Romans 13

 

We should consider the first and last verses of Romans Chapter 13. The first part says "everyone must submit himself." I'll pause there and then go to the last verse: "Rather, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature". These two points of this chapter are important and nearly sum it up.

We have to remember that Paul's world, the Roman authorities, were not the good guys. They weren't nice, yet Paul was saying submit. Now, how much we should submit and how much we shouldn't, and if we have a dictator like Hitler, is it right to oppose him or to do something against them? Were the Founding Fathers right or wrong in what they did? That's a discussion for another day. 

What I wanted to point out is that everyone must submit. That's part of the problem with humanity. We don't want to submit to the authority that God has placed around us and through us. We don't want to submit to our parents, we don't want to submit to the government, we don't want to submit to our bosses or our coworkers (If they've got a good idea). We want to be the guy in charge. If we're going to be Christians, we have to be willing to submit. And part of that submitting is loving our neighbors, which is what's mentioned in the middle of the chapter. Paul wraps up this thought by saying, clothe ourselves. Part of submitting to God means we need to put on Christ and not think about how we gratify the desires of the sinful nature. In other words, we need to be focusing on serving Christ and clothing ourselves (allowing us to be more like him), rather than planning to do those things that aren't right.

This is the thing I've noticed in life. Sometimes, we aren't doing the thing that's wrong, but we're thinking about it. The problem with thinking about it is clear. Jesus says thoughts will become your actions. Where you're thoughts go, you will go. Thoughts will produce those sins. If you lust after a woman in your heart, in your mind, that is, you've already committed adultery. Why? Because you're on that trajectory. However, if we're going to follow Christ, if we're going to submit to Christ, we have to stop thinking and planning how we're going to indulge. But instead, clothe ourselves in Jesus Christ and love our neighbor. Because that's part of what Jesus calls us to do. 

What do you see in this chapter?

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Psalms 60

 

In verse four, God has given those who fear God a banner. Banners in war were set so that troops would have a rallying point or a place they should be. One of the most dangerous times in a battle that I have read is when a group or a person isn't where they are supposed to be during a battle. Equally dangerous, and goes along with that, is when you can't tell where you are supposed to be. I remember reading somewhere that someone got lost and found themselves surrounded by the enemy, and they just kept marching with them until they found their own forces. God, however, has offered us a banner, a sign, to those who fear him, and I would say that rallying point is God himself. He is the one we need when we are in danger. 

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2 Samuel 8

  

When we come to Second Samuel Chapter 8, there's an interesting thing that happens. David defeats the Moabites, who had previously given sanctuary to his parents. But once he defeats them in the battle, because evidently something changed, he made them lie on the ground, measured them off of the cord, and cut off two lengths of them, putting two-thirds to death and one-third were left alive. The reason this happened was not clear. According to tradition, the Moabites turned against David, or maybe a portion of the Moabites turned together against David. According to tradition, David's parents were killed. Possibly, this is why David took such actions against captured soldiers. By the way, having people who had committed horrible crimes lie down to be killed was a cultural thing in the East. Typically, it was not seen in the people of God, but here it seems David did it. Again, we're not explained why in the Bible, but tradition seems to say David was correct. Or at least it seems to be.

At the end of the day, we should always do to others as God would have us, not according to the cultures of the day, or because of anger or vengeance. But that's a subject for another day.

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2 Samuel 7

 

In Second Samuel Chapter 7, we see Nathan starting off thinking, "It's good what you're thinking, David," and telling David to go about. God, however, corrected Nathan. This shows you that sometimes what may seem like a good idea and a godly thing, God may say no to. Not every great and good idea is good for you or for me.

The other thing I notice in this chapter is that when David gets the news that his family line is going to be blessed, he accepts it. He praises God, saying that God is like no other, that God is going to confirm his word. He takes it by faith, in a sense saying, This has happened. David is praising God like he already has the answer in front of him, like he already sees it. But he can't see it. He doesn't know what the future will hold, but he knows God. And therefore, he can praise God because he knows he will fulfill it.

It's like for us in the New Testament when we are told to give God thanks in all things, not necessarily for all things, but in all things. Why? Looking back to Romans 8, because “God can work and will work all things to good for those who love him, for those who are called according to his purpose.” So let's praise God, because he's got it.

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Jeremiah 34

Just a side note on the way God deals with people. I find that God can be very ironic at times. God told the people to give liberty to their servants, but they didn't. God says He will give liberty to those who disobey, liberty to face the sword, the freedom to enjoy pestilence and famine; basically, God will free you from the burden of life. What God is really giving them is what they have given to others, but the way God says it has a sarcasm to it that I find fascinating.

2 Samuel 6

 

What a change has taken place. Michal, whose love for David caused her to defy her father, now condemns him because of his dance and his choice to wear a linen ephod. This type of clothes might not have been see-through, but with light behind it would most likely make it possible for people to see the outline of a person's body. The dance spoken of here was usually performed by women, but David did it himself, to probably show the importance of this occasion. Michal didn't care but was impressed by David's actions. Though it is possible that Michal had no children due to an action of God, it is more likely that David refused to sleep with her again. Considering her contempt for him, I wouldn't have blamed him.

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Psalm 84

 

Though verse 6 can have some disagreement over what the valley of Baca is, it is clear that those on pilgrimage will receive water from a well and from rain. In our pilgrimage in life as Christians, we will find that there are struggles we will face, but God will provide for us, and if this verse is read like it says, the presence of the pilgrim will cause wells to appear. The advantage of a well is that it can provide for those who come by later. How true is it that when we see the struggles/lives of other Christians, it can give us refreshment, like drinking cool water. 

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2 Samuel 5

 At the end of this chapter, we see how David handled the fight with the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim the two times they came against him. Both times, David inquired of God, even though the second time looked exactly like the first. God had David attack differently, though the battle looked the same as before when they won. To me, it is a reminder that we should always seek God's wisdom no matter how things look. It may seem that the way done before might work, but God knows for certain. We need to trust His wisdom.

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2 Samuel 4

 In the middle of this chapter on Abner and Ish-Bosheth's deaths, we get this story about Jonathan's son. This seems out of place and breaks the narrative flow, and we can only guess why. My own thought is that with the death of Ish-Bosheth, the author is bringing out that there was actually a son who was in a more direct line to the throne. Yet this boy is ignored, one could guess because he is crippled. It is sad, but Israel wasn't interested, it seems, in a criple as a king. David will step into this story, but that is later. Right now, we have a boy who could be king, but because of the fear of others was crippled. 

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Jeremiah 33

 "How much we owe to prison visions and literature! Shut up in the court of the prison, Jeremiah saw God as the unconfined creator of all things (33:2), the unlimited scope of intercession (verse 3), the evidence of future blessing (verse 6-9), and the liberating and righteous Messiah (verses 14-17).* 

When the chapter ends, God makes it clear that he isn't done with Israel or David's seed. God makes it clear that the sun rising and setting will end before he forsakes his covenant. To say it another way, God keeps his promises no matter what things look like to us. 

* Dr. Lockyer, All the Books and Chapters of the Bible. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1966

2 Samuel 3

 

With all that is happening in this chapter, it might be easy to miss something. David has gone from 2 wives (not including Saul's daughter) to 6 wives and one of them from a foreign king. David may have been a man after God's own heart, but he disobeyed the law by marrying her (Deuteronomy 7:3; Joshua 23:12). This is going to have consequences later, but for now, it only seems like a happy time as David's power and family are growing. The seeds for future problems have literally been born here. 

Side note: Abner knew that David was anointed by God, but it was only when he was offended that he decided to support God's choice. 

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Romans 11

 

A cursory glance at this chapter, and one might assume that the reason God came to the Gentiles is because he didn't have another choice. It was plan B. He couldn't have the love of the Jews, so he'll accept the love of the Gentiles. That idea makes the Gentiles a lesser choice. This is a mistaken idea. What God gave to the Jews was a way to be a blessing to all nations and peoples. The Jews first in their disobedience to the law and then in their rejection of Christ have forsaken what God wanted to give them. 

