2 Samuel 12 -- The Paying

"Nathan had to perform spiritual surgery and confront the king about his sins ... It wasn't an easy task the Lord had given Nathan," my commentary began.

"In telling a story about the crime of another, Nathan prepared David for dealing with his own sins ... Nathan was catching David off guard and could study the king's response and better know what to do next."  Nathan's story evoked outrage in David.  "He didn't seem to realize that he was the rich man, Uriah was the poor man, and Bathsheba was the ewe lamb he had stolen.  The traveler whom the rich man fed represents the temptations and lust that visited David on the roof and then controlled him.  If we open the door, sin comes in as a guest but soon becomes the master."

"David passed judgment on the rich man without realizing he was passing judgment on himself.  Of all blindness, the worst kind is that which makes us blind to ourselves ...  Nathan said, 'You are the man!' and proceeded to hold up the mirror that revealed how dirty the king really was ... He had forgotten the goodness of the Lord ... he had despised God's commandments and acted as though he had the privilege of sinning."

"God repaid David in kind ... The sword did not depart from David's family and his wives were taken and violated, just as he had taken Bathsheba."

"David confessed, 'I have sinned against the Lord.'  Nathan assured David that the Lord had put away his sin ... But there was a 'however' in Nathan's reply, for though God in His grace had forgiven David's sins, God in His government had to permit David to experience the consequences of those sins, beginning with the death of Bathsheba's baby."

God chastened David, as told in verses 15-23, and comforted him in the next two verses.  Chastening is "difficulty permitted by a loving Father who wants HIs children to submit to His will and develop godly character.  Chastening is an expression of God's love ... No matter how devastated the chastening hand of our loving Father makes us feel, there is comfort available from the Lord."  God gave David another baby son -- Solomon.

Finally, Joab contacted David to come back to Rammah to finish off the city siege where Uriah had been killed.  Had David been there to begin with, the whole episode with Bathsheba might never have happened.  David led the army in the battle once more and took the city.

Father, I thank You for being a God of mercy and grace, and I understand better each day why You must also be a God of government, so that we experience the consequences of our sin, reminding us of the great cost of our disobedience -- the death of Your Son.  Thank You for Your chastening.  Please keep it as short as possible so that we can stand and not give up.  Help us to see Your love in all of it.  I'm glad that Your eye is on the clock and Your hand is on the thermostat when You have us in the fire, refining us.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 11 -- The Chapter I Really Dislike

This chapter always makes me sick.  I so hate watching a good man falling due to sin.

My commentary said, "These two chapters describe seven stages in David's experience.  As we study, let's remember Paul's admonition, 'Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.'"

The first stage was the conceiving.  "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." (James 1:14)  

Idleness was part of the problem.  "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do.  Idleness isn't just the absence of activity ... idleness is also activity to no purpose ... If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idle.  When David laid aside his armor, he took the first step toward moral defeat, and the same principle applies to believers today," with our spiritual armor.

Imagination didn't help either.  "A man can't be blamed if a beautiful woman comes into his line of vision, but if the man deliberately lingers for a second look in order to feed his lust, he's asking for trouble."

Information -- "When God forbids something and calls it sin, we shouldn't try to get more information about it.  David knew what the law said about adultery, so why did he send to inquire about the woman?"

The second stage was the committing, according to my commentary.  It puzzled over Bathsheba's willingness to go with the messengers and submit to David's desires.  "No Jewish citizen had to obey a king who himself was disobeying God's law, for the king covenanted with God and the people to subject himself to the divine law."

The third stage was the covering.  Bathsheba became pregnant and sent word to David.  Besides the messenger, there were also servants in David's palace who knew what had gone on, but David couldn't see that.  Ever the strategist, he schemed to get Uriah back home so there'd be a valid reason for Bathsheba to have become pregnant.  How ironic that Solomon, a child of David and Bathsheba, wrote in Proverbs 28;13, "He who covers his sins will not prosper."  Bathsheba's husband Uriah was faithful to David until the end, and his faithfulness got him killed, because he refused to enjoy his wife's affections while he was engaged in battle for the king.

The other stages will be discussed in the next chapter.

Father, thank You for this terrible reminder that we are all so susceptible to sin and must be constantly vigilant not to give it a foothold.  It's terrible that Satan uses the tough times in our lives to try to develop within us an entitlement mentality which makes us think we deserve to sin without consequences.  Keep me from falling for that lie, Father.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 10 -- Vindicating God's Honor

In chapters 7-9, my commentary said David was accepting God's will, fighting God's battles, and sharing God's kindness, and now in chapter 10, defending God's honor.

David had apparently become friends with Nahash, the Ammonite king, during his years of exile.  Nahash had been loyal to David, so David sent a delegation to comfort Nahash's son, Hanun.  Hanun's advisors, however, were immature and ignorant, and suspected the delegation of spying to plan an invasion.  They greatly insulted the Jewish men by shaving off on side of their lengthy beards and cutting off their clothing at their waists!  The public shame of the men in the delegation led David to tell them to wait in Jericho until their beards grew back before returning to Jerusalem.  The action amounted to a declaration of war, and the Ammonites knew it, so they hired 33,000 soldiers in two armies to help defend themselves.

Joab, leader of David's army, along with his brother Abishai, brought the army of Israel in response.  Outside the city, they soon found themselves caught in a pincer attack, with the hired Aramean and other armies on one side of them and the Ammonites on the other.  But God was in control, and the mercenaries became frightened and fled as the Israelite army began to attack.  This also caused the Ammonite army to retreat into their capital city.  A short while later, the Aramean mercenaries consolidated their forces and returned to fight.  This time, David brought additional troops from Israel and the Arameans were soundly defeated and became a vassal state in David's growing empire.

A warning in other parts of my commentary would be appropriate here:  "Be careful after the victory that you do not fall," for David's officers were concerned about his safety in battle after a giant almost killed him in a subsequent fight.  They urged him not to go into battle again, which would set up the turning point of 2 Samuel coming in chapter 11.

Father, please help me to learn from David's mistakes and not set myself up for failure through feelings of entitlement.  Keep me close, Father, comfort me, and work Your will in my life.  I need Your direction every day.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 9 -- A Picture Of God's Love For Us In Christ

King David's third important activity in these chapters was sharing God's kindness.  "The kindness of God ... means the mercy and favor of the Lord to undeserving people ... we see in David's dealings with Mephibosheth a picture of God's kindness to lost sinners ... David went above and beyond the call of duty ... He first had to find Mephibosheth ... and he did so not because Mephibosheth was crippled, but for Jonathan's sake ... David couldn't show any love or kindness to Jonathan (since he'd been killed in battle), so he looked for one of Jonathan's relatives ... So it is with God's children:  they are called and saved, not because they deserve anything from God, but for the sake of God's Son."

Mephibosheth was then called into David's presence ... "If he believed what his grandfather (Saul) said about David, he would have feared for his life, but if he had listened to what his father told him about David, he would have rejoiced ... David took him into his own family, provided for him, protected him, and let him eat at his own table ... we have a higher position than that which David gave Mephibosheth, for we sit on the throne with Jesus Christ and reign in life through Him.  God gives us the riches of His mercy and grace and unsearchable riches in Christ.  God supplies all our needs."

Father, I'm amazed that You've taken someone like me into Your own family, adopting me and allowing me to experience brotherhood with Christ!  Like Mephibosheth, I was totally undeserving of Your grace and mercy.  I know that sometimes I still fail to act like I'm part of Your family, and for that I'm sorry and ask Your forgiveness.  Thank You for loving me so!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 8 -- Fighting God's Battles

Again, my commentary said King David was involved in four important activities in chapters 7-10 and here it was fighting God's battles.

Under Saul, Israel had lost territory in various battles and skirmishes.  Also, the Israelites had not been able to defeat some of the inhabitants of the land when they first entered the Promised Land.  God used David to fulfill many of the promises in His covenants with Abraham and Moses as well as those He made with David.

"David recaptured lands Saul had lost and he also expanded Israel's borders and acquired land that hadn't been captured in Joshua's day ... A man of faith, David believed God's promises and acted upon them for the blessing of his people ... The church today doesn't use military weapons to fight God's battles, but we could use the faith and courage of David and his soldiers and reclaim lost territory for the Lord," my commentary said.

West of Israel were the Philistines, the traditional enemies of the Jews.  David defeated them, as well as the Moabites to the east of Israel.  Despite the fact that David's great grandmother Ruth was from Moab, David had to defeat them, for Moab had hired Balaam to curse Israel and the inhabitants had seduced the men of Israel, causing the Lord to declare war on them. 

In the north, the Arameans and Syrians were the problem.  "The whole area north to the Euphrates River came under David's authority.  This gave Israel important military installations and also control of the valuable caravan routes."

In the south, 1st Chronicles 18 named the Edomites as the enemy.  David defeated them as well as the Amalekites that Saul had failed to destroy per God's command.  "Just as the Lord had promised, David was victorious over his enemies," my commentary said.

David build a wise administration over Israel and the territories he'd conquered, ruling with justice and righteousness, and he had good men as his subordinates.  He had learned to stop waging war personally and was becoming the king God planned for him to be.

Father, I'd love for life to settle in as it once had for me -- for problems to be resolved and for Your name to be glorified as a result.  Please continue to rule over my life and the lives of those I love.  Be our King, and help us to submit to Your rule.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 7 -- Lord God, Who Am I?

Everyone has a picture of a king surrounded in luxury, with servants doing his bidding, with his every word being his way of getting what he wants, but that wasn't David.  I continue to marvel every time I read this at how humble before God David was at this time in his life.

"Then King David went in and sat in front of the Lord.  David said, 'Lord God, who am I?  What is my family?  Why did You bring me to this point?  But even this is not enough for You, Lord God ... What more can I say to You, Lord God, since You know me, Your servant, so well! ... There is no one like You!.'"

What it must have been like to hear God say, "The Savior of the world will be called 'Son of David'"!  I could not imagine God saying that the Savior might be called 'the Son of Gary'.  How special David must have felt!  Yet how insignificant he knows he is compared to God.  My commentary said, "The way David responded to this great Word from God is a good example for us to follow today.  He humbled himself before the Lord and at least ten times called himself the servant of God ... he poured his heart out to the Lord."

David wanted to build a house for God, feeling ashamed that he was living in a cedar and stone palace while God was living in a tent.  But God told him he wouldn't be the one to build it.  "This announcement must have disappointed David, but he accepted it graciously and gave the Lord thanks for all His goodness to him ... God's servants must learn to accept the DISAPPOINTMENTS of life, for as A.T. Pierson used to say, 'Disappointments are His APPOINTMENTS.'"

Father, it seems to have been three years of disappointments for me,  But You've been showing me that during this time, I've had more appointments with You than ever before.  You've taught me to trust You more, to depend on You to rule my life in Your wisdom and love, and to not doubt the outcome will be Your will.  You've taught me to dwell (feel at home) with You, despite my circumstances.  In some small way I feel a kinship with what David must have been feeling here, leading me, like him, to ask, "Lord God, who am I?"

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 6 -- David Learns About Doing Things God's Way

"For over 75 years, the ark of the covenant had been absent from the divine sanctuary at Shiloh.  The Philistines had captured the ark when Eli was judge, and then returned it to the Jews because the Lord sent judgment on the Philistines.  First the ark was sent to Beth-Shemesh and then was taken to Kiriath-Jearim and guarded in the house of Abinadab," my commentary began.

"Why did David want the ark in Jerusalem?  For one thing, he wanted to honor the Lord and give Him His rightful place as King of the nation.  But David also had a secret desire in his heart to build a sanctuary for the Lord and the first step would be to place the ark in the capital city... It was David's hope that past divisions and tribal differences would be forgotten as the people focused on the Lord.  The presence of the ark meant the presence of the Lord, and the presence of the Lord meant security and victory.  But one thing was missing:  there is no record that David sought the mind of the Lord in this matter.  Relocating the ark to Jerusalem seemed a wise idea and everybody was enthusiastic about doing it, but the king didn't follow his usual pattern of asking the Lord for His direction.  After all, what pleases the king and the people may not please God, and what doesn't please God will not have His blessing.  David's first attempt failed miserably because the Levites didn't carry the ark on their shoulders.  God had given specific directions through Moses ... when they used a new cart drawn by oxen, they were following the pattern of the pagan Philistines," my commentary added.  "The lesson here is obvious:  God's work must be done in God's way if it is to have God's blessing."

"At the beginning of new eras in biblical history, God sometimes manifested His power in judgment to remind the people that one thing had not changed:  God's people must obey God's Word ... The church today needs to heed this reminder and return to the Word of God for an understanding of the will of God.  No amount of unity or enthusiasm can compensate for disobedience.  When God's work is done in man's way and we imitate the world instead of obeying the Word, we can never expect the blessing of God."

