Devotionary

Latest Episodes:

Ep 673 – 2 Samuel 21:1-14 Oct 20, 2018

Show notes

What happens when the people of God fail to seek the will of God? Nothing good. And that conclusion is fully supported in 2 Samuel 21:1-14, where we have the story of a severe famine in the land of Israel. This devastating natural disaster had been going on for three full years and, eventually, David decided to seek God in order to determine whether it was a form of divine punishment. And David would discover that the famine was directly tied to a sin Saul had committed years earlier. He had broken a covenant Joshua had made with the Gibeonites, putting some of them to death. The book of Joshua makes it clear that the Israelites had not sought God's will in the matter. And Saul's decision to kill some of the Gibeonites was also done outside the will of God, breaking the covenant commitment and reflecting poorly on God, because the oath the Israelites had sworn their oath before the Lord and in His name.

Ep 672 – 2 Samuel 20:14-26 Oct 19, 2018

Show notes

You can surround yourself with successful people who appear to have their act together. But success is not a sign of wisdom. And we can see the truth of that statement in 2 Samuel 20:14-26, as we are introduced to a simple, yet wise woman. This unnamed individual will play a significant role in protecting the lives of the innocent and keeping powerful men from doing the ungodly and unthinkable. Joab was in the process of besieging a city in Israel where Sheba, the leader of yet another coup against David has sought shelter. Joab, like his boss, could be an impulsive man. And he didn't always exhibit wisdom in his decision making. But we will see what happens when an obscure, yet wise woman, steps into a volatile and potentially deadly situation, defusing the tension and bringing about a God-honoring outcome. Wisdom really does work. And the wisdom that works best is that which comes from God.

Ep 671 – 2 Samuel 20:1-13 Oct 18, 2018

Show notes

Technically, David has his kingdom back. His rebellious son, Absalom, had been defeated in battle and executed by Joab, David's military commander. But things were far from stable in Israel. The ten northern tribes were upset over what they believed was a case of favoritism on David's part. He had chosen his own tribe of Judah to escort him back into the capital. And the other tribes felt slighted. So, they were ripe for yet another uprising led by someone the Scriptures call a "worthless fellow." In 2 Samuel 20:1-13, we are introduced to Sheba, a Benjaminite who convinced the people to turn against David and reject his kingship. Just when David was trying to solidify his hold on the kingdom, more civil unrest erupted. And all that was happening around David was directly tied to his illicit affair with Bathsheba. David had sowed to the wind and was reaping the whirlwind.

Ep 670 – 2 Samuel 19:31-43 Oct 17, 2018

Show notes

What happens when you leave God out? Nothing good. That was a painful lesson David was going to continue to learn as he desperately tried to unify his fractured kingdom and restore the peoples' trust in him. But in 2 Samuel 19:31-43, we're going to see that David had a hard time getting out of his own way. In fact, he was his own worst enemy. His tendency to leave God out of his decision-making was leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. David was faced with all kinds of problems. He had 12 tribes that needed to be wooed and won over. He had damage control to do, in an effort to correct all the bad press Absalom had circulated about him. Not everyone was thrilled with David's return to Jerusalem. While he seemed to believe that all the tribes were on his side, he was in for a rude awakening. And because he was making decisions without God's input, some of his bright ideas were going to have dark outcomes.

Ep 669 – 2 Samuel 19:24-30 Oct 16, 2018

Show notes

David may have been a man after God's own heart, but he had his own fair share of short-comings and human weaknesses. He didn't always make the wisest decisions. And he seemed to struggle with having discernment. He could be easily swayed and manipulated. He was influenced far too easily by the opinions of others or situational circumstances. And in 2 Samuel 19:24-30, as David continues to reunify his divided kingdom, he is faced with a dilemma. He must make a determination between Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, and Ziba, the former servant of Mephibosheth. These two men presented David with two conflicting stories. One of them was clearly lying. But how was David to discern the truth? How could he make sure that he did the right thing? Being a leader is one thing. Being a wise leader is something else. And being a wise and godly leader is something different altogether. Godly leaders get their wisdom from God. And that seems to be something David had forgotten.

Ep 668 – 2 Samuel 19:11-23 Oct 15, 2018

Show notes

Absalom was dead and David had finally decided to bring his prolonged state of mourning to an end. But David still faced a divided kingdom and had his work cut out for him as he tried to win back the trust of his own people. Absalom had done some serious damage to David's reputation. He was seen as weak and incapable of meting out justice when needed. And as David faced the gargantuan task of winning back the trust of his people, he began to do what was expedient. Rather than seek the will of God, he made decisions aimed at pleasing the people of God. In 2 Samuel 19:11-23, David is shown to be making yet more poor decisions. There is no indication that he is seeking God's will or prayerfully considering his options. He appears to be doing what makes the most sense. And, like always, David's decisions will have long-term ramifications. His choices will come back to haunt him. As he faced a house divided, he was allowing his decision making to be divided by his desire to please the people.

Ep 667 – 2 Samuel 19:1-10 Oct 14, 2018

Show notes

We've already seen how, at times, David could struggle with inaction. The only thing he seemed to do on a consistent basis, was nothing at all. And in 2 Samuel 19:1-10, David is shown in a state of unconsolable grief, unable to get over the loss of his rebellious son. But David's mourning was having a negative influence on the kingdom. The people, who were ready to celebrate David's victory over his enemy, found themselves down in the dumps because their king was disconsolate and depressed. And it was going to take the harsh words of a loving friend to wake David out of his lethargy and into action. Joab, the man who had taken the life of David's son, would be the one to confront David about his excessive sorrow. It was time for David to wake up and put on a smile. His people needed to see him rejoicing over their great victory. But it was going to take an in-your-face encounter by a loving friend to help David do what needed to be done.

Ep 666 – 2 Samuel 18:19-33 Oct 13, 2018

Show notes

David had lost his kingdom to his own son. And he had been forced to vacate Jerusalem, depending on a handful of spies to give him updates on conditions in the capital. When the armies of David eventually did battle with those of Absalom, David left word that his son was to be spared. But Joab, David's military commander, ignored David's orders and executed Absalom himself. The coup came to an abrupt end, and David was restored to his throne as the king of Israel. When the good news had finally made its way to David, rather than rejoicing over his good fortune, he went into mourning over the death of his son. Once again, we see David responding in a less-than-satisfactory way to the events surrounding his life. He didn't deal with Joab's insubordination. He didn't take Absalom's death as a sign from God. He simply went into the chamber over the gate and wept. And, as usual his actions would have serious repercussions.

Ep 665 – 2 Samuel 18:1-18 Oct 12, 2018

Show notes

Absalom had stolen the kingdom from his father and deemed himself king. But God had anointed David as the true king of Israel. Now, the conflict was going to come to a final and costly conclusion. Only one man would be standing when the battle was over. And, it doesn't take a better man to guess that David would be the one sitting on the throne when the day was done. But, as we'll see in 2 Samuel 18:1-18, his return to the throne would not be without cost. His son would die, along with 20,000 other Israelites. Innocent men would give their lives in a senseless and needless civil war that could be linked all the way back to David's indiscretion with Bathsheba. And the very fact that his son had been around to lead a coup against him was David's fault. He had brought all of this on himself. But God, ever faithful, had stepped in and cleaned up David's mess, restoring him to the throne, but not without the great loss of life.

Ep 664 – 2 Samuel 17:15-29 Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

The hand of God. It's impossible to see. Or is it? In 2 Samuel 17:15-29, we are given a wonderful lesson on the ever-present reality of God's hand in the lives of men. He is always there, whether we can see Him or not. He is always at work, whether we realize it or not. And David was about to experience, yet again, the sovereign will of God, orchestrating events in such a way, that His power could be sensed even though His presence remained unseen. Sometimes, the best way to recognize the hand of God is through hindsight. It is after the fact that we get the clearest view of His handiwork. In the midst of the storm and in the heat of the battle, it can sometimes feel as if God is nowhere to be found. But when given the opportunity to look back, we can see His unmistakable fingerprints on all that has happened. The question isn't whether God is at work, but only how.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected