Tuesday, April 21, 2015

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FROM KING DAVID TO KING JESUS

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 24

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Mount Tabor is located in Lower Galilee, Israel, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles west of the Sea of Galilee. It was the site of the Mount Tabor battle between Barak, under the leadership of the Israelite judge Deborah, and the army of Jabin, commanded by Sisera, in the mid 14th century BC. It is believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Here in the mosaic dome above the altar, where as recorded in Mathew 17, Jesus is transfigured with Moses and Elijah on either side, with Peter, James and John looking on.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 2 Samuel 24:24

Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

In today’s reading, the people bore the judgment of God. Pictured above is the place where Jesus prepared to bear God’s judgment in place of the people. It may be that Moses and Elijah were there to encourage Jesus in His greatest of all sacrifices, bearing all our sins. Comparing 2 Samuel 24 with 1 Chronicles 21, it appears to be the same event. In the latter account, God decided to test His people by allowing Satan to tempt them to sin. Yes, David sinned, but so did the people. This shows the widespread effect of sin. Our sins do not only impact our lives, but others around us as well. Our key verse should inspire us to think about our level of sacrifice. The final words, verse 25 of 2 Samuel 24, should encourage us. It tells us that “The Lord heeded the prayers for the land.” Let us determine to be fervent and constant in our prayer life.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, the way I live my life will inevitably have an effect on others. I pray for Your grace and power in my life to be obedient to You 100% of the time. Please forgive my sin and bring healing to those who have been hurt in any way because of my sin. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I often heard my Dad pray in our family prayers as we knelt at our chairs after supper, “O God, may the smile of Your approval be on our lives.” I knew my parents would tend to smile when I was obedient and did something good, and I feared their frowns when I did the opposite. I knew that punishment was to follow on the heels of my transgression.

Tomorrow, God willing, I will read, with my blog partners, Galatians, chapters 1 & 2. I’m so thankful that because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, I am now, on the basis of faith, not of works, free to enjoy freedom from sin and its power over my life. Judaism, the expression of the faith revealed in the Old Testament, is often called the cradle of the Christian faith. In Galatians, we will learn that the practice of Judaism almost became the grave of Christianity. I’m excited at the prospect of moving from King David to his descendant, King Jesus!

Yours for victory over sin, and for healing from sin’s effects through the Lord Jesus Christ,

David

17 thoughts on “Tuesday, April 21, 2015”

  1. Thank you, Pastor Mainse, for faithfully leading us in worship each morning!
    It is a privilege to be part of your daily congregation. God bless you.

    Reply ↓

  2. I understand that what the sin was isn’t really relevant to this passage, but just for context what was the sin David committed in ordering a census ?

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  4. I quote the answer to your question Robert and Pam in Day unto Day as such: “God allowed David to be tempted in taking a census of the whole nation….The taking of the census itself was not the sin, for twice before a census had been ordered by God(Numbers 1:2;26:2). It was the motivation behind taking the census which was wrong. David was probably tempted with pride, self-glory, and trust in his military strength rather than God.” written by Rev. Nizar Shaheen, pg. 82. My prayer is “Lord help me with all pride in my life, the sin that God hates most of all and it took Satan out of heaven.” It’s probably something we have to deal with all our life. Amen? Thank you David for your faithful service and blessings on everyone.

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  5. It’s the Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday today and we pray a blessing upon her of wisdom, strength and protection in Jesus Name. Amen!

    Reply ↓

  6. FAIR EXCHANGE FOR ALL

    Here in this building, …
    which we loosely call Church,
    we find ourselves gathered,
    God’s Pathway to search.

    His Love reconvenes us,
    again to this place
    to set aside all things,
    and seek only His Face.

    It’s not easy to ‘switch off ‘
    from earthly division,
    but he’s warned us so often
    of maintaining a prison
    of self-interest and judgement
    and hatred and strife..
    ” Why seek after Death,
    When I’ve offered you Life”

    If the Scriptures and hymns
    just repel our hard hearts
    the fault is not His,
    it was ours from the start.

    Why neglect such a Rescue
    from God’s heart up above?
    For His Son, our Lord Jesus
    To give All, in His Love.

    Why continue in Sorrow
    and our own foolish way,
    when Christ Jesus is willing
    to declare a New Day?

    So lay down your load
    at the foot of His Cross,
    and accept His ‘Pure Gold’
    in the place of your dross !

    Reply ↓

  8. What a Great Exchange…thank you Robin!!

    Thank you Ger for sharing your insight re King David’s sin…Pride that so often rears its head and difficult to dispel…except through keeping our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!!!

    Reply ↓

  9. Hello again,I have tried numerous times to subscribe since last November and have followed ALL instructions several times to correct this problem.I have never found anything from you in my spam or trash files and nobody seems to monitor these messages (How could they?).You are in my contact list also.I have been a ‘student’ for about 1 1/2 yr now.I wonder how many are not included in your total.I know of at least one other.I enjoy the blog immensely and have forwarded a few poems also.Here’s another ‘for deaf ears’.I hope you can correct the problem.Thanks and God bless

    O God,

    May the smile of Your approval be on our lives,
    May our lips sow the seeds of Your love
    And may the love that sin deprives
    Be the song of the angels above.

    Let the joy of Your love be the fruits of our seeds,
    That lost sheep will know that we are yours,
    So that You will fulfill their needs
    With the abundance of heaven’s stores.

    Let the abundance include the armour of souls,
    Let not temptation shatter our goals
    And let not darkness hide Your scrolls
    When man bows to the Name he extols.

    May each one of us strive to be more like Jesus
    And may our feet and His footsteps meet,
    For it’s His blood that e’er frees us,
    The same that showed the devil defeat.
    GW(Bill) Marshall/21 April, 2015

    “O God, may the smile of Your approval be on our lives.”
    Rev.Dr.R.L. Mainse,father of Pst.David Mainse

    Reply ↓

  10. Thank you everyone for your comments, which helped me to understand today’s reading so much better.
    May God bless you all!

    Reply ↓

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