September 7, 2025

II Samuel 11: 1-27 . . . David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army . . . But David remained in Jerusalem. . . . One evening he got up from his bed . . . From the roof he saw a woman bathing. . . . David sent someone to find out about her. . . . the thing David had done displeased the Lord. [read the entire passage](NIV)

We often underestimate the extent to which the enemy seeks to disrupt our lives.*

This sordid chapter in the life of David could easily be made into an R-rated movie. It doesn’t seem fair that the Bible would include this story to taint the reputation of the man after God’s heart. But God’s word doesn’t spin, doesn’t cover up, doesn’t flinch. God has people, not robots.

David’s insomnia and Bathsheba’s bath, otherwise harmless activities, triggered a chain of unintended and tragic events. A change in routine and lack of accountability left David vulnerable to temptation. His temptation led to manipulation – abusing his power and compromising his principles – to get what he wanted. Cover-up, murder, and more cover-up followed.

But David didn’t get away with his big conspiracy. God knew everything and he was angry. I imagine his anger waxed hotter with David than it would have with someone else in the same circumstances – because his expectations of David were higher – and his rebuke was scathing: I gave you everything. And if that hadn’t been enough, I would have given you more! Why did you despise the word of the Lord? And then the hammer fell: The sword will never depart from your house. Calamity will befall you. Your household will be ripped apart. And everyone will know. Oh, and by the way: Your baby will die.

Someone has observed about David:  “For all times to come, both his sin and his return to the Lord became part of the Scriptures which would be read publicly.”* Pretty humiliating, wouldn’t you agree? Another writer suggests, though, that David would not have wanted his sin to be hidden because “he would not have wanted the record of his experience of God’s forgiveness hidden.”* So, perhaps, if he could speak to us today, David would give us an encouraging word about God’s willingness to forgive sin – but he would also remind us that sin has consequences, whether as a natural result of our actions or as discipline from God. Our attempts to deny and cover up our sin serve only to block the path to new life.

I think David would also caution us about the wiliness of Satan. All he needed to nudge David down the slippery slope of sin was David’s change of routine and his solitude. From there, all Satan had to do was to play on David's vanity, his weakness for a pretty face, and his latent sense of entitlement to bring down God’s man. Do not underestimate Satan’s knowledge of your weaknesses, David might warn us. He knows us better than we know ourselves!

The enemy knows our weaknesses, and he preys upon them. Demons smell human brokenness like sharks smell blood in the water, and they move in to take advantage of the weakened soul.*

September 6, 2025

Deuteronomy 1: 37 Because of you the Lord became angry with me also. (NIV) 

What a costly mistake people make by thinking they have a legitimate right to hold a grudge.*

I had an employer who, while an overall good boss, sometimes had trouble with confrontation. When it came to dealing with a troublesome employee, she would often call her entire staff together and chastise all of us. Even when I knew I wasn’t the guilty party, those occasions always made me squirm.

I imagine Moses’ audience had a similar reaction to his accusations in this passage. He still harbored resentment that he had been punished for his actions (recorded in Numbers chapter 20), and was playing the blame game. Thanks to these people, he reasoned, he was banned from entering the Promised Land. But was it really their fault? Sure, they may have been the ones who sparked his anger but not one of them was responsible for what he did about it. Like my former boss, he failed to single out the truly guilty party – which in this case was himself.

It was bad enough that Moses would not accept responsibility for his actions but what did his bitterness say about how he felt about God’s role in the matter? Would God really punish Moses for something that was the fault of an entire nation?

It wasn't just what Moses did that upset God to such extremes.  God said, “You did not trust me enough to honor me . . .” (Numbers 20: 12) Later, he said, “You broke faith with me.” (Deuteronomy 32: 51) So, Moses did what he did; God did what he did; and Moses chose what to do next: harbor resentment. He might not have been able to change God’s mind about the punishment (see Deuteronomy 3: 23-25), but he could have saved himself from the burden of bitterness he carried.

What misfortunes in your life are someone else’s fault? Even if you are completely blameless, do you carry around a load of bitterness that doesn’t make anything better? Do you secretly blame God for allowing bad things to happen to you? And so what if God did nothing to prevent your misery - has he forced you to wallow in it? Do you not have freedom to choose your attitude?

Those of us who don’t fight pathological hoarding may still have hoarding issues. We hang on to many useless or even diseased things – grudges, distressing memories, injuries.*

September 5, 2025

John 9: 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.” (NIV)

Telling our story is a defense of our belief.*

What is your testimony? Were you the lost and rebellious sheep who has a dramatic story about how you found your way back home? Or were you like me, a slightly unruly sheep who never went anywhere? Which of us has the more powerful testimony?

We have a few mistaken notions about witnessing. The first that comes to mind, of course, is the one I just mentioned: we think our story is boring. Another is the idea that we need to know more about the Bible before we can witness. The formerly blind man in this verse shoots down both of those theories. He only knew one thing about Jesus: he had healed him. And that was his testimony.

You may not be able to quote scripture to prove every point you would like to make when witnessing but I’m certain you know more than one thing about Jesus. And if you know what Jesus has done for you, you have a testimony. Your story may lack drama but it will never lack power.