God's foreknowledge meant he knew this, so their actions didn't take God by surprise. God, by his grace, is now using those whom the Jews were supposed to be the blessing to (the Gentiles) as the ones who will, you could say, offer it back to them. This wisdom of how God does things is celebrated in what has been called the doxology at the end of the chapter. All glory to God, for he is worthy.

Proverbs 18

 

In this chapter, there are eight different pieces of wisdom about words. In today's world, people allow words to flow out, and I agree they are like deep waters (verse 4), and they can drown us if we are not careful. With the abundance of Social media platforms that show us what we want to hear, it is especially easy to get drowned. So, some advice from verse 17, the first person who speaks sounds correct, until they are cross-examined. Always try and find the whole story.

2 Samuel 2

 

The fight between the twelve men has some debate over it. Some see it as just a playful wrestling match that went awry; others interpret it as a kind of duel to be held rather than start a civil war. What seems to have happened was that both sides fought so desperately that all twenty-four men lay dead. This brought about the battle that perhaps Abner was trying to avoid. It is impossible to know. What happened was a horrible battle where fellow Israelites killed each other. 

The death of Joab's brother that Abner tried to avoid: first by trying to talk him out of following, and second by the use of the blunt side of his spear. Yet at the end, Abner, in trying to defend himself, killed Asahel. This will come back to cause trouble later.

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2 Samuel 1

The way is clear, and David can move in to become king, and what does he do? David prepares a lament for the very man who was trying to kill him. David takes the time to praise the strengths of Saul. David isn't so weak that he hides the strength of Saul and Jonathan and the blessing they brought to Israel. David demands that these words be learned and saved. To me is another example of David's greatness, he isn't intimidated by the success of others but celebrates it. 

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Jeremiah 32

God in this chapter isn't just promising that the people will return, though that is part of it, but promising to create a people who will follow him faithfully. The chapter ends with the promise that God will create a people who have singleness of heart and action. God will create a people from Israel who will be faithful. God will have a people that he can bless continuously. This ultimate promise is seen in the work that God is going to do in Jesus. The people that Jesus redeems will become a people that will have hearts that never turn from him. God do that work in me, I pray. 

1 Samuel 31

 

G Campbell Morgan says about this chapter that, as Saul killed his own morality, now he will go further and take his own life. Saul was so afraid of how he might die that he killed himself. Saul had no proof that his death would be more terrible under the Philistines, but he was afraid it might be, so he acted. This is a reminder that our expectations and not reality can drive us to do destructive things. Guard your expectations and keep them focused on God. 

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Romans 10

 If, as some claim, God determines who is saved and who isn't, then why is Paul praying for their Salvation? The answer is found in this chapter, it is that they have not submitted to God's righteousness (verse 3) found in Christ. What opens us up to God's salvation is faith in Jesus, and that is all. It isn't works or even knowledge, it is faith that causes action (confession, being of one mind). It is this faith that will cause you to be righteous and to live as God wants and nothing else. 

Psalm 83

 

Don't just stand there, do something! This line has been said in many books and movies to persons who have the power to intervene and are not. As we have noted before, this is something we face in our lives. There are times when we wish God would do something. We know he is able, but it seems he is ignoring us. What we do know about God is that he is righteous and will do what is right, but I appreciate that God doesn't tell us to be quiet and accept what is happening, but is okay with us asking him this question. 

God wants us to come to him and ask him to intervene. This isn't because he has an ego, but because there are times when our prayers make a difference. I can't say how, but they do according to God's own word. God may say no, but he does listen. What makes the difference for us is our attitude when we come to him. An attitude of humility and even desperation is okay; an attitude of anger and blame isn't. Come before God.

Romans 12

What is worship? For many, it is the songs we sing before the message, or the slow songs after the fast ones, in a service. They can be, but it is only part of true worship. True worship, as defined by Paul, is when we present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. There is nothing in Paul's teachings that says that our salvation is a separate thing for our bodies than it is for our spirit. If we are going to be Christians, our bodies, our actions are just as important as our spirit. Worship is the holy use of our bodies for God. This can be singing, but it can also be doing taxes if we are doing it as unto the Lord.

Paul says lust be sincere and follows that with hating what is evil (what not who). Love in the Christian sense isn't let and let live or ignoring evil. It involves clinging to what is good. 

1 Samuel 30

 

David did something that became an ordinance in Judah that all who are part of an army share in the rewards. The men who stayed behind weren’t cowards; they were exhausted. These men didn’t have the strength to fight, but they stayed behind, and it seems they guarded the things that they didn’t take with them. David wasn’t setting up a communist ideal;
He was saying that all who were in the army, front-line fighters and support, deserved the spoils of the victory. We see this as just fair today, but in those days and still in many places today, it is only those who fight who enjoy the spoils.  

The Dragon's Queen: Revelation

Blurb for my new book coming out late November 2025.

Princess Sarah of Rishona, the last royal heir, has found herself enslaved by a tyrannical dragon and a kind and brilliant giant. The oddity of this is that the dragons of Adamah are good, and giants aren’t known for their intelligence or kindness. For Sara, the goal is simple: learn the skills she needs to survive, escape, and then find her way home, but nothing is ever that simple.  

About the Author

Charles (CS) Areson lives with his family in Indiana. He enjoys reading, board games, D&D, and writing a variety of fiction and religious non-fiction. His current focus is to take his stack of finished but unedited works and prepare them for publication. These works include (the working titles): Carpenter Tales, The House of a Thousand Rooms, Closing the Door, Teia and the Dragon, Braydon the…, The Max and Link Trilogy, and of course, The Dragon’s Queen Trilogy. Got an hour? Ask him about them. 

His children’s book, The Bee in the Blackberry Bush, is available in Lao, Spanish, and English. His children’s book, The Heirs of Nosera, is a mostly true fantasy written for the love of his grandchildren. 

Jeremiah 31

When I read verse 24, I couldn't help but think of the musical, Oklahoma. In it, there is a song that argues that the farmer and the cowman should be friends. Understand that historically, their different roles caused a lot of conflict. The song is saying that the territory folks should stick together for a better future. We see this fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus even in his choice of disciples picked people that would normally be on different sides of issues that could have caused conflict, but in Jesus, there was unity. 

Don't know if they will keep this up forever, but here it is at least now, https://youtu.be/biNrKEgg8jg?si=UQhLlajB3agEWNrs

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1 Samuel 28

 

The outcome of the chapter is pretty clear: Saul is going to die. Yet, I have to wonder if things could have ended better for Saul. Saul was fasting, and though this could have been the act of a man who was desperate and depressed, it was also a sign of repentance. Could Saul have had a final change of attitude toward God had he refused to eat? We will never know, but what is true is that repentance is always the right choice, no matter what others may say.

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Romans 9

 Israel had so many benefits, yet many, according to Paul, are not really Israel. Yet as Paul goes on in this chapter, it can be seen why some believe that God makes people behave the way they do. Everyone's choices, however, do matter. This is what John Wesley sees in this chapter. God has the right to show mercy on those who believe and to harden those who are hard. If we truly believe that God is the creator (the potter), then God has the right to do what he thinks is right. God doesn't have to show mercy on your or my sins if we don't repent. The fact that he does when we repent is because he has chosen, not because we earned it. John Wesley didn't see this passage, according to his notes, as proof that God predestines every action, just his reaction to every action.  

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Psalm 82

 

You are gods, but you will die like men. What a fall. Yet it reminds me today that though we might start off well, we can end poorly. I was reading about Hezekiah today, a king of Judah who started off great but ended in a place of pride and disobedience. Starting great can be a great boost, but none of that matters if you don't cross the finish line. For many, they start out with lots of energy on a project or even in ministry, but burn out as the trials of life wear them down. 

This is why maybe God gave us the Sabbath. It was a reminder that we can not keep going all out, even if we think we can. It is also a reminder that we need to trust God. Then I wondered if the saying attributed to both St. Augutus and Ignatius, as we take it, is accurate: "Pray as if it all depends on God and work as if it all depends on you." Shouldn't we pray that it all depends on us (which means we are desperate in our prayers) and work like it all depends on God (which means freedom to sabbath). 

This may seem a far cry from what this chapter is teaching, but I don't think so. Ultimately, our trust and our work need to depend on God and his faithfulness. 

In looking up who made the quote, I came across this article, which summed up what I was thinking. 

Work as if Everything Depends on God

ByJim Manney

There’s an old saying that we should “pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you.” It’s been attributed to St. Ignatius, who said something similar, if not using those exact words, as reported in Vida del Bienaventurado Padre Ignacio de Loyola by Pedro de Rivadeneira. Many think the phrase captures the Ignatian spirit: turning it all over to God in prayer and then working tirelessly and urgently to do God’s work.

I prefer to reverse it: “pray as if everything depends on you, and work as if everything depends on God.” This means that prayer has to be urgent: God has to do something dramatic if everything depends on me. It also puts our work in the right perspective: if it depends on God, we can let it go. We can work hard but leave the outcome up to him. If God is in charge we can tolerate mixed results and endure failure.

Ignatius writes about work and human effort in a letter to an aristocrat named Jerome Vines, whom I imagine was a busy, hard-charging, Type A character who was getting upset about the fate of his many projects. A busy man, Ignatius writes, “must make up his mind to do what he can, without afflicting himself if he cannot do all that he wishes. You must have patience and not think that God our Lord requires what man cannot accomplish.” He concludes with this: “There is no need to wear yourself out, but make a competent and sufficient effort, and leave the rest to him who can do all he pleases.”

https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/work-as-if-everything-depends-on-god/

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1 Samuel 27

 

I have discussed before about David's actions and my thoughts on them, so I won't go into it here, but I would like to look at Achish's assumption. Achish assumed David was an outcast and would be his servant because he had no place else to go. This, of course, was not true. David's loyalty to Israel was just as strong as ever, but Achish couldn't see it. David was an obvious enemy of the Philistines, but Achish couldn't see it. This tells me that we should never assume someone else's motives. Yes, action can show intent, but the truth was Achish didn't see the actions, only words. For Christians, the person we can always assume is for us is God. 

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1 Samuel 26

God protected David when he snuck into Saul's camp. This protection also gave David a chance to show his worth and Saul another proof that David wasn't a threat to his life and power. However, I do see that even knowing that God protected him and would protect him, David didn't rejoin Saul. Saul requested that David come to him, and though Saul might not have tried to kill him then, David knew that Saul's attitude might change. David trusted God, but he also didn't purposely put himself in danger, and neither should we. Yes, there are times when God calls people to stand firm, though it may mean their life, and other times God expects us to use wisdom and not put ourselves in danger. As I heard it said, God may save you if the Devil pushes you off the top of a building, but if you jump on your own, God will let you try and fly on your own too.  

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Jeremiah 30

 

God promises his people that they will non be destroyed utterly. However, God says that he will discipline them with justice/justly and he won't let them go unpunished. God can't discipline the nations and just let Israel and Judah off when they have committed the same sins. There has to be justice, and God is just. We see his mercy in the promise not to wipe them out, but they have done terrible things. Their sin in made worse because God had blessed them and taught them the right way to go. They had special revelations from God and ignored them, and worse, didn't share them with their neighbors. For God to be just and loving, he has to punish wrong. However, that isn't the end of the story. God said I will restore my people. 

If you don't understand, that is okay, because the chapter ends with this promise, "In days to come you will understand this." 

