David and Goliath. David the giant killer. This 16 year-old shepherd goes to find his brothers in the army, take them some home cooked food, and see how their fight with the Philistines is going. He comes into the camp and hears the taunts of the Philistine champion, Goliath, daring anyone in the Israelite army to come out and fight him. All the Israelite soldiers hide behind the rocks and trees and bushes or in their tents afraid to face this giant of a man who stands almost ten feet tall.

David also hears about the reward for taking on this barbarian and killing him. Whoever kills the giant gets to marry the king’s daughter and he and his family lives tax free the rest of their lives. So David goes to king Saul and volunteers. Saul loans David his armor, but since Saul is a head taller than everyone else in the kingdom, of course the armor just swallows David. So David sets the armor aside and faces the giant with the weapon with which he is most familiar, his sling.

I think sometimes people get the wrong impression of David and his sling. We sometimes think of David as this scrawny 16 year-old kid with pimples and stringy hair, like the Shaggy Rogers character of Scooby-Doo fame. But don’t kid yourself. Jesse’s boys seem like the start of a mafia crowd to me. As a teenager, David killed a bear and a lion barehanded.

David’s brothers were all part of his band of 30 mighty men. Those were the elite of his army who characterized themselves by extraordinary deeds like killing a hundred men or more in one battle by themself. And David was their leader. To be the leader of these kind of men in those days, you won fights against them yourself. So, I have a feeling David was no slouch when it came to his physical frame or his fighting abilities.

David also came from Bethlehem. Warriors from Bethlehem were known for their ability to use slings. They learned as kids. These weren’t toy slingshots that we get in the store here. They weren’t the Y-shaped stick with a rubber strap you pull back and release. These were real slings. A leather pouch connected to two flax cords that would be swung over the head and then one of the cords released at just the right moment to release the stone held in that pouch. The stone would reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour.

Imagine being hit by a rock moving one and a half times faster than the best pitchers throw their best fastballs. A good fastball can break a bone. If hit in the head, expect at least a concussion if not a fractured face. Now reduce the size of that projectile, increase the speed by 50% and put God behind the placement of that projectile. Pow! Right in the forehead. Down for the count! Whether immediately dead or just unconscious and giving time for David to run over and cut off Goliath’s head with his own sword. The sling was the perfect weapon. David could project that stone farther than the length of a football field.

But God was behind it all. The visit of David to his brothers. The confrontation between His people and the Philistines. The armor that was too big. The skill with the sling. The trajectory and impact. The fear Goliath’s defeat created for his countrymen. The defeat of the Philistine army. God intervened in the life of this unlikely character to unfold His plan and show us His greatness.

Who would have picked this 16 year-old as Israel’s champion that day? No one but God. Who would have expected this shepherd who have never lifted a sword to kill a nearly ten foot giant and rout an entire army? No one but God. Who would have thought anyone would go out on the battlefield against this champion without armor and face him with only a shepherd’s sling in his hand? No one but God.

God empowered David and David knew it. God cuts giants down to size and David knew it. God takes the impossible and makes it possible and David knew it. God can intervene in what might seem to be the most difficult of circumstances and turn those circumstances into good for us and David knew it. So David could walk out onto that field. Pass by the stream and pick up five smooth stones. One for Goliath and four more for Goliath’s four brothers just in case they decided they wanted to play, too. David could declare with confidence God was on His side and God would do the impossible to prove He was God.

Was David special? Not really. What was special about him was that He turned to God in the good and the bad times of life. When he made mistakes, and he did, he went to God and repented. He tried his best to live the way God wanted him to live. He read and meditated on God’s word. He read the scriptures that were available to him. He listened to the prophets that came to him and advised him. He prayed. He talked to God and listened to God. And he did what God asked him to do.

Does that make him special? I suppose it makes him different than most of the people around us. Because most of the people around us do what they want instead of what God wants. That’s the difference. What course will you follow? Yours or God’s? What giants do you face? Will you step out and let God defeat them with you or will you cower in the tents and let them continue to hold you back and make life miserable for you?

God is still in the business of showing who He is to those who will listen to Him and obey His word. All you have to do is step out on the battlefield. He pretty much does the rest. And He always wins. Always. Romans 8:28 is true when we meet those two conditions it holds. All things do work for good when we love Him and when we align our lives with His plan. Look up and let Him work in your life the plans He has for you. You won’t regret it. He promises.

You can find me at richardagee.com. I also invite you to join us at San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene on West Avenue in San Antonio to hear more about The Story and our part in it. You can find out more about my church at SAF.church. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed it, tell a friend. If you didn’t, send me an email and let me know how better to reach out to those around you. Until next week, may God richly bless you as you venture into His story each day.

 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Good advice from the One who knows (Matthew 5:27-30) January 13, 2015

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 3-5

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 5:27-30
Jesus: As you know, long ago God forbade His people to commit adultery. You may think you have abided by this Commandment, walked the straight and narrow, but I tell you this: any man who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery in his heart. If your right eye leads you into sin, gouge it out and throw it in the garbage—for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell. And if your right hand leads you into sin, cut it off and throw it away—for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

We don’t like these words today. A lot of us would just as soon skip over this part of the Sermon on the Mount and pretend Jesus never said these things. But He did. So what do we do about them? Barna Group surveys show that adultery in the church happens about as often as adultery outside the church. The media says it’s okay. In fact, our culture seems to encourage sexual experimentation before marriage and out of marital relationships.

Our culture wants us to believe it’s okay, to engage in pre-marital and extra-marital affairs. No harm done to any parties involved. Or so they say. Look around at our society and it’s easy to see the damage, though. Broken homes, damaged and castaway children. Emotional wreckage along the pathway of life because we think it’s okay to disregard Jesus’ words.

And just like with His discourse about murder, Jesus starts with a behavior that we know will disrupt the fabric of a healthy and wholesome society and reminds us that behavior doesn’t come from pure instinct within the framework of the human creation. We have a choice in our behavior, our actions spring from thought, not pure base instinct as in other animals. We can decide to act differently. We can choose behavior that glorifies God and keeps the norms of society on a higher plane.

So the act of adultery doesn’t just happen. One must decide to engage in adulterous behavior. But the thought generates from lust long before the full blown thought of sexual engagement with another, just like the act and thought of murder simmers and grows from the germ of separateness and envy and anger.

And what is the germ of lust? Wanting something you don’t have. It’s that selfish motive that says, I want something that doesn’t belong to me…no matter the consequences. It gets back to the same motive Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden. They decided they knew better than God. Lust is the same way. I disregard what God knows is best and decide I know what is best for my life. I want to satisfy my desires the way I want them satisfied despite the consequences.

The consequences always show up. Sooner or later, you reap what you sow. Remember the story of king David and Bathsheba? He saw her bathing from his rooftop and decided he would take her even though he knew it was wrong. She got pregnant. David tried to get Uriah home from the war to pass the child off as his. But Uriah didn’t go home. The stakes get worse. David’s lust leads to murder as he sends Uriah into the heart of the battle and has Joab abandon him. Then David tries to cover his sin by doing an honorable thing…marrying the poor hero’s widow to make sure she is taken care of the rest of her life.

The people bought the ploy. God didn’t. Bathsheba’s child died. David’s son raped his half-sister. Then his daughter’s brother, killed his half-brother in revenge. His avenging son tries to take the throne and is killed in battle against David’s army. But David’s family is a disaster. The throne is in jeapordy. The nation is a mess. The loyalties of the people are torn between two factions. And it all started with David’s selfish desire for something that wasn’t his – lust! It’s a deadly game we play when we let our thoughts run away with us.

Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how what seems like innocent thoughts can turn into disasterous actions with long range results , just like they did for David. “If your right eye leads you into sin, gouge it out and throw it in the garbage—for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell. And if your right hand leads you into sin, cut it off and throw it away—for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell.” Good advice from the One who knows us best!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Forever, firm and resolute (Psalm 119:89-112) December 26, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 119:89-112

Set – Psalms 117; Psalms 119:81-176

Go! – Psalms 117, 119:81-176; 2 John; 3 John

Psalms 119:89-112
89 Forever, O Eternal One,
Your word stands in heaven, firm and resolute.
90 Your faithfulness endures to every generation;
You founded the earth, and it remains.
91 Everything remains today in keeping with Your laws,
for all things exist to serve You.
92 If I had not found joy in Your guidance,
then I would have died from my misery.
93 I will never forget Your precepts,
for through them You have given me life.
94 I belong to You, Lord; save me
because I have taken care to live by Your principles.
95 The wicked lie in wait, anxious to kill me;
I will set my mind on Your statutes.
96 I have seen the limit of all perfection,
but Your commands are all-encompassing.

97 Oh, how I love Your law!
I fix my mind on it all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies
because they are always with me.
99 I have more discernment than all my teachers
because I study and meditate on Your testimonies.
100 I comprehend more than those who are my elders
because I have kept Your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from walking the paths of evil
so that I may live according to Your word.
102 I have not neglected Your lessons,
for You, God, have been my teacher.
103 Your words are sweet to my taste!
Yes, they are sweeter than honey in my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from Your instructions;
that’s why I hate every deceitful path.

105 Your word is a lamp for my steps;
it lights the path before me.
106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it:
I pledge to do what You say is right and just.
107 I have suffered terribly, O Eternal One;
give me the life You promised.
108 Please accept the words I offer willingly, O Eternal One,
and instruct me in the ways of Your justice.
109 My soul is continually in danger,
but I do not forget Your teachings.
110 The wicked have laid a trap for me,
but I have not drifted away from Your instructions.
111 Your decrees are forever mine,
for they bring joy to my life.
112 I have committed myself to do what You require
forever and ever, to the very end.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

David understood. He starts this section of his meditation on My law with the words, “Forever, O Eternal One, Your word stands in heaven, firm and resolute.” He knew that despite the convenient changes man might want to make in My laws, they stood firm and resolute from the beginning to the end of time. I came from heaven to live alongside you for a time and told you the same thing. I didn’t come to do away with the law, but to fulfill it.

So many people today want to try to change My laws. They say they are old-fashioned, out-dated. They say My law should keep up with the times. What those folks don’t understand is that I made each person. It’s My miracle that allows birth to happen in the first place. It’s My miracle that allows life to happen on this third planet in orbit around this particular star in your galaxy. It’s My design that keeps all of those things in place so you can enjoy this world at My pleasure.

What you forget is that you haven’t changed. I’ve let you learn more about the place you live. I’ve let you discover more about the way things work so you could enjoy more comfort in life. But your desires basically mimic those of your ancient ancestors. You want a better life for your children. You want to live in safety. You prefer health over sickness, warmth over cold, community over isolation. You have not really changed since I first created humankind.

So the precepts of living I designed for you and passed on through My prophets centuries ago are just as valid today as they were then. Just because you want your selfish ways doesn’t mean they are good for you or for the greater community in which you live. That’s really why I gave you those laws in the first place, to remind you that My way, not yours, is how you will succeed in living in community with Me and with your fellow man.

David understood this concept so well, he closed this section of his psalm with these words, “I have committed myself to do what You require forever and ever, to the very end.” David understood that as long as He followed My rules, life would go well for him. Every time he strayed from the laws I gave his people, he found himself in trouble.

Pay attention to David’s meditation on My laws. Live by them and see if you don’t find yourself enjoying life as much as David did when you follow My ways instead of your own.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Protection for God’s purpose (Psalm 124), November 18, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 124

Set – Psalms 124; 2 Corinthians 12

Go! – Psalms 124; 2 Corinthians 11-13

Psalms 124
1 If the Eternal had not been with us—
sing, Israel, sing—
2 If He had not been with us
when the villains came for us,
3 When their anger flamed around us,
they would have swallowed us up alive!
4 Their hatred was like a flood:
the waters were rising and would have engulfed us;
the streams were rushing past and would have overcome us.
5 The furious waters would have broken over us.
Battered and overwhelmed, we surely would have drowned!
6 Blessed be the Eternal
who did not leave us
to be torn by their fangs!
7 Our souls cry out: “We escaped with our lives like a bird
from the fowler’s snare!
The snare was broken,
and we escaped with our lives!”
8 Our help has come in the name of the Eternal,
the Maker of heaven and earth!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Have you ever experienced one of those near escapes that David talks about in this psalm? Perhaps you avoided a collision by just inches. Maybe you missed something falling on you by seconds. Maybe you missed a flight that later crashed or a ferry that sank. Maybe you changed your travel plans and found that a tornado or hurricane ripped through the area you would have visited if you had not changed your plans.

Did you ever stop to think about those near misses and wonder how that happened? Have you ever stopped to think that I’m watching over you? Did you ever stop and wonder if there really are guardian angels that look out for you at times?

David understood that many of the escapes he experienced were because of My hand protecting him. He knew only My intervention could keep him safe in some of those narrow misses when he should have been captured or killed at the hands of his enemies. But I often protect My children from the mishaps of life and keep them safe from their enemies.

Do I always intervene? No. Sometimes I let the suffering that is part of being in this world happen because I promised that the world would hate you and that you would have trouble in this world. Sometimes you must identify with Me in the suffering I did as I walked with you in the flesh. It’s not because I like to see you in pain or sorrow, but because I don’t want you to think that this world is the place for you. This is only a testing ground.

The life you live now is only the beginning. It is the place you decide who you will serve for eternity. This life allows you to choose whether you will serve yourself or serve Me. Some of the decisions you make will entail some suffering in this world because the world does not want you to follow Me. It will hate you for it. The world will do everything it can to dissuade you from believing I even exist, much less following in the path I lay before you.

I just show you My creation, give you My love and let you choose. I’m not pushy. I don’t nag. I just let you see Me all around you and then let you make the choice between following Me or following your own way. I always hope you will choose to follow Me, though. I don’t want you to be lost forever with the rest of those who fail to heed My call and do what I ask them to do to complete My plans for this world.

I want you to understand, like David did, that I will never leave you and help you escape from the clutches of your enemies. I will help you to get through this life with honor and peace and joy. My joy. The kind that survives the troubles of this world. Joy that breaks through the sorrow this world dishes out and still fills the heart with the knowledge that I am with you until the end of time. The joy that makes you sing despite the circumstances of the day and brings peace to your troubled heart.

Know that I am always there to protect you to fulfill your part of My plan and all things work together for good for those who are called according to My purpose. But it’s My purpose, not yours. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Fight the right fight (Psalm 35), November 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 35

Set – Psalms 35; 2 Corinthians 1

Go! – Psalms 35; 2 Corinthians 1-2

Psalms 35
1 Make a case against those who struggle with me, Eternal One.
Battle against those who battle against me.
2 Be my shield and protection;
stand with me and rescue me!
3 Draw the spear and javelin
to meet my pursuers.
Reassure my soul and say,
“I will deliver you.”
4 Shame and dishonor those ruthless enemies
who wish to end my life.
Turn back those who conspire against me,
defeated and humiliated!
5 Let them be separated from the righteous as chaff is separated from the grain,
blown by the wind,
driven far, far away by the Eternal’s messenger.
6 Make their way unsure and dangerously dark,
a gauntlet of gloom
chased through the darkness by the Eternal’s messenger.
7 For no reason at all, they set a trap for me—a net, a snare—
then, without cause, they disguised a pit to capture my soul—another cowardly snare.
8 May they be surprised by their own destruction.
May they become tangled in their own net
and fall into the pit which they, themselves, dug.
9 When that day comes, my soul will celebrate the Eternal
and be glad in His salvation.
10 Every fiber of my being will shout,
“Eternal One, there is none like You!
You save the poor
from those who try to overpower them
and rescue the weak and the needy from those who steal from them.”
11 False witnesses step forward;
they ask me strange questions for which I have no answers.
12 When I do good to them, they do evil to me,
bringing misery to my soul.
13 When they were sick,
I mourned for them and wore sackcloth;
I chose to humble myself by fasting.
But my prayers came back unanswered.
14 So I mourned more deeply as if I grieved for my brother or friend;
I went around bowed down by sorrow, dressed in black,
as if I were weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered together
and celebrated my fall with joy;
People attacked me when I wasn’t expecting it;
they slandered me with no end.
16 Like godless mockers at a festival,
their words tore at me.
17 Lord, how long will You do nothing but watch?
Save me from their evil assaults, plots, and plunder;
rescue my life from these hungry beasts, these ruthless lions!
18 Then I will praise You and thank You at the great gathering,
in the company of the entire congregation.
19 Do not allow my enemies to boast at my expense,
for they despise me without any cause—
yet they wink at me—malicious, taunting winks.
20 Their words have no ring of peace.
They plan evil rumors and incriminations
against those who live peacefully in the land.
21 They speak lying accusations against me;
they say, “Aha! Aha! We know what you’ve been up to.
We’ve seen it with our own eyes!”
22 You have seen what’s happening, Eternal One; don’t remain silent!
Lord, do not stay far away from me!
23 Wake up; come to my defense!
Fight for me, my Lord and my God!
24 Pass Your judgment, Eternal One, my True God;
do it by the standards of Your righteousness.
Do not allow my enemies to boast over me.
25 Do not allow them to gloat over me,
“Aha, we have won! We got what we wanted!”
Do not allow them to brag,
“We chewed him up and spit him out.”
26 Shame and confuse those who celebrate my suffering;
may those who exalt themselves above me be covered with shame—
wrapped in a cloak of dishonor!
27 As for those who desire my vindication,
may they be joyful and glad.
May they forever say,
“The Eternal is indeed great!
He takes pleasure when good things happen to His servant!”
28 That’s why I will speak of Your righteousness
and sing praises to You all day long.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

How do you fight your battles? David learned a secret to coming through his battles as the victor. He knew how to fight. He didn’t fight against men, but rather brought the battles to Me. When he did, he won. When he failed to do so, he lost. Read the psalm again. David had enemies coming at him, abusing him, discrediting him, slandering him. But instead of fighting them, he brought his cause to Me. He remembered that vengeance belongs to Me.

David brought his request for justice to Me and let Me deal with his enemies. It’s a tactic you should employ with your enemies. Fight the right fight. When you pray for those that seem to be against you, you’ll find that engaging My help is the right choice. I never lose. I’ve already been victorious over sin, evil, and the world. It’s an easy matter for Me to take care of your enemies as well. Only I might not take care of them the way you expect. I might just transform them and make them your friend. I might make them your brother or sister. I might want you to help them, care for them, love them the way I love you. You can do it…with My help.

Just give your problems to Me. Give your eneemies to Me. Fight the right fight in the right place in the right position…on your knees. Remember, I always win. Always. It’s who I am.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Start your journey with God (Psalm 122), November 11, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 122

Set – Psalms 122; 1 Corinthians 10

Go! – Psalms 122; 1 Corinthians 9-11

Psalms 122
1 I was so happy when my fellow pilgrims said,
“Let’s go to the house of the Eternal!”
2 We have made the journey, and now we are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem! What a magnificent city!
Buildings so close together, so compact.
4 God’s people belong here. Every tribe of the Eternal
makes its way to Jerusalem—
Just as God decreed for Israel
to come together and give thanks to the Eternal.
5 In Jerusalem, justice is the order of the day because there sit the judges
and kings, the descendants of David.
6 Ask heaven to grant peace to Jerusalem:
“May those who love you prosper.
7 O Jerusalem, may His peace fill this entire city!
May this citadel be quiet and at ease!”
8 It’s because of people—my family, friends, and acquaintances—
that I say, “May peace permeate you.”
9 And because the house of Eternal One, our God, is here, know this:
I will always seek your good!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Do you get excited the way David does when you go to church? David wrote this psalm for those who journeyed to Jerusalem to worship Me. He remembered the excitement of approaching the city and seeing the buildings gleaming in the sun as he turned the bend in the road and saw the city on the side of the mountain. David thrilled with the thought of coming to My city to worship Me. Every time he Jerusalem to do battle or to take care of some part of the kingdom, he longed for the thrill of coming home to see the beautiful city of Zion set on the hill for My glory.

You hear it in his song. He gave this song to the people of Israel to sing on their way to the city when they came to worship Me. When they joined together to lift their voices in praise, they began to think about worship well before they entered the city, well before they came to the tabernacle. They came to the city expectantly. As they gathered along the roads on the journey, families would meet each other and take up the song.

Enthusiasm would build the closer the people came to the city. They waved palm branches in the air, they sang songs of joy. They lifted My name as they came through the gates and approached the tabernacle to bring their sacrifices to Me. Joy filled their hearts well before they came to the tabernacle because they began to worship well before they came to the tabernacle. They sang and praised and prayed and lifted their voices to Me all along their journey to Jerusalem. They worshiped together long before their feet hit the city streets. They worshiped together and prepared their hearts all along the way.

When the people finally reached the tabernacle brought to Jerusalem, the people already had their hearts and minds set on Me. They already prepared themselves well in advance of their arrival and getting to the tabernacle just continued their celebration. They were ready to see Me and experience My glory because they prepared for it all the time they traveled from their home to get to the tabernacle.

So how about you? Do you prepare to meet with Me when you come to worship? Do you sing and praise and pray on your journey from your home to the place you will gather with others to worship Me? Do you come enthusiastically to the place where you will experience My glory and present yourself to Me as a living sacrifice so I may bless you and your family as you worship with those of like mind with Me? Is your journey a chore? A bore? Or an enthusiastic joy knowing you have an opportunity to meet with Me again?

You might try what the early Israelites did on your next trip to church. Sing and praise Me on the way. Get prepared to meet Me before you come. Worship Me along the way. You’ll be surprised what it does to the rest of your day when you start your journey with Me. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Spend time with God (Psalm 145), September 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 145

Set – Psalms 145; Revelation 20

Go! – Ezekiel 38-39; Psalms 145; Revelation 20

Psalms 145
1 I will lift my praise above everything to You, my God and King!
I will continually bless Your name forever and always.
2 My praise will never cease—
I will praise You every day;
I will lift up Your name forever.
3 The Eternal is great and deserves endless praise;
His greatness knows no limit, recognizes no boundary.
No one can measure or comprehend His magnificence.
4 One generation after another will celebrate Your great works;
they will pass on the story of Your powerful acts to their children.
5 Your majesty and glorious splendor have captivated me;
I will meditate on Your wonders, sing songs of Your worth.
6 We confess—there is nothing greater than You, God, nothing mightier than Your awesome works.
I will tell of Your greatness as long as I have breath.
7 The news of Your rich goodness is no secret—
Your people love to recall it
and sing songs of joy to celebrate Your righteousness.
8 The Eternal is gracious.
He shows mercy to His people.
For Him anger does not come easily, but faithful love does—and it is rich and abundant.
9 But the Eternal’s goodness is not exclusive—it is offered freely to all.
His mercy extends to all His creation.
10 All creation will stand in awe of You, O Eternal One.
Thanks will pour from the mouths of every one of Your creatures;
Your holy people will bless You.
11 They will not be silent; they will talk of the grandeur of Your kingdom
and celebrate the wonder of Your power
12 Until everyone on earth who has ears to hear knows Your valiant acts
and the splendor of Your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom will never end;
Your rule will endure forever.
You are faithful to Your promise,
and Your acts are marked with grace.
14 The Eternal sustains all who stumble on their way.
For those who are broken down, God is near. He raises them up in hope.
15 All eyes have turned toward You, waiting in expectation;
when they are hungry, You feed them right on time.
16 The desires of every living thing
are met by Your open hand.
17 The Eternal is right in all His ways,
and He is kind in all His acts.
18 The Eternal stays close to those who call on Him,
those who pray sincerely.
19 All of you who revere Him—
God will satisfy your desires.
He hears the cries for help, and He brings salvation.
20 All of you who love God—
He will watch out for you,
but total destruction is around the corner for all the wicked.
21 My lips will sing the praise of the Eternal.
Let every creature join me and praise the holy name of God—forever and always!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

David sang of Me and he sang to Me. His songs of praise filled his courts continually and filled My tabernacle day and night. I love to hear the praises of My people. David learned to trust Me in the good and bad seasons of life. He knew I was there for him. He learned I would always be with him and would never fail in My purposes for his life. Sometimes the days might look dark, but I was always in control and nothing ever happens outside of what I allow. I know you and I know what is best for those who follow Me.

Sometimes it was hard for even David to realize the situations he faced were temporary and My will for him would carry him to greater blessings. But David would stop and remember this world is temporary. You are not made for this world alone. When Adam fell to the temptations of Satan, I made a way of salvation for him and those who came behind him. Even though I made death one of the curses he faced, I also created a new home for those who accepted My salvation and turned back to Me.

Heaven is real. I have prepared it for all who believe in Me. I began preparing it at the first sin in the Garden of Eden when I also made a way of repentance and restoration for humankind’s immortal soul. I want you to desire to be with Me as much as I desire to be with you. David learned that lesson as he came to know Me on those wilderness hills tending sheep and never forgot those lessons. He put many of those lessons into verse and sang them to the sheep under his charge as a shepherd and sang them to the flock I gave him as king.

You can sing those same songs from your heart as you learn of Me, not just as God, but as your Savior, as your provider, as your creator, as your friend. David learned much about Me because he spoke with Me consistently and constantly about his life, his joys, his sorrows, his problems, his blessings. David didn’t want to know about Me, he wanted to know Me. So he spent time with Me on those Judean hillsides talking with Me. And I shared much with him that helped him write his songs.

Read David’s words again in Psalm 145 again today. Read them two or three times. Recognize the depths of understanding David had of Me. You can know Me, too. Just spend time with Me. I know you well. I’d like you to get to know Me better. 

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Learn from David’s prayer (Psalm 144), August 27, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 144

Set – Psalms 144; Revelation 1

Go! – Jeremiah 52; Psalms 143-144; Revelation 1

Psalms 144
1 Blessed be the Eternal, my rock.
He trains my hands for war, gives me the skills I need for battle.
2 He is my unfailing love and my citadel.
He is my tower of strength and my deliverer.
He is my shield of protection and my shelter;
He holds my people in check under me.
3 O Eternal One, what is man, that You even care to know him?
or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4 Humans are like a passing breath;
their time on earth is like a shadow that passes over us during the day and soon is gone.
5 Eternal One, stretch out an opening in the heavens, and descend.
Touch the mountains, and make them smoke.
6 Send forth bolts of lightning, and scatter my enemies.
Shoot Your fiery arrows, and rout the enemy.
7 Reach down from Your high place;
save me out of the great waters;
rescue me from the grasp of these foreigners
8 Who speak only lies
and don’t have truth in their deeds.
9 To You, my God, I will sing a new song;
I will sing Your sweet praises to the sound of a ten-stringed harp,
10 For You deliver kings from their enemies
and You rescue Your servant, David, from the sword of evil.
11 Rescue me,
and save me from the grasp of these foreigners
Who speak only lies
and don’t have truth in their deeds.
12 May our sons be like healthy plants
as they grow and mature,
And may our daughters be like the corner pillars
that decorate a palace.
13 May our storehouses be full
with abundant supplies of every crop,
And may the flocks of our fields
multiply into thousands and tens of thousands!
14 May our cattle be strong and productive,
without miscarriage, without loss,
and may there be no riots or protests in our streets!
15 Happy are the people for whom all this is true;
happy are the people whose God is the Eternal!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Did you notice David’s pattern of prayer in his psalm? He recognized who I am. He asked for protection. He praised Me again. He asked for protection. He gives a blessing to My people. That’s not a bad way to think about prayer. Praise and blessings need to outweigh your petitions. But then, when you focus your attention on Me, it will.

As you walk with Me, you’ll find your prayers turning that direction. It’s not that I’m not interested in your petitions. I am. I’m interested in every aspect of your life. But you’ll find that the closer you walk with Me, you’ll become more interested in My plans than yours. You’ll want to know more about what I want from you than what you want from Me. You’ll begin to see the world around you from a whole new perspective. You begin to see with kingdom eyes.

I told you that you would be in the world but not of the world. You’ll see the world with My eyes. You’ll see it’s needs. You’ll see it’s evil. You’ll see it’s false wisdom. You’ll see it’s idolatry. You’ll see it’s selfishness. You’ll see it running toward hell.

You will see My tears as I cry for My creation and long for souls to listen to My followers. You’ll see My tears as those who say they believe in Me sit on the side lines and watch passively as thousands around them race past them oblivious to the fact that they are destined for destruction. You’ll see why I sorrow as you observe the spiritual state of humankind. And you’ll long to do something about it.

Like David and My prophets you will pray. You will ask Me to intervene and praise Me for what I’ve done for you. You will recognize My power to save and sing praises because of it. You will ask Me to help you stop the flood of people rushing toward destruction and praise Me for using you in whatever way I choose to do so. You will ask Me to bless all who are part of My plan to share the message of salvation and pour out your heart to Me in thanksgiving because of who I am and what I do for you each day.

Walk with Me and watch your prayer life change. David’s did. All My followers change because I won’t let you stay the way you are. I want you to become more like Me. Dig in and learn from Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God’s word is always true (Jeremiah 33), August 24, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Jeremiah 33

Set – Jeremiah 33; 1 John 5

Go! – Jeremiah 33-34; Psalms 74; 1 John 5

Jeremiah 33
1-2 For a second time the message of the Eternal came to Jeremiah as he was being held in the court of the guard. The Eternal who made the earth, who formed and fashioned it, the One whose name is the Eternal, has this to say:
Eternal One: 3 Call to Me, and I will answer you. I will tell you of great things, things beyond what you can imagine, things you could never have known. 4 I, the Eternal God of Israel, tell you that all these public buildings and royal palaces have been dismantled in vain. You thought you could strengthen the city walls with the scraps of those buildings, but it is a useless defense against the siege ramps and swords 5 of the Chaldeans. In this fight, the city will be filled with the dead whom I will destroy in My anger and wrath, for I have hidden My face from this city because of their wickedness. 6 Nevertheless, keep watching! I will restore this city and heal the wounds of My people. I will lavish them with peace and stability. 7 I will bring both Judah and Israel back from captivity, and I will rebuild their land to what it was before. 8 I will cleanse them from all the sins they committed against Me and forgive all the wrongs they have done and all the ways they rebelled against Me. 9 Jerusalem will have a sweet-sounding name once again. The good I do for her will bring Me joy, praise, and honor among all nations of the earth, for they will be in awe and tremble at the peace and prosperity I give to this city.
10 Listen to Me, Jeremiah. You say this place will become a desolate wasteland with no people and no animals, but it will not always be so. The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem may indeed become lifeless, but I, the Eternal One, promise you the silence will be broken. Once again you will hear 11 the sounds of laughter and joy, the sweet words of the bride and bridegroom at a wedding, and voices of those who bring thank offerings to the temple singing,
Give thanks to the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies,
for He is good. His faithful love endures forever.
All of this will happen because I will restore the riches of this land to what they once were.
12 I, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, promise: even this desolate place—with no people and no animals—and all of its ruined cities will once again have pastures where shepherds will rest their flocks. 13 In the towns of the hill country, in the villages of the western hills, in the cities of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the vicinity around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, once again flocks will be cared for by a faithful shepherd who will count each and every one of his sheep.
14 Look! The days are coming when I will fulfill the promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 In those days, when the time is right, I will cause a righteous Branch to sprout from the old stump of David’s lineage; He will do what is right and just in the land. 16 In those days, Judah will be liberated, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And the city will be called by His name, The Eternal Is Our Righteousness. 17 I tell you, the royal dynasty of David will not cease; the throne of Israel still belongs to his family. Remember this, even as other kings rule over you. 18 Remember also that the line of Levitical priests will not cease; for all time they will stand before Me offering burnt offerings, grain offerings, and making sacrifices.
19-20 Again, the word of the Eternal came to Jeremiah.
Eternal One: If you can figure out a way to break My covenant with the day and with the night so they do not always arrive on schedule, the very rhythm of life on this earth, 21 only then will My covenant with My servant David be broken and his son not rule from his throne. Only then will My covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before Me be null and void. 22 I will make David’s descendants, along with the Levitical priests who minister before Me, so numerous they will seem like the stars of the skies that cannot be counted and the sands of the seashore that can never be measured.
23 The word of the Eternal came to Jeremiah again.
Eternal One: 24 Have you noticed what some people are saying? “The Eternal chose these two families, Israel and Judah, but He has now rejected them.” They clearly despise My people—they don’t even consider them a nation any longer! 25 But again, this is what the Eternal promises: “Just as I am not about to stop ruling the universe with fixed laws so that the day and the night become confused, 26 I will likewise keep My promise to the descendants of Jacob and David, My servant; I will not reject them. I will not forget the covenant I made with David that one of his descendants will rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will restore their fortunes and have mercy on them.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

After Jeremiah’s prophecies, many of My people began to lose hope. Thousands found themselves in exile in strange lands. They knew they would likely never return to their homeland. Others saw the might of Nebuchadnezzar’s army assembled outside the walls of Jerusalem and everything pointed toward the destruction of the city and the death of all who remained within the walls. Despair and hopelessness seemed to make up the fabric of people’s lives everywhere they turned.

But Jeremiah gave them My promise that David’s descendants would continue to sit on the throne. They would not understand how after the exile and destruction of the nation, but it would come to pass through the birth of Jesus, My Son, with both Joseph, His earthly father and Mary, His mother, descedants of David. Jeremiah believed but didn’t understand. He faithfully carried My message without knowing what it would mean for all humankind.

My kingdom would burst upon the scene in the form of a small seemingly insignificant baby. But what a difference He would make. God in human flesh. The Anointed One showing the world My love for them. Becoming a living sacrifice while He walked alongside them and the sacrifice for all sins when He died upon the cross for all humankind. Jeremiah saw a glimpse of what was to come. You know the rest of the story. Rejoice with all My believers then and now knowing My word is always true.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Everything belongs to God (1 Chronicles 29:10-25), May 17, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Chronicles 29:10-25
Set – 1 Chronicles 29; Psalms 95
Go! – 1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 29; Psalms 95; 2 Thessalonians 1

1 Chronicles 29:10-25
10 he blessed the Eternal in a prayer before the assembly.

David: You are blessed, O Eternal One,
God of Israel, our father, forever and ever.
11 All that is great and powerful and glorious and victorious and majestic
is Yours, O Eternal One.
Indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to You.
The kingdom belongs to You, O Eternal One, and You are the head of it all.
12 Wealth and glory come from You,
and You rule over them all.
In Your hand is power and strength,
and You use them to make great and strengthen everyone.
13 Because of your greatness, our God,
we testify about Your greatness and praise Your glorious name.
14 But who am I and who are my people
that we can offer up anything to You so willingly?
All our offerings come from You,
so we can give You nothing that isn’t already Yours.
15 For we are strangers before You, sojourners, as all our fathers were.
Our days on the earth are dark and temporary.
16 O Eternal One our God, we realize that all this abundance,
all that will build Your temple for Your holy name,
Is from Your hand already.
Everything is Yours.
17 O my God, You test the heart and delight when it is proven faithful,
so I, with an honest heart, have willingly offered all these things.
And now I have joyfully witnessed Your people, who are present here,
make their offerings willingly and joyously to You.
18 O Eternal One, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
sustain this purpose and thought
In the hearts of Your people forever
and guide their hearts to You.
19 Especially give to my son Solomon a perfect heart,
one that keeps Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your laws,
One that will do them all, and one that will build the temple,
for which I have made provisions.
20 (to the assembly) Now bless the Eternal One your God.

Right then, the assembly obeyed David, blessing the Eternal, the God of their fathers, and bowed low in worship before the Eternal One and the king. 21 On the next day, they made sacrifices and burnt offerings to Him: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs. They also gave abundant drink offerings and sacrifices for all Israel. 22 Then they ate and drank before the Eternal with great gladness, and they coronated Solomon (son of David) a second time, anointing him as ruler and Zadok as priest for the Eternal. 23 Then, for the first time, Solomon sat on the throne of the Eternal as king instead of his father David. Solomon prospered, and all Israel recognized him as their king. 24 All the officials, the warriors, and the other sons of King David pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25 The Eternal exalted Solomon as a great ruler before all Israel and gave him royal majesty greater than any king before him in Israel.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Something David recognized that many today don’t, or at least act like they don’t, is that everything is Mine. People hang on to things and hoard treasures like they belong to them instead of Me. But everything is Mine. I allow you to take care of some things for Me for a little while, but in the end, everything belongs to Me. It’s all Mine. From beginning to end, it’s all Mine.

I share things with you. I want you to enjoy the treasures the earth affords, but don’t hang on to anything too tightly. You can’t take anything with you and the events of life make the tangibles too insecure anyway. What can you hold in your hands that is really of value anyway? There is only one thing. Another human being.

Everything else is temporary and has limited, temporary value. Only another human being has eternal value. So when you hug another person or hold a baby in your hands you hold something of value. The relationship you build with people and with Me lasts forever. The things you try to hang on to disappear.

Think of the things you once thought so important to you when you were younger. Perhaps it was a new piece of furniture now battered and scarred by years of abuse by kids. Maybe it was that new car, traded many times over and probably demolished by now. Perhaps a wedding band, with designs long worn away. Precious, but it’s not the band, but the symbol of the relationship it stands for that is so important to you, not the band itself that really means so much to you.

You see, when you let go of all those tangible things, remembering they belong to Me, I often given them back to you to let you take care of them for Me for a while. But cling to the important things. Cling to your relationship with Me and other people. Those can last forever.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.