The second attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem was successful, with the Levites carrying the ark on their shoulders as Moses had directed.  "David was now determined to do God's work in God's way."

Father, I pray that You will direct me to do Your work in Your way and not my own.  I pray for our church as well.  As I read today, "no amount of unity or enthusiasm can compensate for disobedience," and I pray that we as a congregation will obey Your directions for our church.  Show us Your directions, Father, and help us to follow them.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 5 -- David Becomes King

My commentary pointed out, "For perhaps 10 years, David was an exile in the wilderness of Judea, hiding from Saul and learning to trust the Lord more and more.  He had patiently waited for the Lord to give him the promised throne, and now that time had come.  It is through faith and patience that God's people inherit what He has promised, and David had trusted God in the most difficult circumstances."

This chapter and those that follow describe the steps David took to unite and strengthen the nation.  In this chapter, they were:  

     1st - "David accepted the crown ... In Deut. 17, the first and most important requirement was that the king was to be chosen by the Lord ... Saul had been the people's king, but he wasn't the Lord's first choice, for God had given him as a judgment against Israel because they wanted to be like other nations."

     2nd - "David established a new capital city," guided by God in how to attack and overcome Jerusalem, which was occupied by the Jebusites at that time.

     3rd - "David formed political alliances ... the Jews were warned not to form alliances with their neighbors that would compromise their integrity ... Phoenicians depended on Jewish farms for their food.  David interpreted King Hiram's kindness as another evidence that the Lord had indeed established him on the throne of Israel."

     ("Again though, Deut 17:17 prohibited Israel's kings from taking many wives, but David seemed to ignore this law ... He had children by at least eight wives plus many concubines ... Solomon also ignored this law, and both paid dearly for their disobedience.")

     4th - "David defeated the Philistines ... As he had done before, David sought the mind of the Lord in planning his attack ... Assured by the Lord that He would give Israel victory, David met the Philistines ... and forced them to retreat ... David gave God all the glory ... The Philistines returned to fight David a second time, and David sought the Lord's will a second time ... By this victory, Israel regained territory ... These two victories added greater glory to God and honor to His servant."

Patience and faith -- these two important qualities are often hard to hold onto.  In my own life in just the past two days, I've barely hung on, yet God has once again shown me how important they are, and once again He has answered prayers.  Thank You, Father, for sowing me in Your Word what I need for each day.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 4 -- David Succeeds By Surrendering

Ish-Bosheth had assumed the throne when Saul and Jonathan died, but my commentary said that "he was a mere puppet in the hands of his general (Abner), and now the general was dead."  Ish-Bosheth was home in the afternoon, taking a nap when two minor officers in Abner's army entered the house under the guise of securing grain for their troops.  As Ish-Bosheth napped, the two men stabbed and killed him, then beheaded him and brought the head to David, even daring to claim that the Lord had avenged David. 

 "But David's answer made it clear that at no time in his career had he ever broken God's commandment by murdering somebody in order to accomplish his purposes ... David made it very clear that he was not involved ... At the king's command, his guards killed the two confessed murderers, cut off their hands and feet and hung their corpses up as evidence of the king's justice," my commentary said.

"Sin and death ... were reigning, but God's grace also reigned, for He protected David and overruled men's sins to accomplish His divine purposes.  'Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.'  But David reigned in life and let God control him as he faced one emergency after another.  He was a man empowered by God, and God brought him through each crisis and helped him to succeed.  In the midst of today's troubles and trials, God's people can reign in life by Jesus Christ if we will surrender to Him, wait on Him, and trust His promises."

Father, I certainly had a day like that yesterday.  I, too, want to be a man empowered by You.  I want You to bring me through each crisis.  Help me to surrender my will to Yours, to wait on You, and to trust Your promises.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 3 -- Abner's Decision and Joab's Mistake

Saul's general, Abner, soon began to see the truth -- that Saul's dynasty was going away and that David would be the king of all Israel.  He decided to cast his lot with David.  "David was biding his time, knowing that God would keep His promises and give him the throne of Israel," my commentary said.  One disturbing trend was developing, however.  David was beginning to collect wives.  "Polygamy started with Lamech, a descendant of Cain, and was tolerated in Israel, but it was forbidden to Israel's kings (Deut. 17:17)," my commentary added.