1 Samuel 25

 

Why does David respond so violently in 1 Samuel 25 against Nabal when he is cheated, and yet spares Saul, who was trying to kill him? He doesn't seem like the same person, but we know he is. Looking at the life of David, we see, he is passionate, and sometimes, as we see with Bathsheba, impulsive and violent. Yet with Saul, he is merciful and very patient. What is going on? We don't know for sure, but I am going to guess that it is because of expectations. David expected that God would deal with Saul, and he didn't have to. He had determined long before the episode in chapter 24 that he wasn't going to attack Saul and followed through. He expected Saul to act a certain way, and when he did, he was able to respond correctly. However, when it came to Nabal, David wasn't expecting someone to take advantage of his goodwill and refuse to give the normal gift to those who offered protection to his flocks. When David's expectations weren't met, he got angry.

Does this sound familiar? I won't ask (or admit) who might have done something similar. Yes, you might not have strapped on a sword, but words can be as powerful. You might not have intended to kill physically (because you would have gotten caught), but you got angry and maybe even held a grudge. These reactions aren't good for Christians, and God gives us commands not to hold on to anger or to plan vengeance or to post nasty comments. Okay, that second one isn't in Scripture directly, but it is included in the commands. Our solution is to follow God's commands, forgive, and set our expectations on God, not on people. Even the best of people will not meet our expectations all of the time. Let's be honest, some people won't even try to be kind, and they won't ever meet our expectations. So, when it comes to humans, understand that they fail and respond as Jesus would have us.   

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Romans 8

In the middle of this wildly victorious chapter, Paul says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." Part of the Christian life is suffering trials and hardships of various types. The promise that all will be well is what we are waiting for isn't going to happen until our bodies are redeemed. In the meantime, when suffering and trials take place, remember that they do not separate us from God's love. We have hope that is beyond this world. 

Psalm 57

 

Commentator Dr. Herbert Lockyer pointed out that David's faith in God to save him and avenge him is strong, but David himself isn't vindictive in his actions.  David proclaims twice that his heart is steadfast (set, confident). David's heart is set on God, not the problems around him, and because his heart (faith) is set that is why he can sing and praise God. David, as it were, can say thank you even before he receives help because he knows God. We can have that same confidence if we truly place ourselves in God's hands. 

1 Samuel 24

 

As bad as Saul was, I have to say, that here, he showed wisdom. Not only did he not attack (truly evil men will attack even if shown mercy), but he also had the wisdom to ask for mercy for his household when David became king. There is much in Saul's life that we can say we shouldn't imitate, but the wisdom shown here to humble yourself and ask for mercy is something we should. 

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Psalm 54

 

Verse three ends with the word, Selah. This means stop/pause and consider. Consider the dangers you face and who you are calling on for help. Why am I pointing this out? It is because there are times when, after a danger has passed, we forget how bad it was. The reason we need to consider is that once we are through, we can praise the God who brought us rather than dismissing it as nothing very bad. If we realize how God has truly saved and helped us, then our hearts can praise Him with greater sincerity. Also, when we consider who we are calling on, then our hearts can have hope and peace because we know it will work out. 

Jeremiah 29

I find it interesting that God tells the people there to settle down, to make peace, that he is going to bring them back later, after 70 years from Babylon, back into the promised land. Yet in the midst of this, he also tells them that, though he has brought them there to keep them safe, they, too, have not been obedient. They, too, have disobeyed and are looking for false answers and looking to false prophets. Yet these are the very people whom God gave the vision to Jeremiah that were the good figs, the good people. These are the ones that God is saving.

 

Just a reminder that sometimes what God is going to do may not be right now. God is going to make these people ready to return. But for right now, many of them aren't looking to God the way they should.

 

But God's got a plan. And God is going to take these, many of these, who are still looking for salvation in their time and deliverance from Babylon, he's going to take them and change them and prepare them so that they will be the people, or their children or grandchildren will be the people that God can take back to the promised land. Because God has a plan. A plan to prosper and take care of them, even if they may not be looking for it right now.

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1 Samuel 23

It's been said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And though it is actually not often true, because sometimes the enemy of your enemy is your enemy too. The truth is that God sometimes uses people that we wouldn't expect to help us. In this story, Saul is pursuing David. And what saves David? The Philistines. The Philistines, who are attacking a different place in the kingdom, cause Saul to leave and thus allowing David to escape. 

And I find this is interesting because God often uses methods we wouldn't expect to take care of his people. God used Roman imprisonment to get Paul into Rome. God used people in ways that we wouldn't expect in the Bible and in history. 

God uses things we don't understand for his good. That is why we must always trust that God will take care of it, even when things look bad. Because he promises he'll work it out. And who knows, he may actually use your enemies to protect you from other enemies, like he did for David here. Yes, the enemy of your enemy might be your enemy, but God could use them to protect or deliver you, so just keep trusting. 

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Romans 7

  

As I consider the first part of Romans chapter 7, I'm reminded that Paul is talking also, not just to Gentiles, but also to Jews. And those Jews felt like, "We are Jews, we have to obey the law." We have to look to the law for our salvation. Paul is saying, No. You have been released from that law and don't have to seek that law for salvation because you have died in Christ. And therefore, you have a new law. This doesn't mean the law has no purpose. Paul talks about that, how it helps us, and points us in the right direction. But it is not the law that we look to for salvation. We are dead to that law, but have a new law which brings life in Jesus Christ. 

Now we have a new law that's put within our hearts, we are, as Paul is saying, "we are now married to another." We are connected to him who is raised from the dead, that is, Jesus. And through him, we can have power over that sinful nature that the law could never give us the power to do. Now we don't have to be bound like those who are under the law. We have a new life.

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Psalm 142

David says, "I have no refuge. No one cares for my life." There have been times in my life where I have felt like there are no places to refuge. That no one cares. Or nearly no one. But David answers correctly when he says, "I cry to you, O Lord. I say, you are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." And I point that out because we often think that God will reward us in the life to come, but God doesn't just reward us in the life to come. He can reward us, and he can protect us, even now. He can give us the grace and provision we need now to hold on to him. This is even when times are bad, even when times are horrible. God is our refuge. Not just in the life hereafter. He wants to be our refuge now. In the land of the living. And for those who are believers, he is. He is that refuge. He is the one we can lean on and trust.

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Psalm 52

 

This psalm reminds us that there are people out there who do evil, who are definitely awful people. Just as Dagog the Edomite was, there are people out there who will do evil. But this psalm reminds us what the Bible teaches in other places. That they will eventually meet their due. God will destroy them. And those who are righteous will survive. The righteous will flourish. They will be rewarded.

It looks like when we read the story in 1 Samuel chapter 22 that Ahimelech and his family have been wiped out. They're gone. They are not flourishing. But those who are faithful, God will reward. And there is coming a day in heaven where we'll reach out and we'll be able to shake the hands of Ahimelech and his family. And we will know in that moment that God blesses those who follow him and that those who do evil will be no more.

This isn't a gloat over the evil because they've been destroyed. This is a rejoicing that God does what is right. He will raise and protect those who are true. And he will deal properly with those who are evil. We can praise God because he watches over us. He preserves us despite what it may look like in the world.

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1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22 reminds me that someone who's holding a grudge, holding on to anger, doesn't want to hear the truth. Ahimelech, the priest, told Saul the truth that David had been faithful. Of course, he acquired of God for David, but also that David was always supportive of Saul. 

When Saul heard the truth, Saul was angry. And it was true, David had never conspired against Saul, and David had never worked against Saul. But that wasn't what Saul wanted to hear. And therefore, he ordered the death of Ahimaleck and all his family. It's a reminder that people who are holding on to anger and bitterness don't want the truth. They want something to justify their anger and their bitterness, and will lash out at anyone who contradicts what they want to hear, even if or especially it what they say is the truth. Facts and truth don't matter. What matters is what they want to be true. Saul has fallen into that. May God keep us from ever repeating that mistake.

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Jeremiah 28

 

We see a prophecy come to pass in this chapter: Hananiah dies. Yet, there is no evidence that anyone noticed. They all seemed to believe Hananiah, causing the yoke that was to come upon them to be worse, but they missed a real prophecy. The death of Hananiah should have been a sign, but as is often the case, those who don't want to see a sign rarely do. 

Be willing to see what God is saying, even if you don't like it. Jeremiah himself said he liked the prophecy of Hananiah, but recognized that it wasn't true. If it's wrong, it's wrong, like it or not. 

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1 Samuel 21

 

The Levitical law said that no one could eat of the showbread except the priest. Yet in this chapter, the high priest gives it to David since he and his men are ceremonially clean. Some scholars see this as an example of a lack of obedience on the part of the priest; others see it as them trying to fulfill the greater law of loving your neighbor.  When Jesus references it in the gospels, it seems that it is the second interpretation that Jesus believes. Both might be true, but ultimately, I have to believe the greater truth is the second because if Jesus says this is an act of compassion, it is. 

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Romans 6

Romans 6 offers freedom now, but a greater freedom in the world to come. The promise of freedom from sin means that we not only have hope here but hope of life eternal. Paul never says we have one or the other, but both. We have the promise of a better life after this, and we have a promise to have a better life now since we are free from the bondage to sin. Let's celebrate and live into the reality of both. 

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Psalm 56

 

What can man do to me? Actually quite a lot.  This is one of those times when we look around, and it may seem that God sometimes isn’t able or willing to help us. We see in the Scriptures that those who follow God do suffer, so what is going on here? Is the Psalmist wrong? I don’t believe he is when it is put into perspective. People can harm you physically, emotionally, but the one area where they don’t have power is in our spirit. Jesus tells us in Luke 12:4 not to fear those who kill the body, but God, who can destroy the soul. In perspective, it may seem that this is horrible, but in the greater picture, it isn’t anything. If I recall correctly, Michael Jordan, the Basketball player, was cut from the basketball team in school, but as bad as that it may have seemed at the time, ultimately it didn’t matter. I’m sure it hurt, but 15 years and 6 championships in the NBA show it turned out okay. How much more will it for us?

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1 Samuel 20

 

Jonathan has a good heart and wants to believe the best about his father, but also knows that David would not lie to him. At the end of the chapter, Jonathan has lost not just a friend, but in a real sense, his father. Saul claims he wants to kill David to protect Jonathan's throne, but then tries to kill Jonathan, showing that those words are a lie. Saul might want the kingdom to go to Jonathan, but not as much as he wants to kill David. This is a sad time for David, but how much more for the son who has lost a father's love. 

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1 Samuel 19

 

This chapter ends with people asking if Saul was among the prophets. This is another time that breaks my heart when it comes to looking at the life of Saul. Saul again has the presence of God on him. This is an opportunity to submit to God and embrace the truth. Yet, just because God's spirit has given Saul the ability to prophecy (speak the truth of God), Saul hasn't let that truth settle into his heart and change him. A reminder that someone may speak the truth and not be redeemed. 

Saul has once again been touched by God. Light has entered Saul's mind, and it has changed nothing. What a sad, sad story. Let it never be said of us.   

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Jeremiah 27

God again gives a warning that the force of Babylon can't be beaten. God has given Babylon the victory, so fighting against Babylon at this time would be fighting against God. Yet it is the end of the chapter I want to focus on. God is telling them that not only are the articles of the temple that were lost not coming back, but what they had left was going to be lost. This reminds me of Jesus' word in Matthew 25:29, "For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them." If we aren't faithful in following God, we will not only not get back what we may have lost, but we will also end up losing everything.  

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1 Samuel 18

 

David and Jonathan's relationship has been misrepresented often. They had a very strong bond. Something that I have read and heard about by those, especially, who have served together in the military. What I want to point out is that in the action of Jonathan, he is recognizing that David is going to be the next leader of Israel, not himself. I have said that a truly great leader can allow those around him to receive praise and honor and not feel threatened, but what makes a truly great person is when they can realize that even though they could take the position, they give it to a person more qualified. Jonathan was just such a man. It would have been amazing to see them work together when David became king, but Saul kept that from happening. 

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