Category: 2 Samuel

Categories
1 Chronicles 2 Samuel David

Mourning into Dancing

“Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, ‘Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.’” 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 (ESV) When you see God at work you can rest assured that Satan is also at work. God loves you and has a plan for your life. Satan hates you and he also has an plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to honor Him and benefit others. Satan’s plan is for you to compromise your commitment to the Lord and for you to become casual in your Christianity. In opposition to Israel, Satan incited David to drift from God’s will. David’s decision to number Israel was in violation to God’s will. “But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. And David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly’” (1 Chronicles 21:7-8 ESV). David recognized his own iniquity and acknowledged his sin before God and asked God to remove the iniquity. Mourning over his sin, David confessed the foolishness of his actions. God gave David the opportunity to choose the consequences. David chose the pestilence of the land and 70,000 men of Israel fell. David personally experienced the mercy of God. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” Psalm 30:11-12 (ESV) Have you mourned over your sin? Confess your sin and receive God’s forgiveness and allow Him to turn your mourning into dancing. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

Categories
1 Chronicles 2 Samuel David

Mourning into Dancing

“Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, ‘Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.’” 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 (ESV) When you see God at work you can rest assured that Satan is also at work. God loves you and has a plan for your life. Satan hates you and he also has an plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to honor Him and benefit others. Satan’s plan is for you to compromise your commitment to the Lord and for you to become casual in your Christianity. In opposition to Israel, Satan incited David to drift from God’s will. David’s decision to number Israel was in violation to God’s will. “But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. And David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.’” (1 Chronicles 21:7-8 ESV). David recognized his own iniquity and acknowledged his sin before God and asked God to remove the iniquity. Mourning over his sin, David confessed the foolishness of his actions. God gave David the opportunity to choose the consequences. David chose the pestilence of the land and 70,000 men of Israel fell. David personally experienced the mercy of God. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” Psalm 30:11-12 (ESV) Have you mourned over your sin? Confess your sin and receive God’s forgiveness and allow Him to turn your mourning into dancing. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Mephibosheth

Keep Your Word

“Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, ‘There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.’ So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. And David said to the Gibeonites, ‘What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?’” 2 Samuel 21:1-3 (ESV) The Gibeonites requested that King David bring seven of Saul’s sons to them so they could terminate their lives. David desired to position the Gibeonites to bless the heritage of the Lord. Their request would have a fatal impact on Mephibosheth. “But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul” (2 Samuel 21:7 ESV). David kept his word. He and Jonathan establish an oath before the Lord and David demonstrated integrity by protecting Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17-18 (ESV) Ask God to give you wisdom to make decisions that will honor Him and benefit others. May a harvest of righteousness be sown in peace as you seek to make peace. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Grief

Dealing with Disappointment

“And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.” 2 Samuel 18:5 (ESV) While all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands, King David stood at the side of the gate. His fatherly compassion was articulated as he instructed the commanders to deal gently with Absalom. David’s own son had become an enemy. Absalom had orchestrated an ambush on David and his fighting men. David wanted Absalom brought to him unharmed. In the midst of Absalom’s pursuit of David, the mule he was riding went under some of the thick branches of a great oak. Absalom’s head got wedged between the branches and the mule continued on leaving Absalom suspended. When Joab heard about Absalom’s vulnerable status, he violated King David’s request and took matters into his own hands by thrusting three javelins into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak (2 Samuel 18:14 ESV). When the news of Absalom’s death was personally delivered to David, he went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. “And as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’” (2 Samuel 18:33 ESV). How do you deal with disappointments? People are fallible and will let you down at times. Occasionally, your own family members will disappoint you. There are times when you may disappoint others. Seasons of disappointment arise related to unfortunate circumstances that you find yourself in. Find comfort in the fact that God is on His throne and nothing will thwart His will. If God allows a disappointment to come into your life, He will use it for your good and for His glory. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel Brokenness David