Personal testimonies are more powerful than we believe.*

September 4, 2025

Micah 6: 6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? (NIV)

He doesn’t want meaningless worship or mindless obedience from his subjects.*

Whenever my husband’s family gathers at my house for a special occasion, his youngest brother always brings me a hostess gift. He doesn’t have to bring a present in order to be welcome in my home but it is a gracious gesture which I always appreciate.

When Micah asks what he can present to the Lord, he isn’t asking how to be saved. He just wants to know what gracious gesture he can perform to express his appreciation for being welcomed into the Lord’s presence. In the following verses, it’s as if Micah is looking at the shelves in the gift shop, trying to decide what to buy: Burnt offerings? No. Thousands of rams? Nope. Ten thousand rivers of oil? Not that! My firstborn? Hmm . . . Until, finally! There it is! The perfect hostess gift: Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (verse 8).

We will never be worthy of the honor of being allowed in the presence of the Almighty God but we are welcome nonetheless. Though unworthy, wouldn’t you like to make some gracious gesture to show your appreciation to God for his gracious gesture to you? No more wandering around in the store in search of the perfect gift, because “he has showed you, O man, what is good.” Turns out God isn’t so hard to shop for after all!

If we comprehend what Christ has done for us, then surely out of gratitude we will strive to live “worthy” of such great love.*

September 3, 2025

Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

Sometimes loving others takes effort and creativity.*

There are times when I want to pray for someone but I just don’t know what to say. Paul doesn’t seem to have the same problem. What can we learn from his “model” prayer for the Roman Christians? 

• It wasn’t enough to ask for something good on their behalf. He doesn’t just pray that they will be capriciously filled with joy and peace – he reminds them that they have some responsibility in the transaction: to trust in God. 
• He offers them hope by pointing out that overflowing hope would be the result of the aforementioned joy, peace, and trust. 
• He gives credit where credit is due: this was all possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Our prayers for others will not be arranged in such a tidy little outline, and those for whom we pray may never know what we asked on their behalf – if they ever learn that we are praying for them at all. But Paul’s prayer can show us that we can be more thoughtful, deliberate, intentional, and specific when we bring someone before the throne of God. “Please help Suzy with her problem” is a good start but doesn’t Suzy deserve a little more reflection, a bit more of your time and attention? Not because God needs us to tell him what he should do for dear Suzy but because he wants us to care that much for others.

There is a pulse for caring for one another at the heart of following Jesus.*

September 2, 2025

Exodus 14: 31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. (NIV)

The history of the Israelites should nail a coffin lid on the notion that impressive displays of God’s power will guarantee faith.*

Remember after 9/11 how united this country was – in patriotism, in faith in God, and in standing strong against our enemies? Why didn’t it last? We could ask the same question about the Israelites who upon witnessing God’s great power - wielded on their behalf - feared God and put their trust in him and in his servant, Moses. Why didn’t it last?

 I don’t know the answer – but I sure can speculate! In both cases – post-9/11 Americans and pre-wandering-in-the-wilderness Israelites – the momentum couldn’t be sustained because it was not driven by a sustainable force. In the USA, our solidarity was founded on feelings: fear, anger, loss - not unity of purpose. As for the Israelites, they feared and trusted God because of what they saw him do for them, not because of who he is. 

Our faith in God should be founded on his faithfulness. We should remain faithful to him because we know he will be faithful to us, and not because of what he gives us or does for us. He is in the business of fulfilling his plan – not granting our wishes. But as his plan involves working for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose, true faith lasts long after the emotion-inducing moments have passed.

True faith trusts God when he does not perform a dramatic demonstration of power in our life.*

September 1, 2025

Psalm 18: 1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. (NIV)

God could answer many of our prayers a hundred times over, and we would never know because they are not specific enough for us to see the results.*

For all that we believe in praying, we don’t always do it well. For example, we’ve been warned about the danger of praying for patience – the only path to patience is through trials, so think carefully before you decide to ask for it. Maybe our prayer for patience would be more effective if we prayed specifically: Please give me patience . . . with my boss; with that neighbor; as I am waiting for something to happen.

Prayer is a powerful weapon and just maybe we need to read the instruction manual a little more carefully before we head out to the firing range. This verse points to one of the many ways in which we tend to pray improperly – dare I say, ignorantly? I am as guilty as you are of asking God to give me strength. Help me to be strong when I am faced with temptation. Please let me be strong when I don’t feel like doing the right thing. Give me strength when my loved one is in trouble. But here, we don’t read David’s request for strength. We see his acknowledgment that God is his strength.

What’s the difference? you ask. Well, read the rest of the Psalm. Therein, David listed a multitude of calamities which he had faced and from which he had been delivered. There is not one victory for which David can take credit. The closest he comes to speaking of his own strength begins in verse 32 where he says, “It is God who arms me with strength . . .” He goes on to itemize more specific ways in which God enabled him to perform strongly – but, admittedly, he wasn’t strong without the armor provided by God. He wouldn’t have asked God to give him strength – because he knew that God was his strength.

Do you see from this example how we might need to learn to pray more effectively? Do you want to pray more properly and more powerfully? Consult the user’s manual. Do a word search on prayer in the New Testament. Look at the context; compare the passage to other passages. What did Jesus say about prayer? What model did he establish? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you interpret correctly. Turn your prayer life into a WMB – a Weapon of Mass Blessing!

The power of prayer does not rest in the person praying; it rests in God.*