Through shuttle diplomacy, Abner broached the subject of moving to David's side.  David's own military commander, Joab, was out on a raid David had ordered, while David met with Abner, arranged a feast, and then sent Abner to Israel to take care of his part of the arrangement.  But Abner had killed Joab's brother on the battlefield, and when Joab returned and was told about the feast, he distrusted Abner's motives and believed he was spying.  A contingent of men was sent without David's knowledge or approval to bring Abner back, and as he entered the city gates, Joab and his brother were waiting and murdered him.

David quickly moved to distance himself from the murder, even pronouncing a curse on Joab's family!  He even required Joab and his soldiers to officially mourn the death of Abner, and he had him buried in the royal city of Hebron.  David also wrote an official elegy to honor Abner, as he had for Saul and Jonathan.  The people of Israel could tell from David's actions that he'd played no part in the treasonous murder and they decided to do as Abner had done and make David king of all Israel.

Father, You know my own motives.  Please help others to know the truth about them -- that I seek only Your will and not anything for my own glory.  Keep me humble and ready to be Your servant, wanting what pleases You and glorifies You.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

2 Samuel 2 -- Affection Blinds People To God's Will

I am constantly amazed at the way the writer of my commentary is able to link the stories I read to modern-day dilemmas in the church!

Here, David was anointed by the men of Judah to be their king, while Saul's general and cousin Abner pressed for Saul's third and last remaining son to be the king of all Israel.  David first thanked the men of Jabesh Gilead for bravely retrieving the bodies of Saul and Jonathan and his brother and giving them a proper burial.  But these men didn't choose to submit to David but instead followed Abner and Saul's other son, Ish-Bosheth.

My commentary said, "The people of Jabesh Gilead allowed their affection for Saul to blind them to God's plan for the nation.  They had a good motive but they made a bad choice.  How often in the history of the church have God's people allowed human affection and appreciation to overrule the will of God!  Jesus Christ is Kind and He deserves our submission, loyalty, and obedience.  To put human leaders ahead of God's anointed King is to create division and weakness in the ranks of the Lord's followers and invite multiplied problems for the Lord's people."

"While Joab led the army of Judah, David watched and waited, knowing that the Lord would one day open the way for him to reign as king over all Israel ... David had to wait on God's timing while patiently enduring the consequences of the selfish ambitions and reckless actions of leaders who were motivated by pride and hatred.  David learned to build with the materials at hand and to trust God to use disappointments to the advantage of his people."

"Our political and religious worlds are populated by these same three kinds of people ... weak people like Ish-Bosheth, who get where they are because they have connections ... strong, selfish people like Abner, who know how to manipulate others for their own personal profit ... and people of God like David who are called, anointed, and equipped but must wait for God's time before they can serve.  During more than 50 years of ministry, I have seen churches and other ministries bypass God's chosen men and women and put unqualified people into places of leadership just because they were well-known or had connections," my commentary added.

Father, please help our church to seek those You desire and have chosen to lead.  Make us ready to hear Your voice and respond as You direct.  Don't let us make incorrect choices as these people did.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

2 Samuel 1 -- David's Cautious Steps Toward The Throne

David and his men had returned to their burned out town of Ziklag and were no doubt trying to put their lives back together when the Amalekite messenger walked into town with the news that the Israelite army had been defeated and that Saul and Jonathan were dead, as were Saul's other sons who'd fought in the battle.  The messenger claimed to have put Saul out of his misery at Saul's request, but to David, even doing that was taking the life of the Lord's anointed king.  The messenger had brought Saul's crown and other symbols of kingship to David.  My commentary believed the messenger was deceitful in his words, claiming to have killed Saul and bringing the trappings of office to David in hopes of a reward.  But in claiming to have killed Saul, he set David against him and caused his own death.  Of course, there is also God's word to Saul that he completely destroy the Amalekites, and here was one who'd not been destroyed.

David also faced a nation in mourning and many had loved and supported Saul.  It would be important not to force himself on the people.  "In slaying the messenger, David vindicated Saul and his sons and demonstrated publicly that he had not been Saul's enemy and did not rejoice at Saul's death.  This was a dangerous thing to do ... in Philistine territory ... The conduct of David and his camp, when reported to the Jewish people, would help to convince them that David indeed was chosen by God to be their king," my commentary said.

Father, please help me not to trample on the reputations of others.  Help me to wait and allow You to take care of things.  I want to be a man after Your own heart.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 31 -- The End Of Saul

What a very sad scene to witness:  The overwhelming Philistine army killing so many Israelites that the survivors were running away.  Saul fought hard, yet saw his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua killed before him.  Then an archer shot an arrow into his torso.  Saul knew it was a mortal wound, and because of the reputation of the Philistines for torture and mutilation, he asked his armor-bearer to kill him.  The man was too afraid to do so, leaving Saul with no option but to fall on his own sword.

The Philistines found his body and cut off his head and stripped him of his armor, taking all of it to their temples to honor their idols.  The bodies of Saul and his sons were hung on the city wall for all to see -- an affront to the Jewish requirement of honorable burial.  Brave men from Jabesh-Gilead retrieved the bodies at night and buried the bones.

"Saul's hour of judgment had come.  Without Samuel's prayers and David's anointed leadership, the army of Israel was destined for defeat," my commentary said.

Father, I cannot even imagine what it must have felt like to have witnessed all of this and to wonder where You were in all of it.  I know from Your Word that You had not been allowed to rule so You were overruling.  Please let me never again fail to heed Your warnings.  I do not want to witness my world crumbling around me because I failed to obey You.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 29-30 God Steps In During David's Darkest Hour

It looked like David and his men were about to have to battle their fellow Israelites, but the Philistine commanders drew a line and insisted that Achish send them home to Ziklag.  "God helps us avoid situations that would divide our loyalties and break our hearts," the sidebar in my Bible said.

They headed back to Ziklag, only to discover that their entire city had been burned to the ground by invading Amalekites, and their families and possessions had been taken away.

The men were exhausted from their 3-day journey, and they wept out of distress for their families.  "Different people react in different ways to the same circumstances, because what life does to us depends on what life finds in us ... David knew that the encouragement he needed could only come from the Lord.  He ordered Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and together they sought the will of the Lord."

God told them to chase after the raiders.  They traveled 16 miles, where one third of his 600 men had to stop -- too exhausted to continue.  Also, they had no idea where to go next -- until they found an Egyptian slave that the Amalekites had left for dead.  Grateful that they had saved his life, he led them to the Amalekites and David's men fought for 24 hours, killing all but 400 of the Amalekites and rescuing their families and possessions.  "The Lord had kept the Egyptian alive so David could rescue the families that had been kidnapped," my commentary said.

"As you review what the Lord did for David in that dark hour of his life, you can better understand how He helps people when problems and crises come into their lives.  First, the Lord encouraged David so that he didn't despair but trusted the Lord to help him.  Whenever a crisis comes, we need the courage to face it, and we must not try to blame others or pretend that nothing is wrong.  The Lord also gave David wisdom to know what to do and the strength to do it ... The Lord also provided David with the facts he needed so he could find where the enemy was camped in that vast wilderness.  When we step out by faith and trust the Lord, He will guide us when we need it.  Finally, God gave David and his men the strength they needed to defeat the enemy and recover the prisoners and their wealth.  'Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.'"

Father, stoke up my faith in You.  I do trust You.  I know You've got this.  I just need to hear Your encouragement right now.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 28 -- Saul's Decline Begins

As the Philistines prepared to fight the Israelites, David's host, Achish, informed him that he'd have to first with the Philistines against his own people.  David cryptically answered, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do!"

In the other army, Saul was trying to seek counsel from God, but no answers were forthcoming.  He'd sought the Lord through dreams but none came.  He had no prophet as David did, and David also had a priest with the ephod.  "No matter what means Saul tried, he received no answer from God.  But during most of his life, he didn't want God's will because he wanted to do things his own way.  Is it any wonder that at the end of Saul's career, God deserted him?" my commentary asked.

Saul had expelled all of the spiritists but now decided that he needed one to contact Samuel.  He disguised himself and visited a witch in Endor.  She called up Samuel.  "Samuel did appear, but she was shocked when it happened ... Her surprised loud cry was evidence that Samuel's sudden appearing was something she didn't expect ... Samuel announced that David was the neighbor who would inherit the kingdom.  But the direst news of all was that the next day Saul and his sons would be slain in battle ..."

Saul had been fasting as he tried to contact God, and now he was too weak to travel.  He finally agreed to eat what she had prepared.  "Saul was unprepared to lead, unprepared to fight, and unprepared to die," my commentary concluded.

Father, if I ever stop trying to seek Your face, please get my attention before I end up like Saul.  I want to finish well, remaining in Your will!

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 27 -- David's Despondency

"These chapters record the experiences of David when he was living without God's intimate, loving guidance," my commentary said.  It was caused by worry and the deception he was using with Achish.  He'd been a fugitive for about 7 years and he decided to flee Israel, moving to Gath -- Goliath's hometown in Philistine territory -- and he raided Israel's enemies while telling Achish he was raiding Israel.

"God's children must be careful not to yield to despondency.  Moses was discouraged over his heavy workload and wanted to die, and Elijah ran from the place of duty because of fear and discouragement.  When we start looking at God through our circumstances instead of looking at our circumstances through God's eyes, we will lose faith, patience, and courage, and the enemy will triumph," my commentary said.

Father, despondency has been knocking on my door for several years now, but I've trusted You with my circumstances.  Please keep me trusting in You and don't let despondency get a foothold.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 26 -- David Has Learned A Valuable Lesson About Revenge

Saul again pursued David, but David had gotten wind of the attack and had moved his men into the desert.  Saul and his 3,000 soldiers made camp for the night until they could determine David's new location.  

The Lord caused a deep sleep to fall over every soldier in Saul's camp, and David and his nephew walked right into the middle of the camp where Saul was sleeping, retrieving Saul's spear and water jug as proof of their presence.  David's nephew believed God was giving them an opportunity to kill Saul, but "David had settled this matter in the cave ... David was sure that Saul's life would end at the right time and in the right way, either by natural death or by a judgment from God, and then the throne would be his...  David's decision was based on principle and not circumstances.  David knew that it was wrong to lay hands on God's anointed, even though the king wasn't serving as God wanted him to serve," my commentary said.

"David's unbelief would take him to the land of the Philistines and the city of Ziklag, where he would live for about a year and a half ... One day David would look back on those difficult years and see in his painful experiences only the goodness and mercy of the Lord."

Help me to be able to do the same, Father.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Samuel 25 -- God Prevents David From Making A Rash Mistake

Samuel died and David relocated his 600 men farther away from Saul.  They had protected shepherds and sheep belonging to a very wealthy man named Nabal, and when shearing season arrived, David sent messengers to humbly ask Nabal for food supplies for his men.  "Any man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats could easily spare a few animals to feed 600 men who had risked their own lives to guard part of his wealth," my commentary said.  But Nabal wouldn't hear of it.

"David could forgive Saul, who wanted to kill him, but he couldn't forgive Nabal, who only refused to feed him and his men ... David's anger got the best of him; he didn't stop to consult the Lord; and he rushed out to satisfy his passion for revenge.  Had David succeeded, he would have committed a terrible sin and done great damage to his character and his career, but the Lord mercifully stopped him," my commentary noted.

Nabal's wife, Abilgail, was told of her husband's rash words and hurried to meet David as he and his men rode to Nabal's property.  She wisely gave them food and drink and took the blame for not knowing David was in the area.  This stopped David from making the mistake of killing Nabal, and when she returned and told her husband about the events, God caused him to have a stroke and he died ten days later.  Upon hearing the news, David asked Abigail to marry him, which she readily did.  All of Nabal's land and livestock became David's!

Father, help me to remember to consult You, as You did yesterday, when I am tempted toward rash actions.  Remind me that I represent You as Your child and that my actions can either point people toward You or turn them away from You.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 23-24 -- Trusting In God And His Provision

The city of Keilah came under attack by the Philistines.  "David paused to determine the will of God, a practice every leader needs to imitate, for it's easy for our own personal interests to get in the way of God's will."  Saul, on the other had, was more concerned about capturing David than defending Israel.  David's men weren't enthusiastic about the plan, so David inquired of God again.  "It wasn't David's unbelief that created the problem, because he had faith in the Lord, but the fear in the hearts of his men made them unprepared for battle," my commentary said.

This chapter is filled with "David asked .... and God answered."  It's awesome to see a leader in such close communion with God!  God guided David and his men away from Saul's attackers and even called the Philistines to attack another part of Israel so that Saul's army would have to leave, saving David and his men.  "The Lord was watching over the future king."

My commentary labeled the first four verses of chapter 24 as "David's Temptation."  God had sovereignly placed David and his men deep within a cave and then led Saul to use that very cave for a bathroom, with no help around him.  David's men just knew that this was God's way of delivering Saul for swift justice and death.  "David saw it as an opportunity to show mercy and prove that his heart was right.  God was giving him an opportunity to answer his own prayer for vindication."  God allowed David to stealthily approach Saul and cut a corner off of the robe he'd laid aside as he relieved himself.  Once Saul had exited the cave and traveled a safe distance away, David called out to him, asking him to check the corner of his robe.  That proved that David could have  killed Saul but didn't.  "Saul admitted that David was a godly man who, by not slaying him, returned good for evil ... Saul openly confessed that he knew David would be the next king and would consolidate the nation of Israel that Saul had torn apart ... David had won many battles, but one of his greatest victories occurred in that cave, when he restrained himself and his men from killing Saul," my commentary concluded.

Father God, I too seek Your will and guidance today for a very important decision.  Please let me know what Your plan is and what our role is to be.  Through this, let others know that we trust in You and have no intentions for evil.  Vindicate us as well.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 22 -- God Reigns In The Havoc

David left Philistine territory and moved to the cave of Adullam, about 15 miles from Bethlehem.  He was back in friendly territory, and there men of Judah and Benjamin began to join his band, as did all of his family.  "David ended up with 400 high quality fighting men, and the number later increased to 600 ... True leaders attract the best people who see in the leader those qualities of character that they most admire," my commentary said.  "What looked like a cave to others was to David a divine sanctuary, for the Lord was his portion and his refuge ... He trusted the Lord to see him through.  He knew that God would keep His promises and give him the throne and the kingdom."

David moved his parents to Moab for their safety during his exile.  "David's great-grandmother Ruth came from Moab, and this may have helped David to gain their support."

Doeg the Edomite had witnessed David's visit with Ahimelech the priest, and saw that the holy bread was eaten by David's men, and that David had retrieved Goliath's sword, which was his property after defeating Goliath.  He told Saul, who summoned Ahimelech and his family and held an illegal trial.  Based on no evidence, he condemned them all to death, but his soldiers refused to kill the priests of the Lord, so Saul had Doeg do the deed.  Doeg exceeded his mandate, killing all of the inhabitants of Nob also, along with all of their farm animals!   "The things that Samuel had warned about the monarchy and even more were now taking place," my commentary noted.

"While this unjust trial and illegal sentence disturbs us, we must keep in mind that it was part of God's plan.  This slaughter of the priests was a partial fulfillment of the ominous prophecy that had been given to unfaithful Eli, for God promised to replace the house of Eli with the house of Zadok."

Father, Satan uses treachery in our lives today to try and thwart Your will.  But You are sovereign, and You overrule him.  Please be sovereign in my life and overrule Satan's attempts to dishonor and control those I love.  Be God over us all, Father.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

1 Samuel 20-21 David Has To Flee Saul

"The wisest course of action for David was to get away from Saul and go into hiding.  For David to remain at Gibeah wasn't an exercise of faith; it was an act of presumption and he was only tempting God," my commentary said.  That's an important concept to remember when we struggle with tough decisions.

Jonathan was faced with trying to remain loyal to his father while at the same time wanting to help David, whom he knew would be the future king.  "Conflict of loyalties, especially in the family, is one of the most painful difficulties we face in the life of faith, but Christ calls for supreme devotion to Him and His will for our lives," my commentary said.

"David had faith that the Lord would remove Saul from the scene in His good time and in His own way."  Oh, that we could be satisfied with knowledge like that!

"Jonathan had brought much joy and encouragement to David during those difficult years, but it wasn't God's will that David permanently join himself to Saul and his family, for they belonged to the wrong tribe and represented a rejected and condemned monarchy.  David never had a co-regent because Jonathan was killed in battle and David rejected Saul's daughter Michal as his wife and she died childless.  Had she borne any children, it would have brought confusion into the royal line."

David fled to Gath, the hometown of Goliath, where he had to pretend to be insane to protect his life.  "David did a lot of praying while in Gath, and the Lord heard him.  David learned that the fear of the Lord conquers every other fear ... No matter how we feel or how dismal the circumstances appear, the safest place in the world is in the will of God."

Father, it's been like that for me lately, and I continue to pray for Your guidance and blessing.  Help me to rest in You and dwell in You as I wait for Your will.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford