King David and His Pride

Along The Way – King David’s Pride

David is experiencing rest, having endured the rebellion of his son Absalom. He unnecessarily calls for a census. God allowed him to be tempted by the Devil, to which he yielded (24:1). At this stage in his life (one of relative ease and peace) David was dealing with pride – his pride drove him to call for the numbering of his people. During times of comfort and rest when there is seemingly a limited need of God, we are often drawn away by the lure of Satan. David took the bait. His friend, confidant and army commander Joab questioned his actions, asking “Why does my Lord have need of this thing”? It is a good thing to have people in our lives who can question our motives and possible be the source of escape from painful choices. Unfortunately the king did not listen; his will prevailed over Joab’s objection.

Kings, leaders, government officials, pastors can be caught up in sin and make decisions that affect many. We are encouraged to pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-3). Often those in leadership consider themselves accountable to no one. David’s sin caused a pestilence upon the land. Over 70, 000 people died within a few hours because of David’s action (Henry). Yet, this judgment led the king to identify his disconnect from God. He immediately owned up to his sin, blaming himself, pleading for mercy on the innocent “sheep”; “Punish me and my father’s house” (paraphrased 24:17). Once again we see God’s mercy expressed – There was an immediate stay of the death angel’s hand. God will answer the prayers of the broken, contrite and repentant. He is no respecter of status or persons.

References:

Matthew Henry Commentary. II Samuel 24. Retrieved from: http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/2-samuel/24.html

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Yes, But How?

Samson – Who God Appoints Is His Prerogative!

Along The Way - Samson 

 (Written by Kevin Hall   06.13.17)

Samson was blessed by God with super-human strength for the specific purpose of “beginning the deliverance of God’s people from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:15). In the account of Samson we see the mind of God using foolish things, faith-less, even unfaithful people to accomplish his purposes. In our day, Samson would not be first choice for leadership. He was often hot-tempered, impetuous and brawling. He was “often controlled by his sensual desires” (Smith, 182) – This would certainly disqualify him from Christian leadership.

Yet, from birth, God chose Samson and equipped him for His purposes. Samson, despite his foolish gestures, riddles, brawls accomplished God’s will to “deliver the people from Philistine oppression”. Through trial and error, he faithfully executed that task for 20 years (maybe not according to the expectations of many). I believe God would have used him mightily if he was a man of prayer and faith.

Toward the end of his life Samson repented and made peace with God. His hair began to grow back (Judges 16:22). This means God granted him favor. God will forgive and restore anyone who calls upon His name. This prepared him for his final act.  He was summoned by the Philistines to a house where over 3000 men and women gathered. It is here Samson prayed for strength and revenge. God granted his wish and he died with all the Philistines present. It is never too late to ask for forgiveness, and it is never too late to be used by God. Samson was never perfect, but he was faithful to God’s call. This is a valued lesson for all believers.

References:

Smith, J. The History of Israel. Joplin, MO: College Press (1995).

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King David And His Indulgences

A Daily Walk - Along The Way:  King David

(06.11.17)

King David “grew greater and greater, for the Lord of Host was with Him” (2 Samuel 5:10). The Lord was pleased with David and caused his kingdom to grow. In this I find a God who considers the totality of a person. The Lord loved David. There was nothing in David’s life that was hidden from God – this includes his moral indulgences. David was a womanizer, still “a man after God’s own heart”. This is no excuse for sinful living, but his life serves as an example for every believer in the pursuit of God. Even before David took the throne, he was already adding to his wives. 

One wife is enough! "Believe Me! 

This has been God's plan from the beginning (Genesis 2:20-25). By the time we get to Hebron, when king David assumes the throne, the word of God states “Meanwhile, David took more wives and concubines from Jerusalem…” (5:13). David had a weakness that was never satisfied. He followed the example of many leaders before him. Some of these marriages were for territorial alliances, but regardless of the reason, we cannot ignore God’s guidelines and expect a blessed outcome.