Desperation and Prayer

“But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. And it was told David, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ And David said, ‘O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.’” 2 Samuel 15:31-32 (ESV) What do you do when your world is falling apart? David had to combat discord within his family and within his kingdom. Absalom tried to usurp King David’s authority and sought to generate a conspiracy to overtake the throne. David entered a season of brokenness and wept before the Lord in prayer. The people with David emulated David’s posture and covered their heads and wept as they went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives. In desperation, David prayed for God’s divine intervention. David asked the Lord to turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness before Absalom. How do you respond to adversity? What do you do when you experience unfair treatment by another person? You can choose to become bitter and allow your circumstances to dictate your feelings or you can choose to turn to the Lord in prayer. In desperation and brokenness before the Lord, express your pain and your plight to the Lord in prayer. Unveil your feelings and your frustrations. God invites you to come before him with the truth of your circumstances. If God allows adversity to come into your life, He will use it for your good and for His glory. Allow God to conform you into the image of Christ in the midst of the challenges you face. Trust God to work in you and through you to accomplish His plan. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Temptation

Predictable Process

“It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, ‘Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’” 2 Samuel 11:2-3 (ESV) We have God-given desires that are natural and are vital to life. For example, we have the desire for food. Without that desire we would die. We also have the desire for rest. Without that desire we would die. Yet, both desires can become sin when we take them beyond God’s intended purpose. If we take our desire for food too far, we commit the sin of gluttony. In like manner, if we take our desire for rest too far, we commit the sin of laziness. King David experienced a fatal attraction. His lust lassoed him into a sinful spiral. Not only did he commit the sin of adultery, but he committed murder to cover up the affair. David could have won the victory over sin by avoiding the temptation from the start. Arm yourself with the knowledge of the predictable process of temptation. We idolize something we desire. The next step is that we rationalize why we should have the desire fulfilled. In other words, we talked ourselves into compromising convictions. Then we strategize by coming up with a plan to obtain the object we are idolizing. Ultimately, we capitalize on the opportunity by seizing what we have desired. Remorse and guilt follow. Look back over poor choices you have made in your lifetime. See if you can identify this predictable process. Here’s the key to victory: The sooner in the process you avoid the sin, the more likely you will overcome the temptation. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

Categories
2 Samuel David Mephibosheth

Unleash God’s Love

“And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’ And he answered, ‘Behold, I am your servant.’ And David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.’” 2 Samuel 9:6-7 (ESV) What does your love look like? Is your love reserved for those who can benefit you or do you lavish your love on those who can do nothing in return? Unleash God’s love by living a life of love that benefits others. King David unleashed God’s love by blessing the most unlikely person. Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson and Jonathan’s son. Mephibosheth was lame in both his feet. King David gave all that belonged to Saul to Mephibosheth and offered unlimited seating at the King’s table. That’s right! Mephibosheth would now eat at the King’s table. “‘So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 7:12 (ESV) “‘I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’” Matthew 25:43 (ESV) When you unleash God’s love to benefit others, you are continuing the ministry of Jesus. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Value others the way you want to be valued. Serve the underprivileged. Go beyond yourself to bless and benefit those who can do nothing in return for you. As you love others you will be loving Jesus. As you honor others you will be honoring Jesus. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

Categories
2 Samuel Anointed David

David Anointed King

“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.” 2 Samuel 2:4 (ESV) God’s will cannot be thwarted. God will accomplish His purposes and God will fulfill His plan. God’s timing is not always easy for us to understand with our human limitations. God is infinite and we are finite. There is a tremendous gap that our intellect cannot fill. God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. In His grace and mercy, God chooses to use us in His master plan. From a human perspective, David seemed to be the least likely candidate to be anointed as king. In fact, his father Jesse did not even include him in the lineup when Samuel showed up. After Samuel examined the sons of Jesse, he inquired if Jesse had anymore. Jesse revealed to Samuel that he had his youngest son out in the field tending sheep. “And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him, for this is he.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel 16:12-13 (ESV) God affirmed His selection by telling Samuel to anoint David. Many years passed from that moment of affirmation to the moment when the men of Judah came to anoint David king over the house of Judah. David had experienced major battles, heartbreak, and mourning the death of King Saul and Jonathan. Now it was time for David to reign as king. Wait for God’s timing. His timing is impeccable. God is working all things together for your good and His glory. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
1 Chronicles 2 Samuel David

Mourning into Dancing

“Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, ‘Go, number Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, and bring me a report, that I may know their number.’” 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 (ESV) When you see God at work you can rest assured that Satan is also at work. God loves you and has a plan for your life. Satan hates you and he also has an plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to honor Him and benefit others. Satan’s plan is for you to compromise your commitment to the Lord and for you to become casual in your Christianity. In opposition to Israel, Satan incited David to drift from God’s will. David’s decision to number Israel was in violation to God’s will. “But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. 8 And David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly’” (1 Chronicles 21:7-8 ESV). David recognized his own iniquity and acknowledged his sin before God and asked God to remove the iniquity. Mourning over his sin, David confessed the foolishness of his actions. God gave David the opportunity to choose the consequences. David chose the pestilence of the land and 70,000 men of Israel fell. David personally experienced the mercy of God. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” Psalm 30:11-12 (ESV) Have you mourned over your sin? Confess your sin and receive God’s forgiveness and allow Him to turn your mourning into dancing. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 143:  2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalm 30) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Mephibosheth

Keep Your Word

“Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, ‘There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.’ 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, ‘What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?’” 2 Samuel 21:1-3 (ESV) The Gibeonites requested that King David bring seven of Saul’s sons to them so they could terminate their lives. David desired to position the Gibeonites to bless the heritage of the Lord. Their request would have a fatal impact on Mephibosheth. “But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul” (2 Samuel 21:7 ESV). David kept his word. He and Jonathan establish an oath before the Lord and David demonstrated integrity by protecting Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17-18 (ESV) Ask God to give you wisdom to make decisions that will honor Him and benefit others. May a harvest of righteousness be sown in peace as you seek to make peace. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 139:  2 Samuel 19-21) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Grief

Dealing with Disappointment

“And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.” 2 Samuel 18:5 (ESV) While all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands, King David stood at the side of the gate. His fatherly compassion was articulated as he instructed the commanders to deal gently with Absalom. David’s own son had become an enemy. Absalom had orchestrated an ambush on David and his fighting men. David wanted Absalom brought to him unharmed. In the midst of Absalom’s pursuit of David, the mule he was riding went under some of the thick branches of a great oak. Absalom’s head got wedged between the branches and the mule continued on leaving Absalom suspended. When Joab heard about Absalom’s vulnerable status, he violated King David’s request and took matters into his own hands by thrusting three javelins into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak (2 Samuel 18:14 ESV). When the news of Absalom’s death was personally delivered to David, he went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. “And as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’” (2 Samuel 18:33 ESV). How do you deal with disappointments? People are fallible and will let you down at times. Occasionally, your own family members will disappoint you. There are times when you may disappoint others. Seasons of disappointment arise related to unfortunate circumstances that you find yourself in. Find comfort in the fact that God is on His throne and nothing will thwart His will. If God allows a disappointment to come into your life, He will use it for your good and for His glory. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 137:  2 Samuel 16-18) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel Brokenness David

Desperation and Prayer

“But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’ And David said, ‘O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.’” 2 Samuel 15:31-32 (ESV) What do you do when your world is falling apart? David had to combat discord within his family and within his kingdom. Absalom tried to usurp King David’s authority and sought to generate a conspiracy to overtake the throne. David entered a season of brokenness and wept before the Lord in prayer. The people with David emulated David’s posture and covered their heads and wept as they went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives. In desperation, David prayed for God’s divine intervention. David asked the Lord to turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness before Absalom. How do you respond to adversity? What do you do when you experience unfair treatment by another person? You can choose to become bitter and allow your circumstances to dictate your feelings or you can choose to turn to the Lord in prayer. In desperation and brokenness before the Lord, express your pain and your plight to the Lord in prayer. Unveil your feelings and your frustrations. God invites you to come before him with the truth of your circumstances. If God allows adversity to come into your life, He will use it for your good and for His glory. Allow God to conform you into the image of Christ in the midst of the challenges you face. Trust God to work in you and through you to accomplish His plan. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 135:  2 Samuel 13-15) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Temptation

Predictable Process

“It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, ‘Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’” 2 Samuel 11:2-3 (ESV) We have God-given desires that are natural and are vital to life. For example, we have the desire for food. Without that desire we would die. We also have the desire for rest. Without that desire we would die. Yet, both desires can become sin when we take them beyond God’s intended purpose. If we take our desire for food too far, we commit the sin of gluttony. In like manner, if we take our desire for rest too far, we commit the sin of laziness. King David experienced a fatal attraction. His lust lassoed him into a sinful spiral. Not only did he commit the sin of adultery, but he committed murder to cover up the affair. David could have won the victory over sin by avoiding the temptation from the start. Arm yourself with the knowledge of the predictable process of temptation. We idolize something we desire. The next step is that we rationalize why we should have the desire fulfilled. In other words, we talked ourselves into compromising convictions. Then we strategize by coming up with a plan to obtain the object we are idolizing. Ultimately, we capitalize on the opportunity by seizing what we have desired. Remorse and guilt follow. Look back over poor choices you have made in your lifetime. See if you can identify this predictable process. Here’s the key to victory: The sooner in the process you avoid the sin, the more likely you will overcome the temptation. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 133:  2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 20) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel David Mephibosheth

Unleash God’s Love

“And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’ And he answered, ‘Behold, I am your servant.’ 7 And David said to him, ‘Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.’” 2 Samuel 9:6-7 (ESV) What does your love look like? Is your love reserved for those who can benefit you or do you lavish your love on those who can do nothing in return? Unleash God’s love by living a life of love that benefits others. King David unleashed God’s love by blessing the most unlikely person. Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson and Jonathan’s son. Mephibosheth was lame in both his feet. King David gave all that belonged to Saul to Mephibosheth and offered unlimited seating at the King’s table. That’s right! Mephibosheth would now eat at the King’s table. “‘So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 7:12 (ESV) “‘I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’” Matthew 25:43 (ESV) When you unleash God’s love to benefit others, you are continuing the ministry of Jesus. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Value others the way you want to be valued. Serve the underprivileged. Go beyond yourself to bless and benefit those who can do nothing in return for you. As you love others you will be loving Jesus. As you honor others you will be honoring Jesus. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 129:  2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Samuel Anointed David

David Anointed King

“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.” 2 Samuel 2:4 (ESV) God’s will cannot be thwarted. God will accomplish His purposes and God will fulfill His plan. God’s timing is not always easy for us to understand with our human limitations. God is infinite and we are finite. There is a tremendous gap that our intellect cannot fill. God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. In His grace and mercy, God chooses to use us in His master plan. From a human perspective, David seemed to be the least likely candidate to be anointed as king. In fact, his father Jesse did not even include him in the lineup when Samuel showed up. After Samuel examined the sons of Jesse, he inquired if Jesse had anymore. Jesse revealed to Samuel that he had his youngest son out in the field tending sheep. “And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him, for this is he.’ 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel 16:12-13 (ESV) God affirmed His selection by telling Samuel to anoint David. Many years passed from that moment of affirmation to the moment when the men of Judah came to anoint David king over the house of Judah. David had experienced major battles, heartbreak, and mourning the death of King Saul and Jonathan. Now it was time for David to reign as king. Wait for God’s timing. His timing is impeccable. God is working all things together for your good and His glory. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 111:  2 Samuel 1-4) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell