Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

SPIRITUAL ADVISORS

Posted on August 6, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Who do we immediately turn to when life throws a curve? When what happens is beyond our ability to reason a response; who can we trust to listen first and then offer advice for the situation? Who is that person in our life that we depend on when life is confusing and complicated? What is it about them that we trust?

The book of Proverbs is filled with principles for leaders and followers of God; along with the wisdom to seek godly advisors. We cannot do life alone. We cannot just “follow our hearts” as the world proclaims because “follow our heart feelings” change suddenly and often like the direction of the wind. Because our hearts are not reliable; we must seek advisors, those who look at our circumstance with new perspectives.

Proverbs 11:14 and 15:22 both emphasize the value of seeking counsel. Proverbs 11:14 states that “where there is no guidance, people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is victory”. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed,”. These verses highlight the importance of seeking advice and the benefits of having multiple counselors to achieve success and avoid failure.

David and his rebellious son Absalom both trusted in the same advisors. How will that work out for them? Maybe more than one advisor is needed to solve the war between them. Ahithophel and Hushai competed as advisers to Absalom during the revolution. Most leaders in those times relied on advisers to make important policy decisions. Both David and Absalom assume their advisors “inquired of the Lord” first before giving the advice they seek. God enables his chosen leaders (such as David) to prevail through the most complex and adverse circumstances. God also supplies his Holy Spirit to guide and comfort when seeking truth.

Today’s passage begins with deception and destruction. Ziba told lies and Shimei threw stones; both were making it difficult for David. David’s attitude was one of submission, because he accepted Shimei’s abuse as from the hand of God. David had already announced that he would accept anything the Lord sent to him (2 Sam. 15:26), and here he proved it. But God will prevail.

2 Samuel 16

David and Ziba

When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.

²The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

³The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”

Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

⁴Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

⁵As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. ⁶He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. ⁷As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! ⁸The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”

⁹Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”

¹⁰But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”

¹¹David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. ¹²It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

¹³So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. ¹⁴The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai

¹⁵Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

¹⁷Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”

¹⁸Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. ¹⁹Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

²⁰Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

²¹Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” ²²So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

²³Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

A godly advisor truly inquires of God then says and does what God says. He listens to the whole story and considers all the implications from different points of view before speaking the wisdom God gives.

Godly leaders need rest before making decisions. I listened as one of my advisors made statement at a time of being completely overwhelmed as a leader that made a lot of sense. “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap!” A rested heart, mind, body, and soul is more able to see and hear with the eyes and ears of our Lord who lifts the burden we bear…

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”—Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30

David was weary and deeply wounded within, so it wasn’t the best time for him to be making character decisions. He accepted Ziba’s story—which was later discredited (19:26, 27)—and made a rash judgment that gave Ziba the property that rightfully belonged to Mephibosheth. “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Proverbs 18:13). God’s leaders must constantly be on guard, rest, listen with the heart of God leading them or we will make unwise decisions on the basis of incomplete information.

Consider these thoughts by Warren Wiersbe;

“What did all this suffering accomplish for David? It made him more like Jesus Christ! He was rejected by his own people and betrayed by his own familiar friend. He gave up everything for the sake of the people and would have surrendered his own life to save his rebellious son who deserved to die. Like Jesus, David crossed the Kidron and went up Mount Olivet. He was falsely accused and shamefully treated, and yet he submitted to the sovereign will of God.”

“Hushai’s words to Absalom must be read very carefully or they will be misunderstood. Hushai gave the usual respectful greeting “God save the king,” but he didn’t say “King Absalom.” In his heart, he was referring to King David, but the new king didn’t understand what Hushai was saying. A proud man, Absalom interpreted all of Hushai’s words to apply to himself, and he accepted Hushai as another adviser. This decision was of the Lord and prepared the way for Absalom’s defeat.”

“Absalom looked to human experience and wisdom—and from a human point of view, Ahithophel was among the very best. Ahithophel didn’t seek the mind of the Lord, however, nor did he want the will of the Lord. His primary goal was to avenge himself against David for the sin David had committed against his granddaughter Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah the Hittite. The depravity and triumphs of sin may shock us, but they cannot defeat the plans or purposes of God.” –Wiersbe Study Bible

WE NEED HELP—AND GOD KNEW WE WOULD!

Beyond all the help of godly mentors and advisors who are humans with imperfections, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, the greatest and most trusted Advisor and Counselor of all! The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Holy Trinity of God who is God living in us! Here’s how Jesus explained it to his followers;

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. –Jesus, John 14:15-20 (Read the whole chapter for complete understanding of this gift!)

“What a Friend we have in Jesus,” a hymn of my youth, takes on an even deeper meaning! We have Jesus who saved us from our sins and immediately have God’s Holy Spirit as a live-inside-us Counselor who will guide us to all that is truth in all circumstances, available at all times! Could this be the lighter yoke Jesus is referring to? Mm.

When we place our faith in Christ, Christ places his Spirit before, behind, and within us! Everything Jesus did for his followers, his Spirit does for us. Jesus taught; the Spirit teaches. Jesus healed; the Spirit heals. Jesus comforted; his Spirit comforts. As Jesus sends us into new seasons, he sends his Counselor to go with us. “What a privilege to carry everything to Him in prayer” …

Lord,

By your Holy Spirit power living in us, cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within us. YOU are the ultimate advisor to all that is truth.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged absalom, Bible, David, God, Jesus | Leave a comment

YOU’RE OUT; I’M IN

Posted on August 5, 2025 by randscallawayffm

It is an extremely dangerous, unholy act by humans, filled with the intentions to do harm, to conspire against God-led, Spirit filled leaders of church groups, leaders and small business owners who serve, leaders of local communities dedicated to peace and good will, and countries in which we all reside, love, and serve. But it is beyond dangerous to rise up and revolt against God and His People for unholy, purely selfish reasons of revenge and greed that has festered into unrighteous hate with a desire for death for all who oppose them.

Hate shakes its fists at a loving, merciful, gracious God and declares; “You’re out; I’m in.” Satan had a heyday as Jesus stood in judgement before evil religious leaders and officials of the Roman government who didn’t really know what to do with God’s Son who did not wrong. Satan, above all, knew Jesus as God’s Son! But that didn’t stop him from confusing the minds of the populace to shout, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!”

Satan smirked with an evil grin on his face as his plan of conspiracy and deceit turned hearts and minds to his way of thinking. His evil plan was coming together. The demons danced at the cross while others mourned. Satan and his demons celebrated in what they thought was victory once and for all. For the humans who participated in this act of rebellion against God, Jesus offered these words of mercy; “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

However, three days later…Everything changed! Our Overcomer overcame evil in victory. God’s Plan from the beginning was to bring salvation to all who would believe in Jesus, His Son. Jesus did what His Father, our Father, told Him to do. This act of sacrificial, willing obedience removed sin once and for all. Only Jesus could provide this rescue and reconciliation. Only Jesus could restore our relationship with God. Jesus is our Savior. God honored Jesus as the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Jesus in the Victor forever. Truth.

Absalom’s charisma and charm won over many followers. His rebellion became so strong and widespread that David fled rather than engage in a long, bloody opposition. God had forgiven David, but David’s sins brought painful consequences. In this passage, David was forced to flee Jerusalem because of opposition from his own son.

Imagine the pain and rejection David must have felt.

Jesus could have associated with those emotions as his own family and followers fled from him in fear.

Hold these thoughts in mind as we read Absalom’s rebellion against his father, David.

2 Samuel 15

Absalom’s Conspiracy

In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. ²He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” ⁴And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

⁵Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

⁷At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. ⁸While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

⁹The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

¹⁰Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” ¹¹Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. ¹²While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.

David Flees

¹³A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

¹⁴Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

¹⁵The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

¹⁶The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. ¹⁷So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. ¹⁸All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.

¹⁹The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. ²⁰You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

²¹But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”

²²David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.

²³The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

²⁴Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

²⁵Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. ²⁶But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons. ²⁸I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. ³¹Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

³²When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. ³³David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. ³⁴But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice. ³⁵Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace. ³⁶Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”

³⁷So Hushai, David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

In just four years Absalom’s calculated charisma drew a large number of devoted followers throughout the whole land. His rapid success at influencing the minds and hearts of a nation warns us that one day a leader will arise who will control the minds of people around the world (2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 13:3). Jesus told the Jewish leaders of His day, “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive” (John 5:43).

The life of David is often compared to the life of Christ but we must remember; only Jesus was perfect and without sin. David was not perfect, we with sin, but forgiven by God’s mercy. David was once known as “a man after the heart of God” as a young shepherd boy but as king he fell into sin because of following his own deceitful heart.

Jesus was God in the flesh and was the heart of God.

David now responds to trouble with a renewed heart for God. Notice his actions:

David, the once warrior king, chose to flee instead of going to war to shed more blood within his family and court.
David listens to his advisors but seeks the will of God. “I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”
David weeps for his rebellious son and for Israel. “David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went” …and so did others with him.
David bowed to God in prayer for help. “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

There are reasons for Jesus’ compassionate warning to guard our hearts. (See Matthew 15:18-19) Jesus teaches that what defiles a person comes from within, specifically from the heart. He gives examples like evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, and more as originating from the heart. This emphasizes that the heart is the source of both good and evil actions. Our free will given to us by God gives us a choice to make. Who will we choose? It’s a matter of the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 states; “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. This verse underscores that the heart is the wellspring of our actions and choices. What we do reflects the true belief and intentions of our hearts!

David is betrayed by his own son, Absalom who is filled with hate and still holds grudges against his father. Absalom as allowed all the traits of hate to enter his heart. Guided by an unguarded heart; Absalom rebels against his father, David. Rebellion and betrayal by our beloved is the greatest hurt of all. Jesus knows that hurt and heartache.

Matthew is admirably honest when he confesses, “all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). Judas was not the only betrayer. Not just Peter denied him. All fled the scene. Jesus handled his hurt by thinking more of his mission to save us.

Do we really want to know Jesus and be more like Him, “and share in his suffering” like Paul preaches? (See Philippians 3) We live in a world with choices to respond to evil and good. How will we personally respond? We too have been betrayed and we at times rebel. What can we do about it? How will we respond to Jesus who keeps knocking on the door of our hearts? Will we let him in and allow him to create a new heart within us? Or not? How will we respond to troubles? Two choices: Seek God and his wisdom or conspire to get even? Choose this day who will have your heart and mind.

Let’s pause and take the time needed to reflect on how Jesus dealt with his own pain and rejection. Then let’s ask God to help us overcome the brokenness and evil thinking in our lives and replace our worry and scheming with a more holy, like Jesus, response. And if we want to really get serious; ask God for His power to renew our thinking, asking Him to help us see the purpose in this present, temporary pain.

In Jesus Name, For His glory, and our good, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged absalom, Bible, David, God, Jesus | Leave a comment

AVENGERS CANNOT BE TRUSTED

Posted on August 4, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Avenger: a person who takes revenge for an offense. Avengers feel that by engaging in terrorism they right the wrongs committed to their people. An avenger is a person who takes revenge on behalf of someone else. Many movies, past and current, portray avengers as heroes to be adored. Most often, avengers, because of their knee-jerk reactions to trouble find themselves in trouble themselves.

An avenging person who hastily reacts immediately to a wrong committed has a controlling mind, thinking he/she can fix people and circumstances. God is left out of the equation of seeking solutions, however. Avengers seek justice with no mercy. “Off with their heads” is their first response and battle cry whether figuratively or physically. Avengers are led by their own emotions and frustrations in life. They “follow their hearts” in solving whatever problem presents itself within their hearing. There is no wisdom, no consulting God, which results in actions of injustice which is opposite God’s justice. Avengers strike and run for when the deed is done they are just as guilty as the one they destroyed and put to death for their sins.

Micah 6:8 is a well-known verse that outlines what God requires of humans: “to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.” Micah says it is God’s requirement of mankind to live a life that reflects God’s character through righteous actions, compassionate hearts, and a humble spirit.

David’s family was in conflict. His eldest son, Amnon, raped Tamar, his own half-sister. Absalom, Tamar’s brother, murdered Amnon in revenge. Absalom is an avenger who does not walk with God. Absalom has accumulated an army of men who are loyal to overtake his father’s kingdom. He will do anything to obtain what he wants. How this must grieve the heart of David of seeks a restored relationship with his son. How deeply this must grieve the heart of God who seeks restored relationships with us when we run from His love and care.

2 Samuel 14

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. ²So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. ³Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

⁵The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”

She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. ⁶I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. ⁷Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

⁸The king said to the woman, “Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf.”

⁹But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt.”

¹⁰The king replied, “If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.”

¹¹She said, “Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.”

“As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

¹²Then the woman said, “Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.”

“Speak,” he replied.

¹³The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? ¹⁴Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.

¹⁵“And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. ¹⁶Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’

¹⁷“And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”

¹⁸Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.”

“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said.

¹⁹The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. ²⁰Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.”

²¹The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

²²Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”

²³Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. ²⁴But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

²⁵In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. ²⁶Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.

²⁷Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.

²⁸Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. ²⁹Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. ³⁰Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

³¹Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

³²Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!”’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”

³³So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

ACT ONE: SCENE ONE

Just as Nathan had confronted David the sinner by telling him a story (2 Samuel 12:1–7); Joab confronted David the father and king by putting a fabricated account of a family problem into the mouth of a woman who was both wise and a very good actress. Her story about a warring family moved the heart of David the father.

When has God used a story from someone’s life to open your eyes to your own story? What was your first reaction? What did you do as a result? Who did you run to for help?

When troubles, conflicts, and circumstance that demand justice come; Seek God’s help first. Kneel before God, asking for His wisdom and direction before doing anything about the injustice to us or a loved one. When we plunge into a sea of trouble without God we will drown from our own attempts to save ourselves or others. Rescuing, saving, and restoring God’s work. God is the justice we seek.

“Had God not forgiven David’s sins? The woman confessed that she was afraid that her family would slay her son and rob her of the inheritance God had given them. Until we remember we are also targets of God’s mercy, we won’t be able to see how badly others need His mercy—even when it comes through us!” –Warren Wiersbe, Wiersbe Study Bible

We must daily remember and internalize what God has so graciously done for us and continues to do through us as He pours out his mercies over us! The more we realize the depth of God’s love, mercy, and grace; the more we will begin to extend His form of justice, mercy, and love to others. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, Paul reminds us. (Romans 3:23) “Waling humbly with God”, a requirement of God, is remembering all He has done for us!

SCENE ONE: ACT TWO

There is no record that Absalom was repentant and sought his father’s forgiveness, or that he offered the required sacrifices. Father and son were together again, but it was a fragile truce and not a real peace. Absalom had his hidden agenda and was determined to seize David’s throne. Now that the prince was free, he could be visible in the city and enjoy the adulation of the crowds. During this ruse; Absalom is quietly organizing his sympathizers for the coming rebellion to overthrow the throne of David. David was about to lose his throne and crown, his concubines, his trusted adviser Ahithophel, and ultimately his son Absalom. It would be the darkest hour in David’s life.

Stay tuned…there’s more to come!

Lord,

Thank you for lessons that leap from the pages of Your Story through your people. Thank you, Jesus, for your parables that further explain who you are while bringing Light to the Truth. We know what please you. Help us to walk humbly with you daily.

You love justice and you also provide heaping amounts of undeserved mercies daily to all who believe and follow you. Continue to be make us mindful of all you have given to us so that we will be more like you, developing your character traits of real love, merciful kindness, and unmerited grace to all those around us. I need you every hour to seek restoration; not revenge.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2-samuel, absalom, Bible, David, God | Leave a comment

LOOKIN’ FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES

Posted on August 3, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Well, I spent a lifetime lookin’ for you
Single bars and good time lovers were never true
Playing a fools game, hopin’ to win
And tellin’ those sweet lies and losin’ again

… I was lookin’ for love in all the wrong places
Lookin’ for love in too many faces
Searchin’ their eyes
Lookin’ for traces of what I’m dreaming of
Hoping to find a friend and a lover
I’ll bless the day I discover another heart
Lookin’ for love

In 1980 Johnny Lee had the number one country hit in the land with “Lookin’ for Love” from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack. The song is most remembered for the line from which the title comes: “Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.” But whether someone’s cultural memory includes that film or song, the universal nature of the sentiment is obvious. We are constantly looking in the wrong places for the right things. Most think that our lust, called “love at first sight,” coupled with the view of the world to just “follow your heart” will be the pathway to happiness and fulfillment. But our hearts are full of deceit, says Jesus, and our minds clouded by our own sinful nature.

Love and happiness are the constant pursuits of our hearts; yet it eludes us so often because we are looking for both in all of the wrong places. Jesus is pretty clear about where not to look: wealth, pleasure, fame, honors, and power. He is also adamant and concise about where to look: God. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:33

“These things” Jesus is referring to are real love, eternal joy, everlasting peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—also called the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit who lives in all who believe in Him. (Galatians 5:22-23) We begin to bear these characteristics of God as our relationship with Him continues to grow and mature. We were created in the image of God; we develop His characteristics as we grow in our relationship with him with a desire to more and more like Him in every way!

Jesus expands his teaching on the mountainside with examples of how to love and live with God’s Kingdom thinking. God’s love becomes a part of us when we say yes to Jesus, His Son. His love then guides us to love others like He loves us. Real love, the love we search for and desire to have and to hold, is found first in God who so loved us He sent His Son to die for our sins so that a right, holy, and pure relationship with Him could begin to grow and mature. Realizing the depth of God’s love for us fine tunes our love for others.

Our faith in God with our Hope of eternity is made possible all because of God’s love—”but the greatest of these is love,” teaches Paul to the church. (1 Corinthians 13). In fact, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 However, Jesus-approved roads to real love that fulfills our search for joy and happiness are out of sync with the everyday lives of most people’s daily pursuits.

Ammon was yet another casualty in the battle of evil to destroy our hearts. Ammon proved to be a fool. Tamar was collateral damage in Ammon’s battle of self-desire. Ammon was looking for love in all the wrong places.

2 Samuel 13

Amnon and Tamar

In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.

²Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.

³Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. ⁴He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?”

Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

⁵“Go to bed and pretend to be ill,” Jonadab said. “When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’”

⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.”

⁷David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.” ⁸So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. ⁹Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat.

“Send everyone out of here,” Amnon said. So everyone left him. ¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. ¹¹But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.”

¹²“No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. ¹³What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” ¹⁴But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”

¹⁶“No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.”

But he refused to listen to her. ¹⁷He called his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her.” ¹⁸So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. ¹⁹Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.

²⁰Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.

²¹When King David heard all this, he was furious. ²²And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.

Absalom Kills Amnon

²³Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there. ²⁴Absalom went to the king and said, “Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his attendants please join me?”

²⁵“No, my son,” the king replied. “All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go but gave him his blessing.

²⁶Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us.”

The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” ²⁷But Absalom urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of the king’s sons.

²⁸Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” ²⁹So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.

³⁰While they were on their way, the report came to David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left.” ³¹The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his attendants stood by with their clothes torn.

³²But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s express intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. ³³My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

³⁴Meanwhile, Absalom had fled.

Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, “I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill.”

³⁵Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; it has happened just as your servant said.”

³⁶As he finished speaking, the king’s sons came in, wailing loudly. The king, too, and all his attendants wept very bitterly.

³⁷Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned many days for his son.

³⁸After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years. ³⁹And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon’s death.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 So if Jesus is telling us the truth, then maybe the world is telling us the lie, and maybe that’s why Jesus warns us that we will be insulted and persecuted for following His recipe for real love while and unmasking the world and all of its trappings of false hope and happiness.

The earthly rewards for those who pursue earthly goods can be almost limitless, yet can be taken away in an instant. Even if a person reaches her or his deathbed with wealth, pleasure, fame, honors, and power all intact, at the moment of death they are all gone and all that remains are those things which Jesus taught us to pursue with Kingdom of God thinking on that mountainside over 2000 years ago.

And in that moment, after looking for happiness in all the right places, those who have listened to and acted upon the words of Jesus, will hear the greatest lyrics of all time:

“Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…”—Jesus, Matthew 5:12

Lord,

Thank you for reminding us of “these things” of your Kingdom that we must seek and develop as ways to express your love in us. The evil of this story breaks our hearts, I can only imagine the heartbreak you felt as Ammon took advantage of Tamar. Continue to help us find ourselves in your story as we grow in our relationship with you. Teach us and lead us by your love.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged absalom, Bible, Faith, God, Jesus | Leave a comment

WHAT HAPPENED TO “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD; I SHALL NOT WANT?”

Posted on August 2, 2025 by randscallawayffm

We all see it. Many have gossiped about what they saw and heard. We watched as the leader we adore is “caught in the act.” We are dismayed, disillusioned and oh so disappointed. Our first reaction is shock because we didn’t see that coming. The words that first come to mind might be, “what just happened?” Followed by, “how long as this been going on?” And “how did we miss this?”

Max Lucado give us some perspective of David’s rise to heights of fame and glory as King of Israel and Judah being one of the reasons for falling into temptations to want even more. Consider this—

“David “sends” many times in this story. He sends Joab to battle (see 11:1). He sends the servant to inquire about Bathsheba (see 11:3). He sends for Bathsheba to have her come to him (see 11:4). When David learns of her pregnancy, he sends word to Joab (see 11:6) to send Uriah back to Jerusalem. David sends him to Bathsheba to rest, but Uriah is too noble. David opts to send Uriah back to a place in the battle where he is sure to be killed. Thinking his cover-up is complete, David sends for Bathsheba and marries her (see 11:27).

We don’t like this sending, demanding David. We prefer the pastoring David, caring for the flock; the dashing David, hiding from Saul; the worshiping David, penning psalms. We aren’t prepared for the David who has lost control of his self-control, who sins as he sends.

What has happened to him? Simple. Altitude sickness. He’s been too high too long. The thin air has messed with his senses. He can’t hear as he used to. He can’t hear the warnings of the servant or the voice of his conscience. Nor can he hear his Lord. The pinnacle has dulled his ears and blinded his eyes. Did David see Bathsheba? No. He saw Bathsheba bathing. He saw Bathsheba’s body and Bathsheba’s curves. He saw Bathsheba, the conquest. But did he see Bathsheba, the human being? The wife of Uriah? The daughter of Israel? The creation of God? No. David had lost his vision. Too long at the top will do that to you. Too many hours in the bright sun and thin air leaves you breathless and dizzy.

Sometimes we can find ourselves blinded to what is right. We justify our actions or simply refuse to listen to our conscience. We are not immune to sin, but we can ignore the warning signs. What can you do to keep from falling as David did?” Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

As we read this passage and pass judgement on David; we must look inside and ask ourselves, what sin are we ignoring, setting aside as being not as bad as our friends’ sin, or justifying our sin as what we deserve because of our good service to God and others? What sin is blocking our view of God and all He wants to do in and through us for His glory and His best in us? Who is our Nathan? Will we listen to the Nathan in our lives whom God has sent to us? God does the sending; we do the trusting and obeying. This is walking humbly with God which is what is required of us. (Micah 6:8)

2 Samuel 12

Nathan Rebukes David

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. ²The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, ³but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

⁴“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

⁵David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! ⁶He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

⁷Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. ⁸I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. ⁹Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. ¹⁰Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

¹¹“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. ¹²You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”

¹³Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. ¹⁴But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”

¹⁵After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. ¹⁶David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. ¹⁷The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

¹⁸On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

¹⁹David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.

“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

²⁰Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

²¹His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”

²²He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ ²³But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

²⁴Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him; ²⁵and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.

²⁶Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. ²⁷Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. ²⁸Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”

²⁹So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. ³⁰David took the crown from their king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city ³¹and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Our sin will find its way to the surface after all efforts to cover it over or cover it up with more sin. God knows our hearts. His prophets warned people, “Your sins will find you out!” The phrase “your sin will find you out” is found in Numbers 32:23. It means that those who commit sin will eventually face the consequences of their actions. The verse is a warning from Moses to the tribes of Gad and Reuben, who had requested land on the east side of the Jordan River, reminding them that if they failed to fulfill their promise to fight alongside their brethren in conquering Canaan, their sin would be exposed and they would be held accountable.

But do we listen and most important, do we repent? God already knows our sins and our propensity to sin. “While were yet sinners; Christ died for us.” This was a demonstration of God’s love us! Our loving, faithful God provided His Son, Jesus, to come to earth to seek and to save the lost from our sins. But before Jesus came, God dealt with the sins of His people specifically through His prophets, like Nathan, who spoke His words directly into the hearts of those called to serve God and His people. David is one of those hearts who needed God’s conviction of sin with the reminder of the consequences of sin. God disciplines the one He loves, David, with a course correction for his behaviors that resulted from sins committed. David repents but a price had to be paid for his sin—his first born son with Bathsheba. But God wasn’t finished with David yet…

God sent HIS Son to save us from our sins. It was Jesus, who never sinned, who paid that price for our sin for us! The perfect, without blemish Lamb of God, willingly and obediently laid down His life so that our lives could be spared. Yes, pause and think about this truth—take all the time you need. I am. Jesus Christ paid for all the sins of the world God loves; once and for all eternity. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

There is nothing we have done that will shock God who knows our hearts and seeks to turn our focus back to Him. God’s wants to us to be honest as we repent of our sins. Then God does His work of restoring a blessed, loving, intimate maturing relationship with Him. We will grieve God’s Holy Spirit when we sin; but God is not shocked by our sin.

There is no sin that God will not forgive. Don’t take this on as a challenge, but repent and be filled with His love while accepting his gentle mercy and unending grace! Then love others like Jesus loves us—without conditions. People need to know that salvation is obtainable and freely given by our God/Jesus/Holy Spirit who loves us most! A relationship with God is the most important relationship we will ever have!

God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. God does not cover our sins but removes our sins forever—to be remembered no more!

Upon repentance; the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”, by Horatio G. Spafford comes floating into my mind with harmonies of peace. A phrase of this hymn, “My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross” is not a direct Bible verse, but rather a poetic expression of a believer’s heart who trusts in the completeness of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. The hymn reflects the truth: Jesus Christ’s sacrifice covers all sin, not just a portion of it.

My sin, oh, the bliss
Of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross,
And I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Lord,

I surrender. I offer my life as an offering, holy and pleasing to you. Guide me in all I think, say, and do. Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole. You are my Shepherd; I shall not want—for anything or anyone else! I’m yours and I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Though Satan should buffet,
Though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded
My helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bible, Faith, Forgiveness, God, Jesus | Leave a comment

MANIPULATION—COVERING SIN WITH MORE SIN

Posted on August 1, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Lust and desire to have what someone else has is called “coveting” in the Bible. Defined, to covet means to yearn (crave and ache) to possess what you do not have. Since Adam and Eve, many of God’s beloved and called over the centuries have fallen for the desire to have it all which leads to getting it all at all costs.

Coveting is mentioned as numbers 9 and 10 of the Big Ten commands of what not to do: (Exodus 20)

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”

When God commands it and we disobey Him; it is called sin. Sin separates us from God who deserves an intimate, growing, maturing relationship with Him. Sometimes, sin tempts us when life is good and we are at rest from our conquering pursuits. Our minds wonder, and instead of living in gratitude for all that God has provided; we begin to search for what else we do not have. Evil pounces on this unfocused state of mind that wonders while wandering away from God. Our minds work overtime to convince us we deserve more. We look back on our success (by God’s hands) and think; “Look at all I have accomplished.” “Everyone bows down to serve me, now.” “Whatever I command; it is done!” We get cocky and arrogant in responding to the life God provided for us, and we fall for sin more than we liked to admit.

David whose heart was known for lining up with God’s heart, turns his focus from serving God to serving self. David is resting on his laurels as a warrior to just being a king who commands. David has time on his hands. Evil tempts him and he falls. David’s lust for his loyal soldier’s wife led him to fulfill that lust by being with her. This led to the manipulation of lives which eventually led to murder. We’re sure David thought he had succeeded in his cover up of sin. David had it all and wanted more—but at a high cost. David’s actions greatly displeased God. God will discipline David because He loves him like a son.

2 Samuel 11

David and Bathsheba

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

²One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, ³and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” ⁴Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. ⁵The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

⁶So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. ⁷When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. ⁸Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. ⁹But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

¹⁰David was told, “Uriah did not go home.” So he asked Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a military campaign? Why didn’t you go home?”

¹¹Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

¹²Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.

¹⁴In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. ¹⁵In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

¹⁶So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. ¹⁷When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

¹⁸Joab sent David a full account of the battle. ¹⁹He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, ²⁰the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? ²¹Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”

²²The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. ²³The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate. ²⁴Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”

²⁵David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”

²⁶When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. ²⁷After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Adam and Eve’s perfect, intimate relationship with God was severed by their disobedience to God.

Moses led the people to the Promised Land but was not allowed to enter because he took matters into his own hands one day in anger and frustration against God’s whiny people.

Jacob manipulated his twin brother Esau out of his rightful inheritance. God had to deal with him a wrestling match over the will of God. Later, Jacob was manipulated by his future father-in-law who placed a veil over the older sister and gave her to Jacob instead of the woman of his dreams.

We could go on…but I think we get it! Our desire to have it all because we think we deserve it and do everything we can in our own power to get it no matter who it hurts is sin and displeases God. God wants HIS best for us. His best is beyond our wildest dreams or imaginations but we when we covet and selfish decide to choose what we want; sin is born and gives birth to more sin to cover the first sin! Crazy! Before spiraling out of control, we have the option to repent, halting the madness and destruction of sin.

Truth: Our sins affect all those around us, not just us.

Yes, we are born into sin and our nature to sin is strong. But God is stronger still! Repented sin to God in Jesus Name is the best way to remove sin! We overcome sin’s temptations as we lean on God’s resurrection power, the power that brought Jesus, our Redeemer of all sin, back to life! THIS power, God’s Holy Spirit’s power, lives in us to help us overcome the temptation to fall for sin! We cannot do this on our own! We must trust In Jesus who saved us and set us free!

RECAP:

Warren Wiersbe comments; “David looked over the city, but he focused on one woman. In modern terms, he was doing the equivalent of idly clicking the remote or surfing the Internet. He didn’t think he was looking for trouble, but trouble found him in the form of temptation. Not only did he notice the woman, he kept looking and decided to find out who she was. David’s temptation and sin illustrate the truth that ‘each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death’ “ (James 1:14, 15).

Although a successful commander of Israel’s army, King David let himself be conquered by lust. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, then arranged to have her husband murdered. David was not immune to temptation. When he sinned, God held him accountable for his actions. Stay tuned…

Lord,

Thank you first for forgiving us of our sins. Thank you for providing the power to run from more temptations to sin. May we run to you instead and be filled by your overcoming power to resist the devil’s distractions and our own self desires. Keep us focused on you and your best for us according to your will and purpose all day long and into the night. May overthinking that leads to worry be replaced by thinking more like you that leads us to your peace of mind.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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CHOOSING UP SIDES

Posted on July 31, 2025 by randscallawayffm

Before any game is played; sides must be chosen. Two teams are decided within any large group; then the game begins. You know how it goes—from the Garden of Eden to now—we still choose up sides. Our first thought as a child, eager to play is, who will choose me? Whose side will we I be on? Will I be chosen first, second, or last? Choosing is awkward at times but knowing whose side you are on makes all the difference in how you will play the game, right?!

We all choose up sides! We choose which side we will take when opposing views present themselves in conversation. We will “side” with those who agree with our belief system concerning the topic at hand.

We choose up sides between good and evil with every decision we make and every action we take in our daily lives. So, whose side are you on? Choose this day whom you will serve, says Joshua to God’s people who were fearful of the enemy. (Joshua 24:15) So, it is extremely important to make the choice—God or the opposing Enemy of Darkness? It’s a matter of life or death. Who do we want to believe and follow? Our behavior will certainly reveal what we truly believe—especially when put under the spotlight of pressure by those who want to know whose side we’re on. Who and what we decide affects the decision of others who look to us for truth. Wow.

David chose to be kind to the new king of the Ammonites (the opposing team) but his efforts are assumed to be evil. Assumptions and presumptions are the greatest roadblocks to honest communication in building community even today! We assume what others think therefore we presume how they will act toward us before the first word is spoken. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” with these habits that deter all relationships. These habits are not the way to peace with each other or with God. Read on…

2 Samuel 10

David Defeats the Ammonites

In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. ²David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, ³the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” ⁴So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

⁶When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

⁷On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. ⁸The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

⁹Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹⁰He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. ¹²Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

¹³Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. ¹⁶Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁷When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. ¹⁸But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. ¹⁹When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them.

So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Once again (see chapter 9), David wanted to show kindness, but this time his attempt led to war instead of peace. His overtures to his neighbor were misunderstood, and David had to defend his own honor as well as the honor of the Lord and His people. David the warrior was also a man who understood the principle of peace.

Jesus taught about peace, both inner peace and peace between people. While his teachings sometimes involved conflict due to his message of truth, his core message emphasized love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, all essential components of peace. Listen to Jesus, trust and obey what HE says. Jesus is the only Way to reconcile with God, who is the Truth we seekand the One who gives all who believe eternal Life! (John 14:6) Jesus knows peace because He is Peace.

Consider this wisdom: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Reading a Proverb a day is a great way to gain wisdom in “choosing sides.” Wisdom is simply defined as obtaining practical “skills for living”. Wisdom commands that we do not “follow our hearts!” Jesus taught us to follow the desires of the heart of God! David was a man after the heart of God. Assuming, presuming, while “following our own hearts” as we learn in this passage; does not lead to peace. Jesus the Prince of Peace is the One who gives us the gift of His peace when we believe and follow Him. Peace begins with knowing Jesus.

Biblical Principles of Peace: (Excerpts from author, Fred Bittner)

Peace is a product of God’s design. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ — 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV).
Peace comes from knowing Jesus and is not linked to external circumstances. “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross — Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV).
Peace is a vital part of our relationship with the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22
Peace is not ours to keep, but ours to share. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God”. —Jesus, Matthew 5:9 (NIV). The peace of God must be evident in us. Others need to see what we have and desire to have it. Then we must be peacemakers, able to share the love of God with a troubled world. Jesus calls us to be the Light in a dark world who needs the Savior! (Matthew 5:14-16)
Peace is demonstrated to the world through a healthy Church. “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. — 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV). Church fights hurt the cause of Christ. To that end the Bible says, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” — Romans 14:19 (NIV).
Peace is not determined by possessions, or circumstances. The pursuit of peace is more important than the pursuit of possessions, money, or fame. Peace is not determined by where we live, or how much we own. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you…I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. — Philippians 4:9,12-13 (NIV).
God’s Peace is to be sought above all other possessions.

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” Proverbs 17:1

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

If you want to be blessed, become a peacemaker. “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness — James 3:18 (NIV).

Peace is a gift from God that keeps on giving! Peace is not obtained on our own. Our peace was bought at a price—Jesus, God’s One and Only Son. Jesus is the peace we seek in every detail of life because He IS peace and He delivers His peace upon request. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”—Jesus, John 14:27 ESV

How will we respond?

One of my favorite authors, Dr. David Jeremiah writes in Sanctuary, “All too often we lose our peace in the midst of tragedy and the circumstances of life. When we do that, we have nothing to offer a watching world. If a neighbor comes to us distraught over tragedy and finds us just as undone, what testimony have we given about the peace of Christ, which He promised? It is the Christians in a community who should be able to offer a word of encouragement and comfort during difficult times. But we can only do that if we possess the peace of Christ-that peace which He purchased for us at the price of His own blood.” –David Jeremiah, “Sanctuary”

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18 Peace begins and ends with knowing Jesus and believing in Him.

I’m choosing the side of Peace; how about you?

Lord,

Give us your wisdom and peace. Help us to avoid the sins of assuming we know what others think and presuming what they will do. Teach us your ways of truthful communication filled with unconditional love. Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole. Guide me in all I think, say, and do today. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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GOD LEADS TO THOSE IN NEED

Posted on July 30, 2025 by randscallawayffm

“Is there anyone I can show kindness to today, Lord?” Wow, what would happen if we prayed that pray honestly with a willing heart ready to jump into action? God readily answers a prayer like that with those who need an extra dose of encouragement! I have seen God do it through others and through me! If more compassion is needed to see and listen more intently and bolster our resolve to serve God by serving others, then prayer this prayer; “Lord, break my heart of those things that break yours.” Praying these words will immediately change our life perspective of the world around us and open our eyes to see the real needs of our world. Along with that prayer, God delivers the power, guidance, ability, and plan of wisdom to deliver help quickly to those who need it most at just the right time and in the right spirit—His Holy Spirit. No need for a committee meeting to meet common needs of humanity. God has it covered by making us His hands and feet! Listen to His Holy Spirit who guides us to truth and God’s agenda for each new day.

David, a man after God’s own heart, has the Spirit of God in him. God guides David to remember his promise to his best friend for life—Jonathan, son of Saul. “Is anyone left that I can show kindness for Jonatan’s sake?” David asks with intent and God delivers. God then gives David a plan to fulfill that promise in a very practical way—take care of Jonathan’s crippled son for life.

2 Samuel 9

David and Mephibosheth

David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

²Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

³The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

⁴“Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

⁵So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

⁶When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.

David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“At your service,” he replied.

⁷“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

⁸Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

⁹Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.

¹²Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. ¹³And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

People with challenging disabilities were thought to be unworthy, deemed outcasts of society, worthless, and even sinful in this particular biblical age. “You must have done something wrong to live with this marked disability” was the common thinking. For David to look past all of that to see only Johnathan’s son, who he loved demonstrates the glorious grace of our God to us because of Jesus sacrifice to all! In fact, the story of David and Mephibosheth is a striking picture of salvation by grace. There is beauty that emerges in the intimate, loving relationship between God and David that demonstrates what can happen to one who truly inquires and listens to God often. It wonderfully shows how David was led to remember and follow through on his covenant with Jonathan—friends for life and now to his son. This is a picture-perfect example of God’s compassion and love without conditions.

During the course of our lives, we will come across many people who have needs that we are able to meet. What will be our response? Don’t assume someone else will meet that need.

Pray, asking Gods’ Holy Spirit to prompt us daily. God will respond to us with someone who needs what God has given us to share and pass on. This is what it means to join God in HIS work of love, mercy, and grace as we walk humbly with God always ready to respond, “At Your Service, Lord!”

Our lifestyle will indeed reveal our life source. Walking with God means living in harmony with God’s Spirit with a grateful heart and an expectant hope, saying; “What’s next, Papa?” Wait, what now, you ask? I’m glad you asked. One of my favorite ways to explain this harmony with God’s Holy Spirit is found in Romans 8:15-17. Read this scripture from Eugene Peterson’s, The Message, to fully understand this concept;

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’ God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us – an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!” –Paul, to the church, Romans 8:15-17.

Need help? Romans 12 gives us specific, practical ways to serve God by serving others. We have no excuse, really, to go, tell, share, and make disciples who go, tell, share and make other disciples who extend kindness, encouragement, grace, love, mercy, and generosity—in order to be more and more in every way like Christ! This is church—a group of Christ followers who want to be like Him.

Paul continues….

“God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:29-39, MSG

Lord,

Thank you for this picture of your grace through David. But the greatest of all is the unending, wonderfully amazing grace you poured out from the cross for each one of us. Thank for those who met my need and pointed me to you. Thank you for guiding me to those in need even today. Thank you for providing all we need to share with those in need physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Thank you for inviting us to your work of salvation for all! I’m your servant and I’m listening for what’s next, Abba!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE BATTLE AND THE VICTORY BELONGS TO THE LORD!

Posted on July 29, 2025 by randscallawayffm

The known world of enemies who opposed the nation of Israel from the beginning of entering the “Promised Land” given to them by God has now been subdued. It was God who raised up a shepherd boy to be a warrior king over His people. It was God who gave told David what to do and when to do it. Because of David’s faith in God; “The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.”

These defeated nations, especially the evil Philistines, had been constant military and religious threat to Israel. By defeating the enemies of Israel; David’s kingdom flourished. Under his leadership, Israel grew to ten times its original size. David was in a “sweet spot” doing the will of God. He knew no defeat on the battlefield nor insurrection in his court.

Israel was finally at peace. The people were grateful to David. They were in awe of his accomplishments as a military leader as well as King who knew, loved, and served God. David consistently gave praise to God who provided the victory. But, now what? How will David, a man after God’s own heart, but still a human, handle the notoriety of all these victories provided by God? How will he handle the great wealth he has acquired from defeating his enemies who were the enemies of God?

Every leader whom God has raised up to lead his people is tempted by the Enemy to shift their thinking from giving praise to God to seeking self-glorification through the praises of adoring people. In fact most times it is in times of peace that we fall to thinking we are the reason for victory as we rest on the adorations of those around us. We begin to think all praises are due to us, thinking we provided the peace. We cross the line when we think nothing can bring us down or take us out. Because suddenly, without warning, we fall to thinking we can do nothing wrong. The grand idea comes to us that we truly “can have it all, when we want it, because we deserve it.” Sound familiar?

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” in all kinds of ways at one time or another when we believe that we, ourselves, are the reason for success and victory. (Romans 3:23) What Paul wrote to the church reminds us that all humans have committed sin and therefore cannot achieve perfect righteousness or God’s standard of holiness on their own. God knew humans are not perfect so God made a Way for us to be perfectly forgiven and redeemed from our folly of sin. God did for us that we cannot do for ourselves—remove sin. We cannot earn or purchased redemption for our sins on our own by our own efforts. Only Jesus, the Perfect One without sin, could sacrificially stand in our place of punishment and fully absorb our debt of sin so that we can be made clean and holy before God.

Let us learn from David…while giving praise to God!

2 Samuel 8

David’s Victories

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

²David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.

³Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River. ⁴David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. ⁶He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.

⁷David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

⁹When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

¹¹King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: ¹²Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

¹⁴He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.

David’s Officials

¹⁵David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; ¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Lord had promised Israel the land from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates River (See the references, Genesis 15:17–21; Deuteronomy 1:6–8; 11:24; 1 Kings 4:20, 21). God used David to help fulfill the promise. Israel had lost territory to her enemies during the reign of King Saul, and David recaptured it. But he also expanded Israel’s borders and acquired land that hadn’t been conquered in Joshua’s day (Joshua 13:1–7). A man of faith, David believed God’s promises and acted upon them for the blessing of his people.

When God gives us the victory over all that sin has taken from us in the past; how do we respond? Prayerfully and carefully recall what God did to set us free and thank Him! Ask God what He wants to do in and through us that will help others know Him and be set free! God gives victory over sin to all who believe! (Romans 12 will help us know what practical steps to take!)

Winning battles is one thing, and managing the affairs of the growing nation is quite another; and here David proved himself capable. He ruled with justice and righteousness and served all the people. David also demonstrated his capabilities in appointing wise and skilled advisors and subordinates to help him. God loves righteousness and justice and requires us to follow suit as believers.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

David indeed was a man after God’s own heart. Are we—in all we think, say, and do?

God’s victories through his servant David also meant peace and safety for the people of Israel so they could live normal lives and not be constantly threatened by their neighbors. Israel had a great work to perform on earth in bearing witness to the true and living God and bringing the written Scriptures of the Messiah who comes into the world. Furthermore, the plunder filled the treasury of the Lord so that the materials were for David’s son, Solomon to later build the temple of God!

We, as God’s church, believers in Jesus, do not use military weapons to fight God’s battles; but fully lean on the direction and power of God’s Holy Spirit who lives in the temple of our hearts! With the faith and courage of David, we are taught to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes,” (Ephesians 6). This spiritual armor fits us for service in pointing the lost to Jesus within our families, among our friends, and anyone else who have fallen for the Enemy while avoiding the Enemy ourselves! “Go and make disciples” is the command Jesus gave to us with all authority from God. The command was delivered with a promise, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

Believe, repent, and be saved for eternity. Then go tell others!

Lord,

Thank for reminding us that our faith and resolve can be just as relentless as David’s and all the other imperfect people you called for your specific purpose. Thank you for who you are and all you do because of your great love for us. Only you can fully cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, and refresh our souls. Only you can make us holy and fit for your service. Only you can restore the joy of your salvation at work within us; the joy that is eternal and never ceases to lift our faith and give us hope. Thank you for your peace and joy in all circumstances. You are God and there is no one like you! Thank you for being with us always as we love you and others with your love embedded in our hearts.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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WE PLAN—GOD DECIDES!

Posted on July 28, 2025 by randscallawayffm

We humans have a kink in our armor—Self. As God leads us to success in completing the mission He gave us to do while providing all that we needed within and without to do it; we think we should do more! So, in our excitement; we think of more “good” things to accomplish, thinking we will really wow and impress God with bigger and better ways to please Him. But does it become at this point all about God or about us?

Do we stop in our dreaming and imagining to ask God what He wants? This would be the BEST way to honor God! We might plan great and glorious strategies of accomplishments with our first thought being to give back to God what He has so graciously given to us. But we step over the line and out of God’s will when our dreams escalate in ways that bring glory and notoriety to us. “Look what I did, in Jesus Name,” grieves the Holy Spirit of God who lives in us. Daivd is about to learn that lesson! His adviser, Nathan, prophet of God, will stand ready to tell David what God wants. How will David respond?

2 Samuel 7

God’s Promise to David

After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, ²he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

³Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? ⁶I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. ⁷Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

⁸“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. ¹⁰And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning ¹¹and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders^[a] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: ¹²When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. ¹⁵But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me^]; your throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁷Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!

²⁰“What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. ²¹For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

²²“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. ²³And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? ²⁴You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

²⁵“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, ²⁶so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

²⁷“Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

David plans—God decides. David is submissive to the will of God. David responds to God’s prophecy and direction through Nathan by sitting before the Lord in humble surrender to His will.

How do we respond when our grand plans created in a committee of our church leader peers are changed drastically by our Sovereign God who demonstrates in various ways what HE wants which is always the best for all concerned and truly gives Him glory?

Do we respond with grumbling and complaining;

“But Lord, we created, we dreamed, we imagine and envisioned what you wanted and designed a great plan to achieve it—in your Name for your glory. Lord, we even prayed for you to bless our plans! Why isn’t this pleasing you? Why aren’t you helping us? Why is our dream not your desire?” I hope we readily see the folly of this thinking, at least I pray we do! “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” in this thinking that is full of self. So, how can we avoid this thinking that may begin with good intentions? Consider: If God didn’t tell us then He isn’t in it; therefore it isn’t a blessed activity of God’s will and purpose to achieve it!

Jesus didn’t do anything of significance without first going to His Father, God—Our God! Throughout the gospels the writers report that Jesus left often from the ministry to lost people to get alone to a “solitary place” to sit before God (like David just did) in prayer. Jesus modeled the spiritual discipline of going before God, asking what He wanted him to do before doing it. Jesus often told others it is God who directs Him. “I do only what my father tells me” is a quote from Jesus found in the Gospel of John. Jeus is telling all those around him that His actions and teachings are aligned with God’s will, as he acts only in accordance with what he has been instructed or shown by God, his Father. This statement emphasizes Jesus’ obedience and the divine nature of his mission. How closely aligned to this is our response to Our Father in heaven?

Stop, pause to prayerfully consider; Are we practicing the spiritual discipline of being with God before doing anything for God?

Jesus, pressed by his observant disciples who wanted to be more like Jesus in their prayers, modeled this prayer;

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”—Jesus, Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

Jesus’ prayer of agony in Gethsemane, knowing what He was about to go through to complete God’s mission to save us still prayed— “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”—Jesus, Luke 22:42, NIV

Friends, we must always seek God and His will first, not after our plans have failed but first, asking what God wants us to be and do as HE works in us to accomplish His plan. When we “sit before the Lord” like David; and ultimately like Jesus, God reveals His plan and purpose with a promise—God does what He says He will do! Every. Time.

I loved Paul’s amazing prayer of encouragement for God’s churches:

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever! Amen.”—Paul, Ephesians 3:14-21, NIV

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”. This verse emphasizes God’s ability to do far more than what is asked or even conceived of, highlighting His limitless power and grace. It’s a reminder that when trusting in God, one can expect outcomes exceeding their expectations. So, therefore, if we want to truly be more like Jesus—first pray expectantly like Jesus, asking God what HE wants—it will save us a lot of precious time—time we should spend telling others about Him!

Lord,

Thank you for reminding us that our plans are puny compared to your plan with purpose to save humanity from our sins with the promise of eternal life! God, set my agenda and reveal your purpose for me for today in your plan. May your will be done in all the details of my life—for you are Life to me!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bible, Faith, God, Jesus, prayer | Leave a comment

Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

SPIRITUAL ADVISORS

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CHOOSING UP SIDES

GOD LEADS TO THOSE IN NEED

THE BATTLE AND THE VICTORY BELONGS TO THE LORD!

WE PLAN—GOD DECIDES!

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