                A King of Israel was encouraged not to “multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away” (Deut. 17:17). David ignored this part of God’s word and it brought him tremendous pain in the latter part of his life. Not because it has been done, does it mean it is profitable. This principle still applies to us today and should be an ecclesiological consideration for ministry and life. Not because things seemingly are blessed, does it mean God agrees with everything I do. David was a godly man, a man after God's own heart; but his life reminds me that none of us are perfect. The journey of life is filled with indulgences and compromises. The question is - Do we continue in sin because we know God is grace-full? The Lord was with king David, so too with all Christians. God loved David, so too all Christians. Hey, He died for us! (John 3:16) But rest assured, He will not turn a blind eye to disregard for holy living. If we are honest, he shows that compromises can lead to great pain. David became a recipient of the seeds he planted - read the last half of his story; a life filled with internal turmoil.

            My encouragement as we Walk Along The Way: Consider our beloved David. His love for God was exemplary. He was one of a few men in the Bible of whom it was written "The Lord was with him". I love that he shows how imperfect we all are. We will be imperfect till the day Jesus returns and gives us a new body (Hebrews 10:9-10). But till then - watch out for those compromises. Watch out for those indulgences. They can become our undoing. It was the Apostle Paul who said "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:7-9).

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Women in Leadership - Deborah & Barak

Along The Way – Deborah & Barak In Shared Leadership                     Judges 4

(Written by Kevin A. Hall    05.26.17)

A few weeks ago, I read a portion of scripture in which the Apostle Paul gave instructions to the church about women in leadership roles. In 1 Timothy 2:12 he states, “I do not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet”. Now this verse got me thinking…Is this a broad statement? Does this apply only to this one occasion that Paul was concerned about? Many in our churches use this text as proof of male only leadership. While this writing will not address this issue, I have since then found numerous times in which the Lord shows His heart for the contribution of women to His Mission. In so many instances we see Him empowering women to lead the charge, and quite a few times, the men were absent. I can think of Lydia who was the first European convert of the Apostle Paul who became a key figure in the New Testament Church (Acts 16). She was the leader of the women in worship by the river. He was seeking out a place of worship as was his custom. Wherever there were 10 families, a synagogue was found. However, these women met by the river. Lydia and the rest of the women displayed their faith as unrecognized religions were prohibited in the city of Philippi. Where were the men? In the absence of men, our courageous women have no choice but to step up! God bless our very gifted women of whom many are gifted above men. I am currently assisting a church here in Andros Bahamas and one thing is clear - there are no men in the church. The church I attend has a male pastor, a male musician (part time) and a male elder who is advanced in age . It is the women who are playing the role of pastors, assistant pastors, evangelists and teachers.

                To this end, I find Deborah. This woman of God was in position during a time when the people of God had lost their faith.

Consider the 3 Dimensions of Relationship Building

About Relationships – Pursuing God

(Written by Kevin A Hall   05.2017)

These past months have given me cause to reevaluate the impact of my life. It is true what they say, “When you get older, your priorities change”. What of the years I spent pursuing selfish dreams? How about futile relationships?   How about attempts to reach high up the corporate ladder? How about now, having passed the 40-year mark…Is my marriage what I envisioned it to be? What of my sisters and brothers…Do they really know me? And then, most importantly…What of my relationship with God? The day I decided to quit my job in pursuit of Christ was a landmark moment in my life. I never told anyone this but I share it today – I lived and breathed “work”. I wanted nothing but excellence! And I achieved much of my goals. Yet, there is always some force to contend with in relationships. My last boss was selfish. He wanted to make a name for himself, but at whose expense? I played along with the game as best as I could, yet, months in, I realized this was a dead end struggle. I was determined not to lose my sanity in the process. It was during this time that I found solace in spending more time with God. I felt God’s call to connect with Him on a deeper level – a deeper level. It was clear as daylight that it was time to leave the job. The phone call was not difficult. The difficult part was leaving years of toil and sweat and successes, and hopes and dreams and relationships, even failures behind. I really loved what I was doing. But it was time to go. Since that phone call, and I remember it well (June 18, 2016 @ 2:10 pm) it feels like I have achieved in one year, more than I have in the past 10 years. I attribute the achievements to one thing – The Intentional Pursuit Of Christ. To that end, I have been reading simultaneously two books related to Spiritual Disciplines. Here are some takeaways on cultivating relationships:

Mike Breene introduced the concept of a Life Shape – consistency in maintaining and developing relationships. The triangle outlined 3 dimensions of relationships: UP – as it relates to God; IN – as it relates to those in our circles; OUT – as it relates to those around us.

How King David Faced His Sin

Practical Steps to Dealing with Sin - Lessons From The Life Of King David

 (Written by Kevin A. Hall  12.2015)

  

David had the blessing of God upon his life. He was now about 50 years old, reigning as king about 20 years, made a name for himself as a man of God, a composer of Psalms, a shepherd, a valiant warrior and leader. With so many accomplishments in his life, David began to overlook compromises in his lifestyle. His life at this point can be characterized as “a neglected sea wall standing constantly against the barrage of the tide and the waves and the ever – pounding sea"(1).

 It was during this time when his guard was down, a weak moment, that Bathsheba enters the picture and he pays a terrible price. Now, Israel had a long line of kings after David, but initially God had set a few ground rules for the king of Israel’s life:

                   God’s requirements for a King of Israel

1.      A king must not multiply horses for himself or allow his people to    return to Egypt to multiply horses

2.      A king must not multiply wives for himself

3.      A king must not greatly increase silver and gold for himself

         The hand of God was upon David and he was immensely blessed – “David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel”(2 Samuel 5:12). However, David was allowing compromises to form in his private life. These were “chinks in his armor” [1]. Compromises are easily overlooked with God’s continued blessings upon one’s life. “Meanwhile David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David”(2 Samuel 5:13). David fulfilled two of the three requirements for the king of Israel listed above. However, he consistently compromised in the call to “not multiply wives”. David thorn in the flesh was...It would seem that David thought he could satisfy his desires by adding to his harem. He was wrong. Every time he gave into his lustful desires, it only increased his desire for more.  Such was the case with Bathsheba, she was just one more. This at a time when he was weak and vulnerable. “Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all of Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem”(2 Samuel 11:1).

David simply was not where he should be. He was supposed to be in battle, not at home. His actions did not happen overnight. His compromises kept him home. Sinful indulgences will lead us to places outside of God’s will for our lives – “Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the kings house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance”(2 Samuel 11:2).

David already had a harem full of wives and concubines. Yet when put to the test with Bathsheba, his life of indulgence and compromise led him to commit adultery and murder (He killed her husband in an attempt to cover up their sin.)

Dealing With My Sin - King David (2)

                    The Path To Renewal & Restoration

(Written by Kevin A. Hall)

What do you do when you have hit rock bottom? What steps does a person need to take in order to be restored to God? At some point you will eventually need to cross this bridge, as I have. I have a Tshirt from my trip down that path with safe return, thank God. I thought about the Psalmist David and   found in his writings a guide for such a trip. If you spend time reading his letters of praise and/or reflection, you can sense his passion. My thoughts go back to a time of David's greatest pain – running away from his own son (Psalm 27). Yet again, we see him in reflection after his failure with Bathsheba. 

What do I do to get back in good grace with God? What of my spiritual state after falling so badly? Psalm 51 is a surrounding text in which David describes his experience in greater detail. Do you remember the details of David's failure? He took another man's wife, covered up the affair, she became pregnant, David frames the husband, the husband dies as a result. Some time after, God seeks out David with a confrontation by the man of God:

                                    

                                   The Path to Renewal and Restoration - Psalm 51

o   Call out to God for forgiveness - In verses 1 – 2 David asks God to have mercy on him and wash away his sin. He calls on God after being called out on his sin because he knew and recognized God’s character of love and compassion. This is revealed during the time of Moses in Exodus 34:6 – “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”

o   Don’t minimize your sins. In verses 3 – 5 David encourages us not to hide or cover up our actions. While our sinfulness affects others, we are really sinning against God.

o   Get back into fellowship with God – In verses 6 – 12 he expresses the contrast between being in fellowship and out of fellowship. He longs for the joy of fellowship:

“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice” (51:8)

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation” (51:12) 

Spend time with God and the people of God.

o   Pray for a Pure Heart. 

“David had been a slave to lust, drunk with power and stained by murder.” How does such a person get back into fellowship with God? David knew God’s nature so he prayed “Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (51:10), and he goes on.. “and sustain me with a willing spirit.” (51:12)

We know that God is in the Forgiveness and Restoration business. Guess what? He is also in the Heart Purification Business - The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). The following is a helpful guide along the path to Renewal and Restoration:

FOR EVERY MOUNTAIN ( BROOKLYN TABERNACLE CHOIR)

Worthy Is The Lamb - Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir