Confirming One’s Calling and Election

2 Peter 1:5-7 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Monday, December 12, 2011

2 Samuel 19, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals (Click to listen to God’s teaching)

Max Lucado Daily: God is God

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:25

Her words were full of despair… “If only you’d been here…” Lazarus was dead. Her brother was gone. And the one man who could have made a difference didn’t.

Something about death makes us accuse God of betrayal. “If God were here there would be no death!” we claim.

But if God is God anywhere, he has to be God in the face of death. Pop psychology can deal with depression. Pep talks can deal with pessimism. Prosperity can handle hunger. But only God can deal with our ultimate dilemma—death.

And only the God of the Bible has dared to stand on the canyon’s edge and offer an answer.

Jesus said, “I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies!

2 Samuel 19

1 [a]Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. 6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7 Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”

8 So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,” they all came before him.

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.

David Returns to Jerusalem

9 Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom; 10 and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
11 King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12 You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.’”

14 He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.” 15 Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. 16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. 18 They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king 19 and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20 For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

21 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD’s anointed.”

22 David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.

24 Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba my servant betrayed me. 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. 28 All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”

29 The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

31 Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.”

34 But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35 I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.”

38 The king said, “Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.”

39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home.

40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

41 Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?”

42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?”

43 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?”

But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Philippians 4:4-9

Final Exhortations

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

A Growing Belligerence

December 12, 2011 — by Bill Crowder

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. —Romans 12:18

On a recent trip, the flight attendant asked if I flew very often. When I said I did, he asked, “Have you noticed people on planes becoming increasingly more belligerent and aggressive in recent months?” I had to confess that I agreed with him. We began talking about what might be contributing to it—things like increased airport security, higher costs, fewer services, and a general dissatisfaction with travel. As if to prove the point, our conversation was interrupted by a passenger who refused to sit in his assigned seat because he liked someone else’s seat assignment better!
When we encounter anger and belligerence, the follower of Christ can be a peacemaker. Paul wrote to the church at Rome with this challenge, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18). What does that mean? For one thing, it means that we must control what we can control. We can’t control the attitudes of others, but we can control our response.
When we see angry or hostile attitudes displayed around us, we can show the heart of the Prince of Peace by responding graciously in a peaceful manner. In this way we will demonstrate the attitude of our Savior in a world filled with a growing belligerence.

Sometimes in a conversation
Words of anger can be heard;
If in peace we can defuse it,
We are living by God’s Word. —Hess
The world needs a peace that passes all misunderstanding.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, December 12, 2011


Personality

. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . —John 17:22

Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend. An island in the sea may be just the top of a large mountain, and our personality is like that island. We don’t know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. We start out thinking we can, but soon realize that there is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.
Personality is the characteristic mark of the inner, spiritual man, just as individuality is the characteristic of the outer, natural man. Our Lord can never be described in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of His total Person— “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). Personality merges, and you only reach your true identity once you are merged with another person. When love or the Spirit of God come upon a person, he is transformed. He will then no longer insist on maintaining his individuality. Our Lord never referred to a person’s individuality or his isolated position, but spoke in terms of the total person— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . .” Once your rights to yourself are surrendered to God, your true personal nature begins responding to God immediately. Jesus Christ brings freedom to your total person, and even your individuality is transformed. The transformation is brought about by love— personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the overflowing result of one person in true fellowship with another.



A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

A Christmas Survival Kit - #6501

Monday, December 12, 2011

The occasion was a city-wide art contest. They were told to paint paintings on the subject of "Peace." Well, you can understand the judges were attracted to this beautiful "pastural" scene that a local painter had painted. You probably didn't know that was a word, "pastural." Well, it was a green pasture with puffy white clouds and this beautiful blue sky and a little boy going by with a fishing pole over his shoulder, little quiet brooks and birds flying around. That got second place.

First place: well, the picture was of an angry, stormy day at the sea shore; the ocean was beating against the cliffs. The cliffs were stark and dark because of the darkness of the storm. The sky in this painting was angry and black, green and purple. You had to look twice to even begin to figure out what in the world this had to do with peace! But if you looked halfway up the cliff, there were these little baby birds nestled underneath the wing of their mother. They were sleeping totally oblivious to the storm that was howling all around them.

Well, now that it's the Christmas season, well it's suppose to be about peace; but, if you feel the holiday pressure like I do, seems more like a storm, a stress which leads us right to those birds.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Christmas Survival Kit."

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Isaiah 30:15 - "in quietness and trust is your strength." Now, what a great verse for the chaos that Christmas has become. You're in the middle of it right now. The shopping, the entertaining, and getting all the cards out. "Oh, who did we forget? They sent us a card, we better send them one." "Who got us a present? We better get them..." Whatever! All of the church events that are going on, maintaining all the family traditions that the kids insist on or you do. The guests are coming, family time, they're flying in, they're driving in. Oh, man, suddenly the Christmas season seems more like "Stress on Earth" than "Peace on Earth." And then God speaks, "in quietness and trust is your strength."

Now, if you are going to protect the heart of Christmas and not succumb to the hassle of Christmas, you're just going to have to protect a quiet spot at the beginning of each day where quietness and trust will be your strength. Think about those birds in that painting. Peace wasn't the absence of a storm; it was peace right in the middle of it. They found their quiet spot. Well, the secret is the same for you and me. The more hectic the season is, the harder it is to get your quiet time with the Lord and you know what? The more you need it. It would be tragic if Jesus gets lost in the process of you getting ready for His birthday. If anything, make your time with Jesus more top priority than ever.

See, Christmas becomes an idol if it crowds out Christ. And you need to be with Him to keep everything in proportion. Unload your concerns on Him. Focus on the relationship with Jesus. It's a love relationship above all else. Eliminate the overload. Ask the Lord if there are things you can eliminate. Simplify as you ask for His wisdom.

What's your Christmas survival kit? "Quietness and trust is your strength." It comes from time spent with the Prince of Peace. Who, by the way, brings peace to the human heart as no one else can. His legacy He gave to His disciples as they were about to enter into the hardest days of their life was this: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you."

Maybe peace in your soul has escaped you like since you were a teenager. And all the living, and all the accomplishing, and all the relationships, and all the experiences have never stilled the storm in your heart. That's because you don't have peace with the God who created you. We've taken our lives from Him; we've hijacked our life from Him; we're away from Him. Peace is a person; peace is Christ in your heart who brings His peace with Him when you invite Him in to be your Savior from your sin.


What better time to do that than the season that He came because of you...because of me. Tell Him today, "Jesus, beginning right here and right now, I give up running my own life. I know You died for me. I know You're alive, and I am Yours." Our website is there to help you begin your relationship with Jesus and know that you have. Go check it out today, will you? It's YoursForLife.net.

He will mend the broken relationship between you and God, and give you the peace that has eluded you your whole life; a peace that is not based on what's going on around you, but who's going on inside you.