“Then it happened one evening that David…walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.” ~ II Samuel 11:2 REFERENCE: II Samuel 11:1-7 King David was a man after God’s heart, a valiant warrior, the sweet psalmist of Israel, a giant slayer, and the famed shepherd turned king. He had it all going for him; the love of his people and the conquest of all enemies. However, the enemy that would conquer him was lurking within his heart. That conquest began from the rooftop...
“The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.” – Proverbs 14:11 REFERENCE: Proverbs 14:11 Our text compares two kinds of dwellings; a house and a tent. One belongs to the wicked, made with wood, stones, and bricks, and gets thrown down. The other belongs to the righteous, made from cloth or tarpaulin, and will flourish. This scripture may not refer to physical structures, but to the home, enterprise, family, industry, etc., of both the wicked and the upright. Hence, it is good to consider the truth revealed therein using physical structures as...
“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” ~ Mark 9:24 REFERENCE: Mark 9:14-27 As we look through the scriptures, we see that mountains can move, the dead can live again, the lame can walk, the blind can see, and little can multiply and become much. The God of the Bible is omnipotent; all things are possible with Him. His power knows no limit, and we have not fully seen the extent of His exploits. The only thing that ties His hands in a man’s life is unbelief. The father of...
“And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” – II Samuel 5:23 REFERENCE: II Samuel 5:22-25 We learned that sometimes, we need to do the same things differently at different times – in ways prescribed by Divine leading. David had beaten the Philistines once, but they came up again with renewed zeal in the battle array. He was to adopt new tactics. He was not to “go up,” but...
“Therefore, David inquired of the LORD, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.” – II Samuel 5:23 REFERENCE: II Samuel 5:22-25 David was an experienced man of war. He had fought and won many battles and faces a proposed attack by the Philistines in our text. Although he had previously fought with the Philistines and won, David would not engage with them again without knowing the mind and will of God or asking for His plan, on Whom alone he knew victory depended. Because most of what...
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” – Psalms 127:2. REFERENCE: PSALMS 127:1-5 A clergyman badly wanted his wayward son saved. He prayed, fasted, preached to him, and got him out of jail as often as he got jailed. He could not bear the thought that he had such a son as a pastor. One day while praying, God spoke: “I cannot help you with your son because you hold on too tightly to him. If you will let him go,...
“So, Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. …And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So, David took them off.” ~ I Samuel 17:38-39 REFERENCE: I Samuel 17:32-40 One terrible thing that can befall a man is a lack of focus. It characterizes his life with a series of failures and frustration. Focusing on one thing does not mean you can’t do other things; it means concentrating all your time and effort...
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” – Matthew 6:22 (KJV) REFERENCE: Matthew 6:22-24 (KJV) If you are like me, several things appeal to you, business, singing, speaking, art, sports, skills, trade, learning new things, etc. The gifts within you are calling for expression. If you are not careful, you will become a ‘Jack of all trades and master of none.’ You will try many things but make no success of any and find yourself constantly starting and stopping projects. Jesus here used the single...
“…you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” – Leviticus 11:45b REFERENCE: Leviticus 11:44-45 God is holy and desires that we are Holy just as He is. He told Moses on the mountain not to come any closer but to take off his shoes, for he was standing on holy ground. God’s presence consecrated the mountain, making it holy. To be holy means to ‘be separated from everything that is profane, ungodly, or defiling;’ it means dedication to everything pure. Psalm 93:5 says, “Holiness adorns (becomes) your house, O Lord, forever.” It simply means, “It is fitting and proper to have holiness in...
“You’ll see them working and toiling all summer long, stockpiling their food in preparation for winter.” – Proverbs 6:8 (TPT) REFERENCE: PROVERBS 6:6-11 Diligence is steady, earnest, and energetic effort; it is being devoted to painstakingly working or applying yourself to accomplish an undertaking. Solomon counsels us to learn diligence from the ants by considering their ways. They have no captain, overseer, or ruler, yet they gather food in summer to prepare for a cold winter. You see them ‘roaming’ around, tirelessly working at meeting their needs and doing the right things at the right time. That is diligence! Diligence is one of...