tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11192660002997715182024-02-19T01:24:15.271-08:00A Jesus Freak Named MelanyAn artist by nature,
A pastor by calling,
A follower of Jesus by choice.Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.comBlogger226125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-73401958415931495802021-03-03T08:52:00.003-08:002021-03-03T08:52:46.317-08:00Oh, Lord! Have Mercy!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Psalm 19.7-14</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">reviving the soul. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">making wise the simple. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">8 The commandments of the Lord are right, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">bringing joy to the heart. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The commands of the Lord are clear, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">giving insight for living. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">lasting forever. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The laws of the Lord are true; </span><span style="font-family: arial;">each one is fair. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">10 They are more desirable than gold, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">even the finest gold. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">They are sweeter than honey, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">even honey dripping from the comb. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">11 They are a warning to your servant,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> a great reward for those who obey them. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Cleanse me from these hidden faults. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Don’t let them control me. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Then I will be free of guilt </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and innocent of great sin. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">14 May the words of my mouth </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and the meditation of my heart </span><span style="font-family: arial;">be pleasing to you, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hu5iaa7OGwzDL7ZPET0Vezf3t_6QWYxGFFYZbfv23IeUAMpdOYKQAOUjxenlWPr0rDl4BhvOeTndSGwEauAq_vCio9ADjxzFRf4Z8pHnsfdq1ltpN2R57CTO4jA1geLTxoXU3ylT_mha/s800/honey-dripping-isolated-black-background-wooden-dipper-spoon-140571032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hu5iaa7OGwzDL7ZPET0Vezf3t_6QWYxGFFYZbfv23IeUAMpdOYKQAOUjxenlWPr0rDl4BhvOeTndSGwEauAq_vCio9ADjxzFRf4Z8pHnsfdq1ltpN2R57CTO4jA1geLTxoXU3ylT_mha/w632-h632/honey-dripping-isolated-black-background-wooden-dipper-spoon-140571032.jpg" width="632" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Hard to believe it has been over a month since last stopping in here to share a few words. Life. It just gets so crazy! Being appointed to a new community in July, I have been working with the new staff and leadership as I learn where they have been and where they are going. At the same time, I am working with my current staff and Leadership to prepare them for the change. Did I mention I took several classes this year to grow as a Christian?? Yah. Might have waited on that if I had known about the move. But they are great and certainly help fill me back up when I empty out. Add to all this, trying to schedule and plan and officiate many funerals and weddings that were either put on hold last year due to Covid or simply want before I leave and we have quite the busy late winter and spring at MUMC! </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And yet... God calls for our attention. God knows that in the midst of busyness it is easy to lose sight of the One who can help us through the maze of life. That's why daily devotions are so important. They ground us, reminding us of who we are and whose we are. <br /><br />Psalm19 has always been a go to text for me. "</span><span style="font-family: arial;">The instructions of the Lord are perfect, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">reviving the soul." Who doesn't need a revival of soul coming out of last year?!?! Cheez whiz! That was a crazy one. Of course we need revival of our souls. So we take the time and read God's word. We quiet ourselves in case God has something to say to us. And we allow God to direct our path, to keep us safe from temptation and sin, to heal our brokenness and give us rest. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Deep<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">abiding<br />rest. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Take a look at that spoon full of honey. Think about all the work it took those busy little bees to make it. All the work they had at protecting their Queen. All the work farmers had to harvest it, sifting it, bottling it, and getting it to each of our tables. It pours slowly like molten gold. Bubbles of oxygen trickle throughout. And when it touches our tongues?? Sheer delight. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">God's word and instruction is the same. Yes, it takes work and dedication to absorb it daily. Yes, it takes an effort to fit it all in. And yes, when we do, it will taste like fresh honey from the combs, dripping like gold all over our hearts and minds. Oh Lord! Have mercy on my soul. Have mercy on my schedule. Have mercy on my days and hours. May they include you at every step.</span></p>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-68374512572246512462021-01-23T08:43:00.027-08:002021-01-23T11:51:05.060-08:00Why Are You Leaving?<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The First Disciples<br />Mark 1.16-20 </span></span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">16 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon[g] and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him.</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.</span></h3><div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Footnotes</span></div><div><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">1:16 Simon is called “Peter” in 3:16 and thereafter.</span></div></div><div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB-36uI77EAL1S9mw3-1KgoDhLGj6MRNgwIw0axz4m2NHd77m64cIfQqGq_WuPzdn0QiBxxO4eEFHc08MrvSU87PvK__m-IGWGze-XkwEsMqXuPVsGgl8CVbbhz4gMHflxCG6N6N0fTRB/s856/b48f2c03bbd159814922841bfb3fe7d7_XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="856" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB-36uI77EAL1S9mw3-1KgoDhLGj6MRNgwIw0axz4m2NHd77m64cIfQqGq_WuPzdn0QiBxxO4eEFHc08MrvSU87PvK__m-IGWGze-XkwEsMqXuPVsGgl8CVbbhz4gMHflxCG6N6N0fTRB/w642-h481/b48f2c03bbd159814922841bfb3fe7d7_XL.jpg" width="642" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What a week. (...sigh...) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I received a call from my District Superintendent (my supervisor/pastor) and was told I will be serving next in Eaton Rapids. It is just 15 minutes from our farm, so that is pretty amazing considering I could be moved anywhere in the lower or upper peninsula of Michigan. I also think it is a good match of needs and gifts. But leaving the family that has already been placed in your care?? Now, that's the hard part. <br /><br />"Why are you leaving?"<br />"Are you kidding me? Seriously, you're leaving??"<br />"I am so pissed right now!"<br />"I don't want another pastor! I want you! You are my pastor!"<br />"You were the reason I started attending MUMC! You can't go!" <br /><br />As I read this scripture in Mark earlier this morning, I wondered if Peter, James, and John's family all cried out similarly. <br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Why are you leaving?"</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">"Are you kidding me? Seriously, you're leaving??"</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">"I am so pissed right now!"</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">"I don't want you to go! I want you here! You are my son!"</span><br style="font-family: arial;" /><span style="font-family: arial;">"You were the reason I started fishing! You can't go!" </span><br style="font-family: arial;" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yet, when Jesus called, they went. It's funny how we all read scripture and mostly, agree with it... until it turns and applies to us. Then we're like "I don't think so!" It's like we understand the needs that God shows us in scripture, but we just find it hard to believe those same needs are in our lives. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Of course, when God calls, we should follow. <br />Of course, when Jesus is in need, we should help. <br />Of course, when others down the road are on God's heart, then they ought to be on ours. <br />But "our" pastor?? Our friend?? Our teacher or counselor or leader?? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And so we listen, we love, we offer words of comfort and hope, knowing all will be well. It will work out. God is also calling someone else (with gifts I <i>don't</i> have!) to come and care for my family at MUMC. They will fall in love, in time, as we had. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">And one day, they too will be called onward. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So goes discipleship. <br />Jesus calls. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The disciple follows. <br />Others cry out "Why!?!" <br />And the answer is always the same:<br /><br />Jesus calls. </span></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial"><br /></span></div>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-84242052040146224412021-01-19T19:27:00.002-08:002021-01-19T19:28:37.524-08:00All Right, All Right! I'll Go!<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Jonah 3.1-10</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">1 Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.[a] 4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.</span></h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Footnotes</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">3:3 Hebrew a great city to God, of three days’ journey.</span></span></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs5TOsJYjXdEJS84SXW-6jwKRWRlzmTI9pj1TUZEk_BEk2xDaZAohuaoSqhQaJ8EmRayLdKAfEmbzdeR2N7DLRLGm0z-sJdL3xIuaqWISMmlc6glf3nmr4sLa67Dg4QW_mZwTKRzyfAWH/s1000/Jonah%252Band%252BJesus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1000" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs5TOsJYjXdEJS84SXW-6jwKRWRlzmTI9pj1TUZEk_BEk2xDaZAohuaoSqhQaJ8EmRayLdKAfEmbzdeR2N7DLRLGm0z-sJdL3xIuaqWISMmlc6glf3nmr4sLa67Dg4QW_mZwTKRzyfAWH/w595-h423/Jonah%252Band%252BJesus.jpg" width="595" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">Jonah. Servant of God who wants to pick and choose who he serves and who he doesn't. So he stands firm. "No God. They aren't worthy and I'm not going." And then he runs. He jumps on a ship and tries his best to run from God. Only problem is, God churned those waters until the guys on the ship started to freak. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">Jonah already told them he was running from God, so they had a pretty good idea where the stormy waters were coming from. Jonah did too. So, following Jonah's orders, they toss him overboard and sure enough, the waters stop. Smooth as glass. Only now, Jonah is in the belly of a big fish... until he begins praying, calling out to God. And God heard him and had the fish spit him out onto the shore. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">It's kind of funny. God doesn't miss a beat. He sends Jonah right back to where he was sending him when Jonah ran away. This time, he went. But he still wasn't thrilled. Jonah didn't think the people of Ninevah were worthy of being saved. He knew they were sinners living in ways that offended God and felt they deserved to be wiped off the earth... even though God gave Jonah a second chance! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">So Jonah did what God told him to do this time and the Ninevites heard him. In fact, they repented, turned from their evil ways, and re-committed themselves to God's ways. I would love to tell you that Jonah felt bad and did the same. But he didn't. He was kind of miffed that they actually listened. He truly wanted God to wipe them off the earth. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">As I read this scripture today, it got me thinking about the way God calls us to work with or reach out to specific people, and sometimes, we just plain disagree. We don't want to work with them. We don't want to share Jesus with them. And we certainly don't want to share the love of Jesus with them. So we run. We jump ship and head in the opposite direction. But where we go, there God is. On turbulent waters, in the bellies of fish, on long unwanted journeys. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">And so we cry out... and God hears. And just like Jonah, God doesn't change direction. God sends us in the same direction he did before we ran. Oh, surprise! So here's a thought: What about just going where God calls, doing what God asks of us, and celebrating when what God calls us to do, actually works. Now there's a thought! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">All right, all right!... I'll go. <br />How about you?<br /><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div><br /></div>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-51797991947047414152021-01-12T12:25:00.004-08:002021-01-12T12:28:13.684-08:00Go Back to Bed<div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">The Lord Speaks to Samuel</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">3 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle[a] near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI_pMMYljXFYUgTWZrsYyCYcBzadkB-6dmbz_ck4M0hjj2S63iWShO0rTlehoVpN3PA1K1Qai2SXFuF08lHrV82PBG1mVX5NKxPnlTJ5kthw07Q8yLVmmc1TQMUrQ6M5aW51zCtFE6EjJ/s1068/Samuel_GodSpeaking1.2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="1068" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI_pMMYljXFYUgTWZrsYyCYcBzadkB-6dmbz_ck4M0hjj2S63iWShO0rTlehoVpN3PA1K1Qai2SXFuF08lHrV82PBG1mVX5NKxPnlTJ5kthw07Q8yLVmmc1TQMUrQ6M5aW51zCtFE6EjJ/w655-h437/Samuel_GodSpeaking1.2.png" width="655" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The voice of God. Few ever get the opportunity to hear it. I mean, <i>"hear it!"</i> with our very own ears. We certainly do our best to listen for it, but most will go their entire life and never actually hear the voice of God speaking to them directly. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So is it any wonder that this young boy doesn't recognize God's voice? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We are told early in 1 Samuel that Hannah (Samuel's mother, eventually...) had no children. Yet, even though her husband's other wife (culturally, multiple wives was proper at this time) was able to provide children for him, he loved Hannah most. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One day while Hannah was praying at the Tabernacle of God and weeping loudly, the High Priest Eli was sitting near the doorpost. She was praying, asking God for a son and in return, she promised to give the son back to God to serve him. The desperation of Hannah's prayer shows just how much she wanted to be a mother, even if it meant she could not keep the son she had wanted all her life. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hannah's promise to give her son back if God placed him in her womb was so crazy to Eli, that he questioned her about being drunk! But when she explained her pain with being barren, Eli blessed her. Hannah went home and conceived a son. When he was born, they named him Samuel, "Heard by God". Hannah enjoyed her son, holding him in her arms, rocking him to sleep, and feeding him to her breast... until he was weened. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then she took him to the temple to serve God by assisting Eli, the High Priest. And so we come to today's text. We are told that Samuel didn't know the Lord yet. He served God by serving God's priest, but he didn't have a personal relationship with God yet. In God's time. And here, God's time came. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In God's time and in God's way, we will each hear from God. For some, though rare, it will be a voice in the night. For others, it will be a tingle as hairs stand on your arms and neck while singing a song. Or maybe you see a Cardinal or a sunset and feel the presence of God surrounding you. Or maybe, you just know deep within your being, where you have asked God to dwell, what it is that God is saying to you. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe you have never heard God's voice, or Holy bumps, or signs of the Spirit or anything else. That's okay too. Actually, Jesus says that it is one thing to hear or see and believe. But true belief comes from not hearing or not seeing and believing anyway. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've always thought, maybe I have heard God's voice a few times because my faith <i>wasn't </i>that strong and it was the only way God could get my attention! So don't be hard on yourself if you haven't heard or seen a thing when it comes to God speaking to you. Be ready though, just in case. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And if you aren't sure who it is calling you by the second or third time, hear some wisdom from Eli: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Go and lie down again, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and if someone calls again, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’”</span></div>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-38087931837321033852021-01-07T06:33:00.000-08:002021-01-07T06:33:14.102-08:00Visitors From the East<p><span style="font-family: arial;">1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men[a] from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,[b] and we have come to worship him.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> are not least among the ruling cities[c] of Judah, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">for a ruler will come from you </span><span style="font-family: arial;">who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’[d]”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Footnotes</b><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">2:1 Or royal astrologers; Greek reads magi; also in 2:7, 16.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">2:2 Or star in the east.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">2:6a Greek the rulers.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">2:6b Micah 5:2; 2 Samuel 5:2.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V4pXGiT7SK7iDNWZya8RXMZmgS27GrqLTIXk7MR2-LjFJTEF4ZqWKCYxi4B7wqWm0hecMp0g-G4G19dcyMVk2kK1WKieYTdOOv71bHrF2bQUKMYcF0wXyYDVxiKRHLlPgj0FQQY2xxNb/s1800/the-wise-men-traveling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V4pXGiT7SK7iDNWZya8RXMZmgS27GrqLTIXk7MR2-LjFJTEF4ZqWKCYxi4B7wqWm0hecMp0g-G4G19dcyMVk2kK1WKieYTdOOv71bHrF2bQUKMYcF0wXyYDVxiKRHLlPgj0FQQY2xxNb/w668-h444/the-wise-men-traveling.jpg" width="668" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Wisemen, Magi, Three Kings. Known by many names, the visitors from the East came with determination to find the One who was to be born. Not only did they want to find the babe, but they wanted to worship him, as well.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It should be no surprise that the powers that be were threatened by this joyous event. If it was important enough to mark this birth with a star, shining brighter than all others, then likely this special person would be born with power and authority. Any time someone's power is threatened by a newcomer, those in current power hunker down to hold onto the power they have available to them, as long as possible. Even if people get hurt. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yesterday was a day in our nation that crushed spirits and placed fear in our hearts. As the entire world watched, we all asked "How far will they go?" If one person shoots, will it be a maylay? A massacre? Will everyone start shooting? Would people be taken hostage? Or be beaten? The Capitol Building was breached with such speed, we all just watched in horror. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A peaceful transfer of power is central to our democratic government in the U.S. Yet, when the reality set in that the people chose a different leader, the current leader in power wasn't willing to pass that baton. At least, not peacefully. So lies were told, fear was placed in the hearts of followers, and an invitation was given. <br /><br />"Come and create chaos! Be strong and powerful!" </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And so they came. In the thousands. Breaking windows, scaling walls, pushing past law enforcement and barricades. Pushing past democracy and decency. Power does that. The Lord of the Rings comes to mind.<i> "My precious..." </i>Power once held is a very potent thing. It is why we have laws and processes, institutions and guidelines. That way, we don't have to depend on the human spirit to do the right thing. We simply follow the path laid out before us... no matter how we "feel". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The visitors from the East came by Light. <br />They were eager to meet this new leader. <br />They brought gifts of great value. <br />They became Light to a weary mom and dad who had just recently became parents. <br /><br />How can we become Light today? <br /><br />When the nation is whirling and the images never stop replaying.<br />When people are still dying, in the thousands every day, from a pandemic left unchecked.<br />When the divide between "the aisle" is wider than even our differences.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How can you become Light today? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Stop using "us" and "them" language. <br />Stop relying on others to make the change. <br />Start searching out someone with differing views to begin a friendship with.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Do something Light-filled. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The Wisemen put in much effort traveling a great distance, bringing very expensive gifts, and had to dodge the wrath of a leader who sensed his power would soon be challenged. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">They <i>did something</i> anyway. <br />Will you?</span></p>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-78103363780516882462021-01-06T05:40:00.000-08:002021-01-06T05:40:19.292-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>2 Samuel 1</b><br /><b>David Learns of Saul’s Death</b><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect.<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">3 “Where have you come from?” David asked.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied.<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">4 “What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">5 “How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">6 The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. 7 When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him.<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">8 “He responded, ‘Who are you?’</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him.<br />9 “Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’ 10 “So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">11 David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day. 13 Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, “Where are you from?”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And he replied, “I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">14 “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">15 Then David said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. 16 “You have condemned yourself,” David said, “for you yourself confessed that you killed the Lord’s anointed one.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnekiVGmL0t8XoDg0Me4yhsYnhpFA1-4jgmJTp2vnafDphWjIJERJpqr4xdaCFlKkGEZciYRgT4N8iIcVLpHt6-F19WAnXVXtDSKiBxnhs9vSW7wxLNQyZHrtBvCJINQ0wZZRSkualwx25/s300/Weltchronik_Fulda_Aa88_250v_detail-300x225.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnekiVGmL0t8XoDg0Me4yhsYnhpFA1-4jgmJTp2vnafDphWjIJERJpqr4xdaCFlKkGEZciYRgT4N8iIcVLpHt6-F19WAnXVXtDSKiBxnhs9vSW7wxLNQyZHrtBvCJINQ0wZZRSkualwx25/w631-h473/Weltchronik_Fulda_Aa88_250v_detail-300x225.jpg" width="631" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">"Tell the truth and you won't get in trouble." We teach our kids this from a young age. It is always better to tell the truth than to concoct some story to save our butts. This story turns that theory on its head. Here we have a young man showing respect (kneeling, covered in dust) and trying to do the right thing, sharing the truth of what had happened. And David responds by having him killed. <br /><br />Can you imagine, for a moment, being out in that field and seeing the King impaled by his own sword, bleeding out, and begging for help... and you do what? Pretend you never saw it? Walk away? Allow him to suffer in agonizing pain? I don't know. I can't say I could lay a hand on anyone and take their life in my hands, but at the same time, I can't imagine allowing them to continue to suffer, either. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I have a new dog. She is a rescue Pit and has extreme anxiety issues. I worry about her running into the road and being hit. In fact, the other night, she pulled out of her collar when my husband was taking her out potty and she wouldn't come back. Two and a half hours I searched for her in the yard, around barns, in neighbor's yards, and along the roadside. Several times I thought "Oh, if she's been hit by a car but is not dead, I don't want her to suffer!" and yet at the same time, could I have done anything if I found her that way? Probably the only thing I would have done is gone to get my husband and have him "do the dirty work." Thankfully, I didn't need to. I found her next door at Hillside Dairy Farm at 12:30am. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is easy to hear a story like this one and think we know what they "should" have done or what we "would" have done. But we are not them and they are not us. So instead, we try to understand the views of each involved and form empathy for them, trying to understand their motives. For the young man, I believe he was showing compassion by not only taking Saul's life, but by returning to David to let him know what happened. He could have just walked away. As for David, my guess is he was in great despair. He loved Jonathon and certainly had love for Saul, even though Saul had lost his mind and done everything possible to take David's life. And so in his grief and dismay, he found a scapegoat... and took his life, instead. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-24660421659272667642021-01-05T06:06:00.000-08:002021-01-05T06:06:09.194-08:00Reset 2021<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Wow. <br />What a year. <br />What a mess. <br />What chaos and loss and emotional distress. <br />Elections, pandemics, and zoom meetings... oh my! <br />Who isn't ready for 2020 to leave this earth? <br />Who isn't placing huge expectations on 2021 being a better, kinder, and healthier year?? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And so... as I respond to all these in my own life, I have decided if I want 2021 to be different, then I have to do something different. So I am. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have had 11 joint surgeries (degenerative joint disease) in the past 7 years, making it difficult to work out regularly. In addition, I sit waaay too much for work. I live on a farm and love to garden, but it is not year-round. So rather than waiting for it to be easy or convenient to be physically active, I have decided that 2021 will be the year of commitment and change. I am planning on working out 3 days a week from here forward. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For the past several years, I have been Bible Journaling. Most mornings I start the day with a scripture reading, an entry in my Gratitude Journal, and some form of artistic expression of the scripture I have just read. Sometimes that is scrapbooking, sometimes a drawing, a design with decorative tape, or using old greeting cards I have received from others. What I have been missing is reflecting on the Word. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I will be returning to my blog in 2021. My hope is to add a personal reflection several days a week. I'll start with the actual scripture reading, then an artist's rendering or photograph that reflects that portion of scripture, and then my reflection. Feel free to add your reflections in the comments. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8vYliDXhoBcYCMfo2RqQNpwKAzHm2S2QlBwn7fkyOf0coBc4s7FWiYvAjdkMcVDZtKmqh_e3BniHSFZLHveIfhywVzCTQqKFwXi3Eum3bx6uQWa3ffmCPNRDBITcwG179ly7SVTERRPw/s626/man-jumps-from-year-2020-2021-with-sunlight-sea-as-background_50039-1549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="626" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8vYliDXhoBcYCMfo2RqQNpwKAzHm2S2QlBwn7fkyOf0coBc4s7FWiYvAjdkMcVDZtKmqh_e3BniHSFZLHveIfhywVzCTQqKFwXi3Eum3bx6uQWa3ffmCPNRDBITcwG179ly7SVTERRPw/w640-h426/man-jumps-from-year-2020-2021-with-sunlight-sea-as-background_50039-1549.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;">No one wants a redo of 2020. So let's move forward into 2021 together, not hoping it will be different, but making choices that will ensure a new and different year ahead. </span></p>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-1205204336898203502015-06-09T06:49:00.001-07:002015-06-09T06:49:59.939-07:00For My Sake, Deal Gently2 Samuel 18.1-18<br />
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Absalom’s Defeat and Death<br />
18 David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains[a] to lead them. 2 He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops, “I am going out with you.”<br />
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3 But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they urged. “If we have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be looking only for you. You are worth 10,000 of us,[b] and it is better that you stay here in the town and send help if we need it.”<br />
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4 “If you think that’s the best plan, I’ll do it,” the king answered. So he stood alongside the gate of the town as all the troops marched out in groups of hundreds and of thousands.<br />
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5 And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders.<br />
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6 So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim, 7 and the Israelite troops were beaten back by David’s men. There was a great slaughter that day, and 20,000 men laid down their lives. 8 The battle raged all across the countryside, and more men died because of the forest than were killed by the sword.<br />
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9 During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair[c] got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air. 10 One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.”<br />
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11 “What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver[d] and a hero’s belt!”<br />
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12 “I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,[e]” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’ 13 And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.”<br />
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14 “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree. 15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.<br />
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16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel. 17 They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.<br />
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18 During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day.<br />
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Footnotes:<br />
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18:1 Hebrew appointed commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.<br />
18:3 As in two Hebrew manuscripts and some Greek and Latin manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts read Now there are 10,000 like us.<br />
18:9 Hebrew his head.<br />
18:11 Hebrew 10 [shekels] of silver, about 4 ounces or 114 grams in weight.<br />
18:12 Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver, about 25 pounds or 11.4 kilograms in weight.<br />
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I often wonder what is it about leadership that draws others not to follow? More often than not, people are asked to lead, voted into place, or otherwise chosen to be a leader. And yet most do not follow their direction.<br />
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Here we clearly see King David wanting to join the warring party, yet he is discouraged to do so. Instead he is left behind and therefore has even less influence on the battlefield. Before his men leave to fight in his stead, he gives the direct command to go easy on his son, for he is young and vulnerable, still loved deeply by his father. <br />
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When the time comes, Absalom ensnares himself in a tree in the forest and is seen by others. Although some stand back and remember the orders they were given by the king, others lung forward. Without the ability to fight back, Absalom's life is taken... three daggers and then a mob ensues. Not even his body was brought back for proper burial. A king's love for his son is thrown down in that pit and covered with rocks... along with all dignity and respect. For it seems Joab and others have none for their leader.<br />
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<br />Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-7260049416120054212015-06-08T09:17:00.000-07:002015-06-08T09:17:05.216-07:00Who Really Wins, Anyway??2 Samuel 15.1-37<br />
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15 After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. 2 He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. 3 Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. 4 I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”<br />
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5 When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. 6 Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.<br />
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7 After four years,[a] Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made to him. 8 For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron[b] if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”<br />
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9 “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.”<br />
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So Absalom went to Hebron. 10 But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’” 11 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions. 12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.<br />
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David Escapes from Jerusalem<br />
13 A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”<br />
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14 “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”<br />
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15 “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”<br />
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16 So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 17 The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house 18 to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.[c]<br />
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19 Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, “Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile. 20 You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.[d]”<br />
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21 But Ittai said to the king, “I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”<br />
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22 David replied, “All right, come with us.” So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.<br />
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23 Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.<br />
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24 Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices[e] until everyone had passed out of the city.<br />
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25 Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle[f] again. 26 But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”<br />
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27 The king also told Zadok the priest, “Look,[g] here is my plan. You and Abiathar[h] should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28 I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River[i] and wait there for a report from you.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.<br />
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30 David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill. 31 When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”<br />
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32 When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning. 33 But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden. 34 Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. 35 Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace, 36 and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.”<br />
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37 So David’s friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.<br />
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Footnotes:<br />
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15:7 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads forty years.<br />
15:8 As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew lacks in Hebron.<br />
15:18 Hebrew the Kerethites and Pelethites.<br />
15:20 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads and may unfailing love and faithfulness go with you.<br />
15:24 Or Abiathar went up.<br />
15:25 Hebrew and his dwelling place.<br />
15:27a As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Are you a seer? or Do you see?<br />
15:27b Hebrew lacks and Abiathar; compare 15:29.<br />
15:28 Hebrew at the crossing points of the wilderness.<br />
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And so Absalom turns on his father and the deal making begins. Deceit runs deep on both sides of the game. Each determines their next move and the counter moves of the opponent. Like a chess game of human proportions, players are moved from one location to another, and then back again. Everyone is guessing what move will be made next by the other, and then decisions are made affecting all.<br />
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Today, we seem to do the same thing. We anticipate the moves of others, whether in family disagreements, work relations, or friendship circles. And then we begin to form a team, like a childhood game of Red Rover. We take the biggest and the brightest, the most powerful and influential. We place them on our team in hopes of increasing our chances at success. But let's define this success: to simply be sure the other loses. <br />
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And surely we know the outcome. There will be regrets and there will be tears. There will be brokenness and their will be loss. Who really wins, anyway??Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-30970474499842043922015-05-04T08:21:00.003-07:002015-05-04T08:21:59.155-07:00No More Rape<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Samuel 13:1-19, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Rape of Tamar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. 2 Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David’s brother Shimea.[a] 4 One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 “Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish[b] as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.” 7 So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. 9 But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. 11 But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 “No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. 13 Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. 15 Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here!” he snarled at her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 “No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. 17 He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe,[c] as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 19 But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13:3 Hebrew Shimeah (also in 13:32), a variant spelling of Shimea; compare 1 Chr 2:13.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13:6 Or a couple of cakes; also in 13:8, 10.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13:18 Or a robe with sleeves, or an ornamented robe. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know what is worse: the text above or the glorified paintings throughout the years of Tamar's rape... especially those who depict the innocent Tamar with a smirk on her face! Are you kidding me?! I get it was another time. I get there was a patriarchal system. But I don't get the lack of concern from anyone other than Absalom. I certainly do not condone his retaliation with murder. My heart just breaks for Tamar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of us who have lived an entire life with the after affects of rape and incest in our families, these stories in scripture are so very hard to read and receive. Where was King David in confronting his son Amnon? Where were his own brothers in holding him accountable immediately after the event? Where was God? <i>Where is God</i> in the story? Where goes Tamar from here? No more mention or concern or outcome from Tamar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet we see similar events occur right here in our own lives, and intentionally or unintentionally, we make the same mistakes. We think by taking care of things ourselves we are actually helping the victim. We think by saying nothing we protect the dignity of the one whose dignity has already been stolen. <i>Oh, when</i> will humanity learn from his/her mistakes and become a new people? A people who gives value to the other? A people who places lust at the bottom and integrity, respect for the human body, and love of those closest to us at the very top? [sigh]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No rape. We desperately need a world where there is no more rape. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-14400154488972193372015-05-02T20:48:00.001-07:002015-05-02T20:48:36.029-07:00A Voice of Reason<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Samuel 12:1-25, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nathan Rebukes David</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Confesses His Guilt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. 14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord[a] by doing this, your child will die.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. 16 David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. 17 The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">19 When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions,[b] and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">21 His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">22 David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David[c] named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child 25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.[d]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12:14 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text reads the enemies of the Lord.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12:20 Hebrew anointed himself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12:24 Hebrew he; an alternate Hebrew reading and some Hebrew manuscripts read she.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12:25 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads because of the Lord.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, the need for a voice of reason in our lives. There are times we get so wrapped up in our own desires that we actually begin to believe what we are doing is warranted, and even okay with God. Yet if we look closely to God's word, we know that this cannot possibly be true. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In David's case, adultery was against God's word. Lying was against God's word. Murder was against God's word. And as God says, "I gave you all you needed and if you would have asked, I would have given you even more." How many times do we simply take without asking? How many times do we take things into our own hands, somehow fooling ourselves into believing what we are doing is justified? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so we offer our lives to God and ask God to send a voice of reason when one is needed. Someone to point the finger and say, "That man, that woman, is you!" Then, and only then, can we repent of our selfish and wicked ways, and return to the God who saved us. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-12672251403602562352015-05-01T07:02:00.000-07:002015-05-01T07:02:32.137-07:00A Word of Warning<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Samuel 11:1-27, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David and Bathsheba</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 In the spring of the year,[a] when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.[b]” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents,[c] and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Arranges for Uriah’s Death</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 Then Joab sent a battle report to David. 19 He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. 20 But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 21 Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon[d] killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">22 So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. 23 “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, 24 the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25 “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11:1 Hebrew At the turn of the year. The first day of the year in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in March or April.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11:8 Hebrew and wash your feet, an expression that may also have a connotation of ritualistic washing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11:11 Or at Succoth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11:21 Hebrew son of Jerub-besheth. Jerub-besheth is a variation on the name Jerub-baal, which is another name for Gideon; see Judg 6:32.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We know of so many good attributes of David, and can certainly understand why God would choose him to be king of his people. But here, we see a series of choices that leads him down a totally different path: one that does not please the Lord. And how easy for any of us to begin down this path of our own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was at that very moment when David saw the other woman bathing that choices were given. He could have chosen to simply appreciate but then turn and walk away. Or if it was in his custom, and within God's law at that time, to have many wives and he was attracted to this woman, then he could have sent for more information. But when the response came that she was another man's wife, not to mention a wife of one of his own soldiers, then under God's law he should have ended his infatuation there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet we know, he did not. So his poor choices continue, from committing adultery to lying to deceiving to murder. One broken law of God's moves to another to another until David is so far from God's ways, that it is hard to know how this man can represent God to his people. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A word of warning to us all: one bad choice is one bad choice too many. We must live with such desire to be in God's will that our choices reflect his ways, or we cannot expect to lead others. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-12273155124632533242015-04-30T06:28:00.002-07:002015-04-30T06:29:00.779-07:00The Empty Chairs<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Samuel 9:1-13, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 “Where is he?” the king asked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. 6 His name was Mephibosheth[a]; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household.[b] But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table,[c] like one of the king’s own sons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9:6 Mephibosheth is another name for Merib-baal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9:10 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads your master’s grandson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9:11 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads my table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How easy it can be to move into new positions, live out new opportunities, and forget to make room at the table for others. Here we see one of the many reasons David was chosen by God to be king. David's relationship with Jonathan was of substance, so he wanted to keep his word and take care of Jonathan's family. David sends for one of Jonathan's sons, crippled in both feet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now already, this is amazing. Most kings will not bring crippled, less than seemingly perfect people into his household. Many felt these kinds of physical abnormalities were curses or even the work of God himself as punishment for something the family had done wrong. But none of this superstition seems to cross David's mind. Instead, he welcomes Mephibosheth into his household and to a seat at his table. The king's table. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only this great honor, meal after meal, but also David gives Mephibosheth's grandfather's land back to him and his family. He sends servants to farm it. He offers hope and a future, in addition to a friend. Mephibosheth's life will never be the same. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So who could be invited to our tables? Who has been left in the dust? Who was looked over or forgotten? Who might truly benefit from our friendship, our care, our meals, or even our family time together? Did God simply share this story for us to understand more about who David was, or could God have possibly shared this story to make us more aware of who we are, through his son Jesus? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next meal you have at your dining/kitchen table, look at the empty chairs and ask God "Who can I show your kindness to, God?" </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-16333451976986027572015-04-29T06:45:00.001-07:002015-04-29T06:45:37.958-07:00In God's Time<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Samuel 5:1-12, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Becomes King of All Israel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past,[a] when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. 5 He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Captures Jerusalem</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. 7 But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites.[b] Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.[c]” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.”[d]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces[e] and working inward. 10 And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. 12 And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5:2 Or For some time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5:8a Or Those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites hate me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5:8b Or with scaling hooks. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5:8c The meaning of this saying is uncertain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5:9 Hebrew the millo. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the legacy begins. From a shepherd boy to a warrior. From a warrior to the hunted. From the hunted to the anointed. The brave youngest son of Jesse is called to set down his sling and staff, in order to pick up the nation of Israel. Both the north and the south, all of Israel, is brought back together under one reign, by the provision of God, the Almighty Yahweh himself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is easy to see how at any point David could have questioned his call to one day lead God's people. It didn't take long for Saul's loyalty to change to jealousy. Everything became a battle, not just wars with enemies, but wars with the very one he was called to serve. It is at times like these we must all humble ourselves and continue in service, trusting God's plan is a good one and will unfold in due time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so David did. He ran when he needed to run. He fought when he needed to fight. He humbled himself at the feet of his enemy when he needed to speak truth in love. And when it was time, God's time, the way was cleared and David took the throne. There will be mistakes make along the way, but remember, this is a man that sincerely wanted to please the Lord God Almighty... and he did. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-79220425173631922362015-04-28T19:02:00.001-07:002015-04-28T19:02:54.803-07:00Breaking Your Own Rules<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 28:1-25, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saul Consults a Medium</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28 About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of Israel and camped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. 6 He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots[a] or by the prophets. 7 Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 So Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes. Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 “Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why are you setting a trap for me?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 But Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord and promised, “As surely as the Lord lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are Saul!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 “Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I see a god[b] coming up out of the earth,” she said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 “What does he look like?” Saul asked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel, and he fell to the ground before him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. 18 The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites. 19 What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel’s words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">21 When the woman saw how distraught he was, she said, “Sir, I obeyed your command at the risk of my life. 22 Now do what I say, and let me give you a little something to eat so you can regain your strength for the trip back.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23 But Saul refused to eat anything. Then his advisers joined the woman in urging him to eat, so he finally yielded and got up from the ground and sat on the couch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 The woman had been fattening a calf, so she hurried out and killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it into dough and baked unleavened bread. 25 She brought the meal to Saul and his advisers, and they ate it. Then they went out into the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28:6 Hebrew by Urim.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28:13 Or gods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever made a rule or set a guideline only to find that you are the one who needs (or believes you need) to break it? Welcome to Saul's dilemma. So he pretends to be someone he is not, he goes to see a medium who he has outlawed and he gets what he never expects: a death sentence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moral of the story? Don't set a boundary you cannot keep... no matter what. Period. Always. </span></div>
<br />Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-37920240422607861352015-04-27T08:03:00.001-07:002015-04-27T08:03:23.076-07:00After God's Own Heart<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 25:1-42, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Death of Samuel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25 Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nabal Angers David</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then David moved down to the wilderness of Maon.[a] 2 There was a wealthy man from Maon who owned property near the town of Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and it was sheep-shearing time. 3 This man’s name was Nabal, and his wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beautiful woman. But Nabal, a descendant of Caleb, was crude and mean in all his dealings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, 5 he sent ten of his young men to Carmel with this message for Nabal: 6 “Peace and prosperity to you, your family, and everything you own! 7 I am told that it is sheep-shearing time. While your shepherds stayed among us near Carmel, we never harmed them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. 8 Ask your own men, and they will tell you this is true. So would you be kind to us, since we have come at a time of celebration? Please share any provisions you might have on hand with us and with your friend David.” 9 David’s young men gave this message to Nabal in David’s name, and they waited for a reply.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 “Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters. 11 Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 So David’s young men returned and told him what Nabal had said. 13 “Get your swords!” was David’s reply as he strapped on his own. Then 400 men started off with David, and 200 remained behind to guard their equipment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants went to Abigail and told her, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed insults at them. 15 These men have been very good to us, and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us. 16 In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep. 17 You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel[b] of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys 19 and said to her servants, “Go on ahead. I will follow you shortly.” But she didn’t tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 As she was riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming toward her. 21 David had just been saying, “A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. 22 May God strike me and kill me[c] if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Abigail Intercedes for Nabal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. 25 I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests.[d] But I never even saw the young men you sent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26 “Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, since the Lord has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is. 27 And here is a present that I, your servant, have brought to you and your young men. 28 Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. The Lord will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the Lord’s battles. And you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">29 “Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! 30 When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, 31 don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the Lord has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">32 David replied to Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! 33 Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. 34 For I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.” 35 Then David accepted her present and told her, “Return home in peace. I have heard what you said. We will not kill your husband.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">36 When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day. 37 In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke,[e] and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck him, and he died.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Marries Abigail</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">40 When the messengers arrived at Carmel, they told Abigail, “David has sent us to take you back to marry him.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">41 She bowed low to the ground and responded, “I, your servant, would be happy to marry David. I would even be willing to become a slave, washing the feet of his servants!” 42 Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25:1 As in Greek version (see also 25:2); Hebrew reads Paran.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25:18 Hebrew 5 seahs [36.5 liters].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25:22 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads May God strike and kill the enemies of David.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25:25 The name Nabal means “fool.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25:37 Hebrew his heart failed him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, so much to learn from this pericope! First we have David sending out his men to test the waters and see how Nabal will respond. That didn't take long. He's a jerk and his response solidifies that fact. But then we have David's response which lowered David down a few pegs. By allowing vengeance to rule, David stoops to the foolishness of Nabal and decides to kill them all simply for not wanting to return goodness for the goodness he and his men already had shown. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>First Question:</b> Do we show goodness with intent to receive it back? Or do we simply offer goodness for its own sake, no matter the response of others?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So one of Nabal's servants has enough brains to run and share what has just happened with Abigail, Nabal's wife. She knows what the outcome will be so without hesitation, she grabs what she can for a peace offering and heads out to intercede on behalf of her people. And so she does. She speaks truth and wisdom to David, and luckily (for both Abigail's community, and David's own character) he responds to the reality check favorably. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Second Question: </b>Do we listen to those God sends to wake us up out of our own stupor and set us back on the track God intends for us? Or do we push on ahead with a "none of your business" attitude? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the long run, Nabal gets what is coming him and so does Abigail. Instead of living with a mean spirited hot-head, she is given David as her husband. Not that all her life will be easy or without stupidity and pain, but <i>she will </i>live comfortably with a man after God's own heart. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-57510747446078702362015-04-26T05:35:00.002-07:002015-04-26T05:35:46.555-07:00It Could Happen <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 24:1-20, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Spares Saul’s Life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 [a]After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24:1 Verses 24:1-22 are numbered 24:2-23 in Hebrew text.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The perfect example of Jesus' teaching to "love your enemy". Saul has been hunting down David for some time now. He has allowed jealousy and envy to consume his mind and his time and spends it, and all his troops, to find David and kill him. So here we see Saul in all his vulnerability (stopping in a cave to go to the bathroom, the proverbial "caught with his pants down") and rather than taking advantage of that vulnerability, David used it to make an even better point. "Yes, you were vulnerable and I had every chance, and right, to kill you, but instead, I offer you mercy. I offer you friendship. I offer you my faithfulness."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even David's men egg him on to seize the moment and attack the very one who has been breathing down David's neck with a taste for blood. But David cannot. He does not see this opportunity as one given by God for revenge, but instead as a test of his strength to not become one who sins against God or neighbor, even if that neighbor is your enemy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So David stands firm and offers Saul reason. "I had every opportunity to kill you but instead I did not. How can I possibly be a threat to you?" And that very thing we call mercy touched Saul's heart and sent tears to his eyes. Can you imagine if we all treated our enemies this way? We could change the world. Imagine that: Jesus' teachings changing the world. It could happen, you know. It truly could. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-58666321626884028732015-04-25T07:44:00.001-07:002015-04-25T07:44:55.944-07:00Loving Others as Yourself<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 20:1-42, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jonathan Helps David</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 “That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the Lord and by your own soul!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 “Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 David replied, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. I’ve always eaten with the king on this occasion, but tomorrow I’ll hide in the field and stay there until the evening of the third day. 6 If your father asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice. 7 If he says, ‘Fine!’ you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me. 8 Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the Lord—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 “Never!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Then David asked, “How will I know whether or not your father is angry?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 “Come out to the field with me,” Jonathan replied. And they went out there together. 12 Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know. 13 But if he is angry and wants you killed, may the Lord strike me and even kill me if I don’t warn you so you can escape and live. May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. 14 And may you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die, 15 treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David,[a] saying, “May the Lord destroy all your enemies!” 17 And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 Then Jonathan said, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. You will be missed when your place at the table is empty. 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile.[b] 20 I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, ‘They’re on this side,’ then you will know, as surely as the Lord lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble. 22 But if I tell him, ‘Go farther—the arrows are still ahead of you,’ then it will mean that you must leave immediately, for the Lord is sending you away. 23 And may the Lord make us keep our promises to each other, for he has witnessed them.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon festival began, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat at his usual place against the wall, with Jonathan sitting opposite him[c] and Abner beside him. But David’s place was empty. 26 Saul didn’t say anything about it that day, for he said to himself, “Something must have made David ceremonially unclean.” 27 But when David’s place was empty again the next day, Saul asked Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse been here for the meal either yesterday or today?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28 Jonathan replied, “David earnestly asked me if he could go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Please let me go, for we are having a family sacrifice. My brother demanded that I be there. So please let me get away to see my brothers.’ That’s why he isn’t here at the king’s table.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30 Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!”[d] he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? 31 As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">32 “But why should he be put to death?” Jonathan asked his father. “What has he done?” 33 Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">34 Jonathan left the table in fierce anger and refused to eat on that second day of the festival, for he was crushed by his father’s shameful behavior toward David.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">35 The next morning, as agreed, Jonathan went out into the field and took a young boy with him to gather his arrows. 36 “Start running,” he told the boy, “so you can find the arrows as I shoot them.” So the boy ran, and Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy had almost reached the arrow, Jonathan shouted, “The arrow is still ahead of you. 38 Hurry, hurry, don’t wait.” So the boy quickly gathered up the arrows and ran back to his master. 39 He, of course, suspected nothing; only Jonathan and David understood the signal. 40 Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him to take them back to town.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">41 As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile.[e] Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">42 At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.[f]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20:16 Hebrew with the house of David.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20:19 Hebrew the stone Ezel. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20:25 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads with Jonathan standing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20:30 Hebrew You son of a perverse and rebellious woman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20:41 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads near the south edge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20:42 This sentence is numbered 21:1 in Hebrew text.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again we hear the words "for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself." In Matthew 22, Jesus responds to a Pharisee's question about what the most important law of Moses is. “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Moses' time forward, people were well aware that loving God with all your being meant loving others as yourself. Yet it is so very rare that we see this Great Commandment lived out so selflessly as we do here with Jonathan and David. David is truly troubled that he has offended King Saul in some way. And Jonathan simply cannot believe that his father would want to kill someone as admired and upstanding as David. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet once he finds the truth and experiences his father's rage first hand, Jonathan returns to David's side. Both cry, as two friends must part in order to keep both safe. Jonathan places his own life on the line in so doing and David surely knows this. And so the tears fall as Saul's descent into the pits of selfishness, envy, and rage take over his life... and even his family ties. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-7484342709917454932015-04-24T05:45:00.001-07:002015-04-24T05:45:31.233-07:00So Much for Green<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 18:1-30, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saul Becomes Jealous of David</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. 2 From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. 3 And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. 4 Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and Saul’s officers alike.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.[a] 7 This was their song:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Saul has killed his thousands,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and David his ten thousands!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” 9 So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 The very next day a tormenting spirit[b] from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, 11 and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul. 13 Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Marries Saul’s Daughter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17 One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 “Who am I, and what is my family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” David exclaimed. “My father’s family is nothing!” 19 So[c] when the time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to David, he gave her instead to Adriel, a man from Meholah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it. 21 “Here’s another chance to see him killed by the Philistines!” Saul said to himself. But to David he said, “Today you have a second chance to become my son-in-law!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">22 Then Saul told his men to say to David, “The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don’t you accept the king’s offer and become his son-in-law?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23 When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 When Saul’s men reported this back to the king, 25 he told them, “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26 David was delighted to accept the offer. Before the time limit expired, 27 he and his men went out and killed 200 Philistines. Then David fulfilled the king’s requirement by presenting all their foreskins to him. So Saul gave his daughter Michal to David to be his wife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">30 Every time the commanders of the Philistines attacked, David was more successful against them than all the rest of Saul’s officers. So David’s name became very famous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18:6 The type of instrument represented by the word cymbals is uncertain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18:10 Or an evil spirit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18:19 Or But.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahhh... the green eyed monster we call envy... It doesn't take long for Saul to forget the boy's good deed and to begin hearing the accolades of others as threats to himself. So Saul begins his downward spiral into jealousy, conniving his way through false deals, and assaulting the very one who saved him and his armies from the Philistines. Life is like that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Too often the success of one hinders another to reach their full potential. Saul has every opportunity to revel in this young boy's abilities. He could mentor him up, smiling from the sidelines, finding joy in all that God is doing with the young boy. But instead, he becomes threatened by him and would rather break one of God's laws (thou shalt not kill) than to recognize a blessing at his footsteps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people love David, Saul's son loves David, and even his daughter loves David. But Saul cannot seem to see what others see naturally. So Saul chooses his path and begins a deafening spiral that quickly swirls out of control. And such a shame. Saul's wisdom and leadership coupled with David's bravery and humility could have teamed up to become a match made in heaven, for the benefit of all. So much for green. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-48183386727076212082015-04-23T05:41:00.001-07:002015-04-23T05:41:14.168-07:00The Light Shines Down<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 17:32-58, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David Kills Goliath</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">48 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Israel Routs the Philistines</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath[a] and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp. 54 (David took the Philistine’s head to Jerusalem, but he stored the man’s armor in his own tent.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">55 As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I really don’t know,” Abner declared.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">56 “Well, find out who he is!” the king told him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">57 As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand. 58 “Tell me about your father, young man,” Saul said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And David replied, “His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:52 As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew reads a valley.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8PyWVnT_CNJsgiBJpKlngEZDJQbA2TbBZoL746toh_nLKJ5j0tbstHPHqAJ-alKOuHKjM6TF4G9rSc60G1RW4b7kBDI3RMtoR0JX7sRxkUwj9YjswuMZn0cB7x2kBLUx3n4Rq9cTG7wr/s1600/david.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8PyWVnT_CNJsgiBJpKlngEZDJQbA2TbBZoL746toh_nLKJ5j0tbstHPHqAJ-alKOuHKjM6TF4G9rSc60G1RW4b7kBDI3RMtoR0JX7sRxkUwj9YjswuMZn0cB7x2kBLUx3n4Rq9cTG7wr/s1600/david.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, the stories to be told of God doing amazing things with nearly nothing. A young boy from Bethlehem, a sheep herder at that. The youngest of many brothers and yet the one who cares whether his God is being mocked. The one who believes his God will fight for him. And the one who believes that God has prepared him for all obstacles he will ever face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of all the artwork I have ever seen of this scripture, I have seen none like this. David stands on firm, solid rock (the Almighty and Everlasting). Goliath seems to stand on mist and shifting winds, and he seems a bit adrift, leaning as he lunges forward. David covers nothing, but instead stands nearly naked to his enemy, work-hewn muscles at every turn. Goliath hides behind armor of metal and symbols of intimidation, only to find that one spot of vulnerability is one spot too many. The boy? He carries a mere rock slinger and a pouch. The monster? He carries large, oversized weapons of destruction and mayhem. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet we know how it all ends. The rock bypasses the armor and reaches the skull. A mere boy topples an intimidating giant. And the fall is heard around the world... still today. So the Light shines down and the boy saves face for his God. The king declares, "Tell me about your father, young man." And the mere boy answers "</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem." </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-66500961231216752832015-04-22T07:32:00.001-07:002015-04-22T07:32:55.838-07:00"David" Suffices<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 17:1-31, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goliath Challenges the Israelites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17 The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. 3 So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet[a] tall! 5 He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds.[b] 6 He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. 7 The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds.[c] His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! 9 If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! 10 I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” 11 When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesse Sends David to Saul’s Camp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons. 13 Jesse’s three oldest sons—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea[d]—had already joined Saul’s army to fight the Philistines. 14 David was the youngest son. David’s three oldest brothers stayed with Saul’s army, 15 but David went back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17 One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket[e] of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers. 18 And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing.[f]” 19 David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21 Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25 “Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26 David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">27 And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">29 “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” 30 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31 Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:4 Hebrew 6 cubits and 1 span [which totals about 9.75 feet or 3 meters]; Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version read 4 cubits and 1 span [which totals about 6.75 feet or 2 meters].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:5 Hebrew 5,000 shekels [57 kilograms].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:7 Hebrew 600 shekels [6.8 kilograms].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:13 Hebrew Shammah, a variant spelling of Shimea; compare 1 Chr 2:13; 20:7.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:17 Hebrew ephah [20 quarts or 22 liters].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17:18 Hebrew and take their pledge.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZv-Ul5uP8ClrQTDhDSaWXN5vqpwZ04YCbxbsCf_Ks0im8zUCW5dyP6Y20muI2WzYlcVCssGM1O-n7cGJ6CmboIiAPnDTeIwc-Gd1IU-Mjv33c18I5-7ebzPaG6s4Iylt3ZUIRbG4Gipj/s1600/michelangelo-david-1504-3-views.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZv-Ul5uP8ClrQTDhDSaWXN5vqpwZ04YCbxbsCf_Ks0im8zUCW5dyP6Y20muI2WzYlcVCssGM1O-n7cGJ6CmboIiAPnDTeIwc-Gd1IU-Mjv33c18I5-7ebzPaG6s4Iylt3ZUIRbG4Gipj/s1600/michelangelo-david-1504-3-views.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michelangelo's famous sculpture hand hewn from a huge block of Carrara marble, unearthed from a quarry in Carrara, a town in the Apuan Alps in northern Tuscany. I have purchased similar Carrara marble tiles for my kitchen floor at the farm. Their natural beauty and elegance goes up against this young warrior, in all his glory. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We see David’s identifiable musculature, his flawless skin, and his identifiable strong, facial features. His body stands confident and stoic, a slingshot slung over his shoulder, a rock in the opposite hand, his gaze outward, his stance ready for the next step in the story: Goliath’s approach. <br /><br />Florence, Italy still understood this strength at the turn of the 16th century when the artist completed the work, to be placed outside a governmental building, positioned so that David's glare pointed toward Florence's Goliath: Rome. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is something about fair play and justice when it comes to the underdog. We cannot always win on the size of our popularity, the height of our accomplishments, or the weight of our portfolio, but we can step up to the plate with our innocence, our bravery, and our frustration with the breach of justice before us. "</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” I love that line. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so the stage is set, the little guy stands where others will not, and soon... very soon... all of history will know his name. "David" No last name or explanation needed. Not even for a sculpture as grand as this. "David" suffices. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-19925928209435456222015-04-21T05:39:00.003-07:002015-04-21T05:39:51.245-07:00Still on the Hillside<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 16:1-13, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Samuel Anoints David as King</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea,[a] but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16:9 Hebrew Shammah, a variant spelling of Shimea; compare 1 Chr 2:13; 20:7.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How often we say the words "Don't judge a book by it's cover" and yet do so every day. Here, in God's own words: "Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The tallest, the most beautiful, the most educated, always seems to get our first vote. We rarely think to wait for the shortest one in line or the youngest sibling or the simple laborer to arrive, before making our decision. Yet God does.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, when we don't think to include the very ones God has on his heart, then God pushes us out the door to go gather the others until we arrive with the very one that God has chosen for any given task. Might it be the darkest skinned or the one with dirt under her nails? Might it be the one with courage like no other or the one whose eyes penetrate the crowd? It is easy for us to overlook those not among, for ... they are <i>not among us! </i> What better reason than to always be searching, always be reaching, always be aware of those outside the church, as well as within? For the very one God has in mind for any given task, on any given day, just might be still out on the hillside, tending his sheep. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-85659667979338205902015-04-20T06:23:00.003-07:002015-04-20T06:23:45.297-07:00Confusion Entangles<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 14:1-23, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jonathan’s Daring Plan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree[a] at Migron. 3 Among Saul’s men was Ahijah the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest. Ahijah was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord who had served at Shiloh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one realized that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. 4 To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh. 5 The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Geba. 6 “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 “All right then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” 12 Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. 14 They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.[b]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Israel Defeats the Philistines</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction.[c] 17 “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,” Saul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites.[d] 19 But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!”[e]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 Then Saul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere. 21 Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites. 22 Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Beth-aven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14:2 Or around the rock of Rimmon; compare Judg 20:45, 47; 21:13.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14:14 Hebrew half a yoke; a “yoke” was the amount of land plowed by a pair of yoked oxen in one day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14:16 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads they went and there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14:18 As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew reads “Bring the Ark of God.” For at that time the Ark of God was with the Israelites.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14:19 Hebrew Withdraw your hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The territorial wars continue and death ensues. This time we see Jonathan, Saul's son, taking initiative. It is good that he waits to be sure that God is with him, as he has no interest in fighting without the Almighty God on his side. But once he finds that God is guiding his path, he courageously moves in on the Philistines. Confusion entangles his enemy and it doesn't take long before they are killing one another, in addition to being killed by Jonathan and his armor bearer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His dad notices he is missing and then a peculiar thing occurs. Before heading out to see what all the commotion is, he attempts to get a glimpse of the ephod that his priest is wearing. Now this fancy, gem encrusted apron is said to have many different meanings, but it seems odd here that Saul calls for it. Is it that he too wants to be sure God is on his side? Or is there a deeper meaning? Later, the word ephod begins to be used as a word to describe anything used as an idol. Was Saul already moving toward paganism by searching for a glimpse before leading out to battle? Or was he simply wanting to be one step closer to the One who called him by name? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such a very fine line for all of us...whether it be a cross around our neck, the building we worship in, or any other symbol of God's presence and glory. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-13789981006965313822015-04-01T06:04:00.002-07:002015-04-01T06:04:42.103-07:00The Two Rarely Are the Same<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 10:1-27, New Living Translation (NLT)<br /><br />Samuel Anoints Saul as King</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession.[a] 2 When you leave me today, you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 “When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 “When you arrive at Gibeah of God,[b] where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying. 6 At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 7 After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. 8 Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Samuel’s Signs Are Fulfilled</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. 11 When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?”[c] So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the place of worship. 14 “Where have you been?” Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“We were looking for the donkeys,” Saul replied, “but we couldn’t find them. So we went to Samuel to ask him where they were.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 “Oh? And what did he say?” his uncle asked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 “He told us that the donkeys had already been found,” Saul replied. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle what Samuel said about the kingdom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saul Is Acclaimed King</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17 Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. 18 And he said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. 19 But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 21 Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! 22 So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” 23 So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">25 Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">26 When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a group of men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 27 But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the people of Gad and Reuben who lived east of the Jordan River. He gouged out the right eye of each of the Israelites living there, and he didn’t allow anyone to come and rescue them. In fact, of all the Israelites east of the Jordan, there wasn’t a single one whose right eye Nahash had not gouged out. But there were 7,000 men who had escaped from the Ammonites, and they had settled in Jabesh-gilead.][d]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10:1 Greek version reads over Israel. And you will rule over the Lord’s people and save them from their enemies around them. This will be the sign to you that the Lord has appointed you to be leader over his special possession.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10:5 Hebrew Gibeath-haelohim.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10:12 Hebrew said, “Who is their father?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10:27 This paragraph, which is not included in the Masoretic Text, is found in Dead Sea Scroll 4QSama.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so the saga begins. Samuel prophecies to Saul, telling him what will occur at every turn. And Saul begins the journey toward the throne. For all Saul is able to accomplish during his early years as king, it is surprising to me that he hides here, now. He stands taller than all those around him. God chooses him to rule his people. And he hides among the luggage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then there are the echoes of Christ's reign to come. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" "Isn't that Joseph the carpenter's son?" Oh, the repetitive behavior we have as broken humans. Time and again, we sin nothing new. We simply repeat and repeat the same sins over and again. "How did the son of Kish become a prophet?” “How can this man save us?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have our own ideas of what we need to be saved. We have our own idea of greatness and leadership. But God has his own ideas as well... and the two rarely are the same. </span><br />
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<br />Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1119266000299771518.post-35908692751528270142015-03-30T19:42:00.002-07:002015-03-30T19:42:47.394-07:00The Least Will Become the Greatest<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Samuel 9:1-21, New Living Translation (NLT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saul Meets Samuel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Footnotes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9:8 Hebrew 1⁄4 shekel of silver, about 0.1 ounces or 3 grams in weight.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zVpxFsXbdJayRUa2o8xt5Q6h-s63es2wnnKCysFQ0sdWTvRNAuXqzgcm5Gf0bXLNJOFURVmtpncgVWIcnMW7E_k7EgMynvs-Ufwk1KxIO0WTw8A0ULxiMhXrFsnFVSuJix3gRKVBOFyG/s1600/Donkeys4-300x226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zVpxFsXbdJayRUa2o8xt5Q6h-s63es2wnnKCysFQ0sdWTvRNAuXqzgcm5Gf0bXLNJOFURVmtpncgVWIcnMW7E_k7EgMynvs-Ufwk1KxIO0WTw8A0ULxiMhXrFsnFVSuJix3gRKVBOFyG/s1600/Donkeys4-300x226.jpg" height="482" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hunt begins: for a few donkeys and a king. Saul and a servant head out to find the animals and along the way, they find Samuel instead. Little do we know at the beginning of the story that God planned the whole thing. I just hear him whispering to the donkeys "Here donkey, donkey, donkey..." or however you call a few donkeys. As they are lead away from Saul's homeland, it seems God led them to Samuel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so when they show up, God whispers again, but this time to Samuel to let him know this is the guy, the handsome guy, the tall guy, the guy who will become the first king of his people. Only no one whispered in Saul's ear. So it is no wonder he is confused. He shares how his tribe is the smallest and his family the least important within that tribe. How God is that? The greatest will be the least and the least? Well, the least will be the greatest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A donkey leads the way for a king. And a nobody becomes one. </span>Pastor Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16991569172028389607noreply@blogger.com0