Do you ever just feel like just a random cog in the vast machine of life? Do you ever feel like you’re nothing more than an inconsequential human being among billions of others?
Reading today about when King Ahab, dressed as a simple soldier rather than a king in an attempt to hide himself during battle, was struck down by an arrow launched by a random soldier that just so happened to strike him precisely between his armor and breastplate, reminded me again that God is in charge of our lives (1 Kings 22:34). God had ordained the number of King Ahab’s days. He couldn’t hide from God, and neither can we.
God knows precisely where you are, and he knows precisely what you’re thinking. He knows what you did yesterday, He knows what you will do today, and He is in control of what your day holds.
Does this thought scare you? Or comfort you?
Your answer will depend on two things: (1) the character of God and (2) your relationship with Him. Do you think God is harsh, cruel, distant, impotent, or uncaring? Or do you think He is loving, kind, patient, forgiving, and faithful? Do you think He loves you? Is He your all-powerful Shepherd and loving Father?
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your watchful care over Your creation. You see me. You know me. You know my thoughts and my way. You are always aware of me. I cannot escape from Your watchful care. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me. I know that You are good and that everything that You allow into my life is ultimately for my good and Your glory. Increase my faith, Father, that I might be able to give thanks in all circumstances and walk by faith all the days of my life. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, Lord, and Friend, I pray. Amen.
I had my first boyfriend when I was 13. He was the first of a long string of boyfriends, one after the other. Each relationship’s ending simply caused me to look for a new boyfriend. Even after dating the same young man for 3.5 years in college, when we broke it off I was back on the prowl. I could never be content without someone to call mine, someone to make me feel valued. 🥺
In spite of all that brokenness, I never would’ve dreamed of having two boyfriends at once. If I became interested in someone else, I’d break it off with the first guy before pursuing the next. For some reason, that is what popped into my brain when I read Elijah’s words,
“How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
1 Kings 18:21 ESV
The Israelites wanted to worship both Baal and The Lord God Almighty. They wanted to play the field, to keep their options open. Aren’t we like that sometimes?
We don’t want to limit ourselves to a single-minded devotion to God and God alone. We turn to Facebook, food, friends, family, and fun to meet our needs and to make us happy. These things aren’t bad as long as they’re kept in their proper place, but when they’re competing with the Lord for our hearts, they’ve become idols.
Heavenly Father, You are our only hope. You are the One True God; all the other things that compete for our attention and allegiance are nothing more than lifeless idols. Forgive us, Lord. Show us Your power and might, that our hearts and lives would return to You, for You alone are worthy of our obedience and praise. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Heavenly Father, please, increase my faith. Give me the faith of a mustard seed and then grow it. Multiply it. Make it spread and take over every aspect of my life. As I feed morning and evening, day after day, on Your Word, may it take root deep into my heart and bear the fruits of repentance and obedience and faith. I want to hear Your voice and obey. I want Your Spirit to guide me in what I say, what I do, and where I go. Make me Your faithful worker, a steadfast laborer in Your vineyard, for Your glory and fame. By the blood of Jesus Christ, poured out for me I pray. Amen.
What do you do when you find yourself in a pickle? Do you cry out to God for help? Do you beg Him for mercy? Do you plead for Him to save you?
I think many Americans run their lives on their own terms 95% of the year and then suddenly remember God when they find themselves in a jam, much like Jeroboam in 1 Kings 14.
As we read earlier in 1 Kings, Jeroboam had set up his own houses of worship complete with altars and golden calves in the Israelite cities of Bethel and Dan. And yet, when his own son, Abijah, became sick, where did Jeroboam turn? Did he send his wife to Bethel or Dan to inquire of those golden calves that he had erected? No, he didn’t. He sent her to Shiloh to inquire of the Lord’s prophet, Ahijah.
Is this genuine faith? No, it isn’t. Jeroboam’s faith is the faith of demons, not the faith of born-again believers.
Counterfeit faith says, “I know God is real, but I won’t submit my life to him.”
Friends, genuine faith will result in obedience, daily obedience. Genuine faith says, “God is real, so I want to live my life for Him.”
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! …
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
James 2:19, 22-23 ESV
Do you have genuine faith? Or counterfeit faith?
Heavenly Father, You are the one true God. There are so many imposters, but You are the only One who is true. Search my heart and test me. Show me where I’ve fallen prey to the lies of the devil. Show me where I’m faking faith. Please don’t let me come to the day of judgment when my deeds will be laid bare and it will become clear that I was among those who never knew you. Do what You need to do to bring me into a right relationship with You. I want to know You more that I would love you more and walk in the daily obedience of faith. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb who died in my place, Amen.
In 1 Kings 12, I was reminded of the dangers of following counterfeit gods, and in 1 Kings 13, I’m reminded of the dangers of following counterfeit Christians. I’m afraid that all too often Christians trust whatever a professing Christian author, blogger, podcaster, or pastor says, without giving it serious thought or prayer. We need to “test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV)
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
1 John 4:1 ESV
Remember that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) It’s so important to know the Word. All the Word. Not just John 3:16 and Genesis 1:1. So that we can discern truth from error
I’m praying Ephesians 1:17 for you, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.”
Heavenly Father, We need Your wisdom. We need Your guidance. Please, Father, give us a hunger for Your Word. Give us an all-consuming desire for Truth in our innermost beings. May the half-truths of the world and the devil be repulsive to us. Please, Father, let us not settle for sorta, kinda, half-hearted faith, but make us passionate for a Holy Fire revival to sweep through our homes, churches, cities, and nations. For Your glory and fame we pray by the blood of Jesus Christ shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Amen.
After Solomon’s death, the kingdom of Israel was divided. Judah (and Benjamin) followed Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, while the other ten tribes of Israel followed Jeroboam, an Ephraimite who had been a hard-working servant of Solomon. Jeroboam feared that the Israelites would turn back to Rehoboam if they went to Jerusalem to worship God, so he set up counterfeit gods and counterfeit temples, counterfeit priests and counterfeit feasts.
Isn’t that just like Satan?
Satan doesn’t create his own stuff. He’s not a creator; he’s a fake trying to look like the real thing, and he copies what is true in order to draw people away from it. He disguises himself as an angel of light, and so do his followers (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
God created mankind to worship Him. When we aren’t worshipping Him, we will worship other things, created things rather than the Creator Himself.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:18-23 ESV
There are still people all over the world who are worshipping idols, crafted objects made to resemble a supernatural being, but the majority of Americans think we’re above that. Most red-blooded Americans wouldn’t dream of bowing down to worship a golden calf or a stone Buddha. Oh, friends, but we are worshipping all kinds of counterfeit gods. We worship at the altars of money, fame, and sex. We worship at the altars of food, fame, fortune, and phones. We worship at the altars of Amazon, Facebook, and YouTube. These counterfeit gods are trying to steal our allegiance from the One True God, the only one who is worthy of our worship, and we’re falling for it.
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of our worship. You are the one who created the sun, moon and stars, the earth and the seas and all that is in them. You are who created me and every man, woman, and child on the face of our planet. Open our eyes to the counterfeits that we have made with our own hands, the worthless things that we are setting before our eyes day after day. Forgive us, Father. Create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. For Your glory we pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
David knows he is about to die, so he calls his son, Solomon, to him. What did David say to this son who will be the next king of Israel?
Be strong.
Show yourself a man.
Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and keeping his commands as it is written in the Law of Moses.
Deal wisely and justly with Joab, Barzillai, and Shimei.
Now I’m not (and never will be) the king of a nation but I (like everyone else on the planet) will one day draw my last breath. If today were my last day, what final words would I want to share with my children?
What would I say to my children if today was my last day?
I love you. I’m proud of you. You are a gift to me. I’m so thankful you’re mine. God made YOU on purpose, and He has a purpose for your life. Fear not. He’s not finished yet. God is on His throne. He doesn’t save people because they’re good. They’re not. None of us are. He saves them because He is merciful and has a purpose for them. You are saved by your faith in Jesus Christ, not by your works. (Psalm 139:1-16; Romans 3:10-12; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Romans 6:23)
Trust the Lord with all your heart. He is good. He is wise. Turn away from evil and do good. Choose to do the hard things out of love and trust for the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-7; Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37)
Love is both an emotion and an action. Love others as God has loved you. Bear with others. Forgive them, remembering how much God has forgiven you. He loved you while you were yet a sinner, loving you even to the point of death, death on a cross. Remember that love is patient and kind. God is patient and kind with you, and He is calling you to be patient and kind with others. Love is not arrogant, rude, boastful, or envious. Love does not insist on its own way. The Lord of the Universe humbled Himself for you, and He is calling you to humble yourself for Him and His creation. Love never ends. Love endures. Love bears all things. He has loved you with a never-ending love. Love others like that. (Colossians 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Philippians 2:1-8; Romans 5:7-8)
Children are a blessing from the Lord. Fill your home with them. Pour into them. Enjoy them. Train them up in the way they should go. Teach them diligently that they, too, will know and love the Lord. (Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 78:1-8)
So, how about you? If today were your last day, what final words would you want to say to your children and loved ones?
Heavenly Father, How thankful I am for the hope that I have in my Savior, Jesus, who poured out His blood for me. How thankful I am to have the assurance that my last breath here on Earth is just the beginning of eternity with You. I pray that my children and grandchildren will have that assurance. I pray that You will strengthen me to be the mother and grandmother that You want me to be. Give me Your wisdom and lead me in when to speak and when to be silent. Make my words, Your words. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Make me a beacon pointing my family and my community to Him. For His Honor and for His glory I pray. Amen.
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
– Zephaniah 3:14-17 ESV
Verse 14 tells Zion to rejoice and exult with all her heart, and then verse 17 says that the Lord rejoices and exults over Zion. Rejoice, rejoice. Exult, exult. I understand “rejoice,” but what does “exult” actually mean??? (Am I the only one who doesn’t use or understand this word?)
I looked it up in Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, as well as Etymology Online and Strong’s Concordance I learned that the English word “exult” comes from the French word “exulter” which means to rejoice exceedingly, or literally to leap about. And I learned that the Hebrew word שָׂמַח śāmaḥ means to rejoice and be glad. Ok, so “exult” means to rejoice!
Exult means to rejoice exceedingly.
So today when I read 1 Kings 1, the word “exalt” jumped out at me, “Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king.’ And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him” (1 Kings 1:5 ESV) So I was off again to check the dictionary as well as Strong’s Concordance and Etymology Online. According to Merriam-Webster, exalt means to raise in rank, power, or character, to elevate or glorify. It can also mean to raise high or enhance or intensify the activity of something. That specific Hebrew word מִתְנַשֵּׂא miṯnaśśē’ is only used one other place in the Bible, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV) In studying the etymology of the word, I latched onto the Latin word root, altus which means high because it reminded me of the word altitude.
Exalt means to elevate, glorify, or lift high.
Jesus and his disciples had quite a lot to say about who exalts whom. I am certain that Jesus would have some harsh words for Adonijah exalting himself as king, getting for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him (like his brother Absalom had done before him. (See 2 Samuel 15:1) It reminded me of Proverbs 27:2, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.”
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11 ESV)
So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you” (Hebrews 5:5 ESV)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:10 ESV)
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, (1 Peter 5:6 ESV)
So, I’m asking myself, “What am I exulting in?” and “Who am I exalting, myself or my Lord?”
Heavenly Father, You are the source of my joy. I rejoice in You and the power of Your might. My hope and joy are in YOU. Help me, Father, to exalt YOU, to lift you HIGH, to elevate Your name, to honor You with my life. I pray that I will heed Paul’s words from Philippians 2, that I will do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count other more significant than myself, looking not only for my own interests, but also for the interests of others. For this is the example that Jesus Christ, the God-man, has given to us, that He humbled Himself even to the point of death on a cross. Therefore He was highly exactly and bestowed with the Name that is above every name, that someday ever knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We lift You high, Father. We exalt You and magnify You for You alone are worthy of our praise. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
After reading all the yuck of the previous 12 chapters of 2 Samuel, I held my breath reading David’s words in 2 Samuel 23:5.
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?
2 Samuel 23:5 ESV
Then I was reminded of 2 Samuel 7 when God made that everlasting covenant with David,
“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
2 Samuel 7:12-16 ESV
And then I was reminded of 2 Samuel 12 when God swore to bring evil upon David because of his sin.
“Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”
2 Samuel 12:9-12 ESV
And I was once again reminded that God is a promise keeping God, both in His promises of blessing and His promises of wrath. God did keep His everlasting covenant with the house of David, bringing Jesus, our eternal King of kings, but God also kept His oath that the sword would come upon David’s house and that his wives would be given to his neighbor, as we just read about in chapters 15-16.
So, then I wondered, why do so many professing Christians only talk about God’s steadfast love and refuse to talk about His just anger against our sin?
The reason God’s great mercy is the BEST NEWS EVER is because God’s great wrath is the WORST NEWS EVER.
Friends, if you are not in Christ, then you are still under God’s judgment, and if you are judged by your own deeds, you will be found “guilty as charged” and endure God’s eternal condemnation.
Everyone loves John 3:16 ESV — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” But, let’s not forget about the other verses of John 3,
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:18 ESV
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36 ESV
And what about 1 John 5:11-12? “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life;whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.“
HeavenlyFather, help us to believe and proclaim the full counsel of Your Word, the full gospel of truth, that You are holy and righteous, that You are the judge of even our secret sins, those hidden things that no one else knows about, the thoughts and intentions of the heart as well as our words and deeds. None of us can stand before You by our own merit. We need You, Lord. Cover us with the blood of Jesus and wash us clean. Redeem us and deliver us from sin. In the Holy, Almighty Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
David trusts in God because he knows his character. David knows that God is good so he puts his trust in Him. David knows that God sees him and cares about him so he puts his faith in Him. I’m reminded of another psalm David had written.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:10 ESV
The more You know God, the more you will trust Him because you will recognize His everlasting goodness and power. This is why I love reading The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer so much. I even wrote an ebook from my own thoughts on the topic.
As your trust in God grows, then you will seek Him and call upon Him, which reminds me of another Psalm of David. Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
As you call upon Him, He will answer you, and You will praise His Name.
For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.
2 Samuel 22:50-51 ESV
Psalm 34, Taste and See, Shane and Shane
My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
Psalm 34:2-3 ESV
Heavenly Father, thank you for your goodness and mercy towards me. You are the almighty God, the steadfast rock, the refuge for those who seek you. Help me to trust in You, fully and daily. May I not trust in horses and chariots and human wisdom, but in Christ my solid rock on whom I stand. He is the eternal God and King of kings. It is in His holy name that I pray. Amen.
Teach What is Good 
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