Reading: Devotional

July 7

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David’s Coronation

2 Samuel 1:1–2:7

O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation

how greatly he exults! You have given him his heart’s desire

and have not withheld the request of his lips.

Psalm 21:1–2 (ESV)

David might have been expected to receive the news of Saul’s death with relief if not joy. It meant that he would no longer have to remain in hiding, but could return to live among his people. The death of Jonathan was a different matter, of course; he was a dear and faithful friend to David, and he would be greatly missed. Still, the death of these two meant that David had a much easier path to the throne.

David’s reaction, however, was unexpected for one who had been on the run for so long; he had the Amalekite who had a hand in Saul’s death executed. Besides that, he grieved not only over Jonathan, but over Saul as well because of the office that he had held by the appointment of God. David thought more of what these deaths meant for Israel’s status among its neighbors than about what they meant for his own future.

The glory of Israel and Israel’s God was at risk. The opponents of God and his people were sure to rejoice. David even called for the mountains and the fields of Israel to join him in grieving.

David did not rush home to fill the vacancy left by Saul; here again he showed the patience and willingness to trust that he had shown before in his personal encounters with Saul. David waited, and then, only after the Lord’s direction, he went to Hebron to be crowned.

David anticipated the conflict that lay ahead of him. Power transitions are never easy, and in spite of the death of Saul and his closest heir, there were others in the royal family who had aspirations to the throne of Israel. But David knew that he had the Lord’s blessing.

July 8

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The City of David

2 Samuel 5:1–10

Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!

Psalm 137:6 (ESV)

After seven years of war between Saul and David, all of Israel agreed that David was the Lord’s choice and united under his kingship (see 1 Chron. 11:2). One of David’s first official acts was to lead his army against the Jebusite stronghold of Jerusalem. The Jebusites were confident of their ability to withstand David’s siege; they considered their city to be impregnable. But that very quality made it an ideal capital for David, and he found a way to take it, perhaps through the water shaft mentioned in verse 8. 

Afterwards, although the Lord had given Israel the whole land, Jerusalem came to be seen as the chief symbol of the fulfillment of God’s promises. Jerusalem even became a metaphor for the people chosen to be God’s treasured possession (see Ex. 19:5).

·   Zephaniah 1:12 speaks of the Lord searching Jerusalem with lamps and punishing the complacent—obviously referring to all of God’s disobedient people.

·   Jesus lamented Israel’s sin this way: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (Matt. 23:37).

At this time, the future looked bright. Jerusalem became the political and spiritual center of a united people; it was known as the city that Yahweh had chosen. Just one place we see this is in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple, where he refers to what the Lord had told his father: “I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there” (2 Chron. 6:6). Thus it was that “David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him” (1 Chron. 11:9).

July 9

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The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 6

Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,

you and the ark of your might.

Psalm 132:8 (ESV)

David knew that the secret to continue to experience the blessings of the Lord on himself and his people was God’s presence in their midst. So after his coronation he made plans to bring the ark of the covenant from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem. As a sign of the ark’s importance, he did this with an army of men and great fanfare. But the transfer did not go off quite as planned.

The ark was transported, as it had been earlier by the Philistines, on a new cart drawn by oxen. That former transfer had gone well until some men of Beth Shemesh looked into the ark and died for their disregard for the honor and respect that God demanded for this sign of his presence. This time too, Uzzah was killed when he dared touch the ark. His intentions were probably good, but his action clearly violated God’s command that no one but his priests, the Levites, handle the ark. David became very angry, although it’s not clear whether this was at God or at himself for failing to honor God’s directions. But a few months later he did things properly, using the Levites to carry the ark with poles on their shoulders as God’s law commanded (see 1 Chron. 15:15).

David himself led the celebration, leaping and dancing before the Lord. But not everyone shared his joy; his own wife, Michal, was disgusted by his actions. This was not merely because she thought he did not behave with the dignity of a king. The implication is that she did not share David’s heart for God or his desire that Yahweh be an integral part of the life of Israel. So, for refusing to join the celebration of God’s presence with his people, Michal suffered the worst indignity possible for a woman of that time; she had no children to the day of her death. She herself became a sign that life is impossible without the Lord.

July 10

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David’s Concern for God’s House

2 Samuel 7:1–2

My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalm 84:2 (ESV)

David had brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem but had no permanent home for it. That bothered him, especially as he became less preoccupied with defending Israel against enemies.

David’s desire to build a house for God was not unique in his time. Temples of some kind are found in every civilization; they are expressions of the innate human impulse to know and please God. Even apart from God’s self-revelation in Scripture, there’s a sense in the depths of human souls that there exists one who is far greater, one to whom humanity is responsible for worship and service. People disagree on what God is like, but everyone senses the need to communicate with him. It is just this for which a temple is important. Temples represent a point of contact between God and people; they represent fellowship with the one who is greater than all we see.

Israel, even more than other nations, was interested in fellowship with God; after all, Israel had God’s special revelation to illumine their inbuilt impulse to worship. The patriarchs set up sacred places and altars to commemorate the appearances of God. Shechem, Bethel, and Hebron were important because these were the places where God had showed himself.

The idea of a house for God gained traction at the time of the Exodus when God gave instructions for a tabernacle to serve as a meeting place between him and his people. But that had been a temporary provision for a nomadic people; now David wanted something permanent. He certainly knew what his son Solomon would later confess, that the Lord could not be contained in any human structure (1 Kings 8:27). But David was still concerned about the lack of a temple.

July 11

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God’s Message for David

2 Samuel 7:3–17

We are the temple of the living God; as God has said:

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

2 Corinthians 6:16 (ESV)

When David spoke to Nathan about his desire to build a house for the Lord, the prophet liked the idea and told him to do it. But God gave Nathan a different message that night and he quickly relayed it to David. The message was that God was not upset with the lack of a permanent home. He was more concerned with making a home for his people where they would no longer be disturbed. That was why God had relieved David of his duties as a shepherd of sheep and installed him as the shepherd of God’s people. It was under David, God said, that he would his give his people rest from their enemies.

David would have seen this as the fulfillment of God’s promise made to Moses and repeated to Joshua after Israel had entered into the Promised Land: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Ex. 33:14). But the most surprising part of God’s message was still to come. God told David that instead of receiving a house from him, God would build David a house—a dynasty that would last forever. Furthermore, David’s offspring would build the temple that David wanted to build.

David would later see Solomon as the guarantor of his dynasty and the one who fulfilled God’s promise. And Solomon did build the temple that David had in mind. But David could not have foreseen an even greater offspring who would himself be the temple of God—the perfect point of contact between God and people (see John 2:19–21). Nor could he have imagined what Scripture claims for the spiritual offspring who comprise Christ’s body: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Cor. 3:16).

July 12

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A Proper Response to God

2 Samuel 7:18–29

Do you not know that your body is a temple of

the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?

1 Corinthians 6:19 (ESV)

Even with the limited perspective he had about what God was promising, David proclaimed his astonishment that the sovereign God would treat him and his family so favorably. He then went on in his prayer to rehearse the great things God had done and was doing for him and for all his people. His prayer concludes with this expression of confidence in God: “With your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever” (2 Sam. 7:29).

Let me reiterate that this blessing has come and is coming true through Jesus Christ who is the ultimate offspring of David. The temple that Jesus is building is not a building at all, but a people who are a suitable dwelling place for God. “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). Since Jesus has an eternal kingship (see Luke 1:32-33), this is a house that will last forever.

We may wonder how the Lord can stand to use us as his house. After all, God’s house is supposed to be holy. To be sure, Christ’s sacrifice makes people legally righteous and holy before God. But we know that this demands from us a holy lifestyle that proves the reality of our salvation. Besides that, the way that God mediates his blessing to the people of this world is through his house—his self-examined and purified people who minister in Jesus’s name, and by the power of his Spirit. We can’t limit God’s work in this world to what we do, but it is primarily through our lives that God shows his presence in his creation.

Can you believe that God chooses to live in me and you? Can you believe that God chooses to live in your spouse, your family, and your neighbors? We may say in astonishment and gratitude with David, “Who are we that you have brought us this far?”

July 13

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David’s Victories and Righteous Rule

2 Samuel 9

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)

Chapters 8 and 10 describe the consolidation of David’s power over the surrounding nations. This is summarized twice in Chapter 8 with these words: “The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.” David saw these victories as evidence that God was fulfilling the promises he had given through the prophet Nathan.

Both friends and enemies of David would have expected him to remove internal threats by having Saul’s descendants killed. However, David remembered his covenant with Jonathan and also his promise to Saul not to destroy Saul’s name or children when he became king (see 1 Sam. 24:21–22). David might have been excused for reneging on his commitment because of the assassination attempt made against him by Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth (see 1 Sam. 4:8). But David remained committed to being kind to Saul’s family.

When told about Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, David brought him to Jerusalem to be treated like one of his own sons. Mephibosheth was undoubtedly happy not to be killed. He humbled himself, showing David that he knew his place. A few years later, when David came under attack from his son Absalom, Mephibosheth was accused by a servant of harboring the ambition to be king (1 Sam. 16:3), for which David granted his property to the servant. But this was still later proved to be a false accusation (2 Sam. 19:24–30). At that time Mephibosheth declined the king’s offer to restore his property, being content to resume his former position at court.

Through the events of this time David mostly behaved as the godly king God had called him to be. However, although it was not yet apparent, future actions would show that he did not take enough care to guard his heart.

July 14

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David’s Sin

2 Samuel 11

Desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin,

and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

James 1:15 (ESV)

We might infer from the way this chapter opens that David should not have been in Jerusalem and living in comfort in his palace, but with his men on the battlefield. However, while we can’t know for sure that David had no legitimate reason to stay in Jerusalem, it is clear that his conduct there was dishonorable, to say the least.

It was not the fact that he was tempted one night as he caught a glimpse of a beautiful woman bathing. It was his self-indulgence in giving that first glimpse time to ripen into lust, and then into an invitation that Bathsheba could not have refused. David’s conduct was not unusual for a king of that time; he could do as he pleased. But it was especially disgraceful for a king who wanted to serve the Lord God as the head of a nation called to that same purpose.

David knew in his heart that his actions were wrong, but he thought he’d gotten away with his evening tryst until Bathsheba sent word that she was pregnant. That was a problem; Uriah would know that he was not the father for he had been with the army on the field of battle for some time.

So the cover-up began. David recalled Uriah to Jerusalem on a pretext, thinking that he would naturally take the opportunity for a conjugal visit. But Uriah would not in good conscience do this while his men endured hardship on the battlefield. So David took the next step, instructing Joab to put Uriah where the fighting was the worst. There, Uriah was killed just as David hoped. Soon after, the king added Bathsheba to his harem.

Coveting, lust, adultery, lying, and murder—each sin gave rise to others. Plainly, David deserved God’s judgment.

July 15

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God’s Judgment

2 Samuel 12:1–12

God will bring every deed into judgment,

with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 (ESV)

God sent the prophet Nathan to David with words of judgment. Nathan told him a story that would help him realize the enormity of his sin. But, the king didn’t recognize himself in the story. In fact, he reacted in righteous indignation against the rich man who had done such a despicable thing. David had rationalized his behavior so much and managed to repress his guilty conscience so well that what Nathan said next came as a total shock to him: “You are the man!”

In earlier days, David had written this of his own mistreatment: “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth” (Ps. 34:16). I doubt that David ever dreamed then that he would someday be accused of doing evil. Nor did he dream that the words with which he judged the rich man in the prophet’s story would be used against him. But David was guilty of great evil and, as Nathan told him, he was placed under the judgment of God. In mercy, however, God eventually brought one piece of good out of the whole mess—the birth of another son: Solomon.

Are you surprised by how easy it is for us to see David’s guilt and yet how far it was from his own mind? If so, do you think that David was unique in his capacity for self-deception? Or could it be that all humans have the same capacity? Don’t we also underestimate our own inclination toward sin and evil? For that matter, how can we be surprised by the murders that others carry out when we consider the seeds of murder that live in our own souls? Let us be quick to recognize the sins within that, if given room, will become full grown and death-dealing to both ourselves and others. And let us be wise to deal appropriately with them.

July 16

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A Proper Answer for Sin

Psalm 32

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us

our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

It is not unusual for people who are confronted with evidence of their wrongdoing to offer a lame apology rather than a statement of contrition. A lame apology might be followed by a “but” that offers an excuse, or by substituting “I didn’t mean it” for “Forgive me.” The former suggests that what was said or done was just an excusable slip; the latter says that what was said or done was wrong and asks for the grace of forgiveness.

What is sin anyway, and when does it become bad enough to confess? A popular idea is that sin is just moral blemishes, nothing that requires radical reconstructive spiritual surgery. In a pinch we can compare our own morals and conduct to that of people whose standards are obviously lower, and come off quite well by comparison. You might know people who imagine that God is happy with them just the way they are and wants nothing more than to make them happy with themselves. If that’s so, then of course, sin doesn’t require any radical solution—nothing like the cross of Christ.

The truth of our moral and spiritual condition is evident when we compare ourselves to Christ. In his light we look awful. Not many of us have grisly crimes as part of our history, but what about all the neglect of the good we’re capable of doing? How many more physically, emotionally, and spiritually needy people would be helped and filled with hope if we embraced all the opportunities to do good that God gives us? When we see ourselves in light of Christ, even our best righteousness, the Scripture tells us, is like “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). Therefore, it is foolish to offer excuses or try to cover it up. The path of wisdom and life is to confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. 

July 17

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David’s Repentance

2 Samuel 12:13–25; Psalm 51

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

After David’s eyes were opened to what he had done, he confessed that he had sinned against the Lord. We see this emphasis also in his expanded confession in Ps. 51.

I don’t think we can conclude from David’s words that he failed to recognize that he’d also sinned against many people—not only Uriah and Bathsheba, but also the whole nation that he had been called to shepherd. But David came to see what each of us must also see, that every sin is first of all against God. As appropriate as it to confess our sins to each other, and especially to those we’ve wronged, we must first be reconciled to the holy and righteous God through repentance and confession.

King David was a deeply flawed man. But he was perhaps better than many of us at doing the appropriate thing once his sin was uncovered. He provides a good example of how to respond once the Spirit of God makes clear what has been done. In fact, I think that one of the main reasons that David is called a man after God’s heart is his godly sorrow and repentance. He proved willing to admit and confront the sickness in his own soul.

Are you? Have you confessed your need of Christ’s forgiveness? With the help of his Spirit do you watch for and regularly confront the continuing sickness to which your soul is prone?

Don’t be over-protective of your heart in that regard; at times it will require Holy Spirit surgery. Learn to recognize compromises with sin early and take care of them right away so the compound interest of sin will not surprise you with its awful consequences. Then you will truly be a person after God’s own heart and someone who, with God’s help, finds victory in the spiritual battles of life. 

July 18

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David’s Children

2 Samuel 13

Teach [my words] to your children, talking of them when

you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking

by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deuteronomy 11:19 (ESV)

In the custom of the kings of his day, David had several wives. This was not by God’s will; he had warned that the king must not take many wives (see Deut. 17:17). Although David had a heart for the Lord, one might wonder how many of his family problems were traceable to the difficulties inherent in maintaining a harem and raising the children of multiple mothers.

Two sons in particular caused problems for David. First was Amnon, who raped his half-sister Tamar and then disgraced her even further when he refused to salvage her honor by marrying her. Second was Absalom, brother to Tamar and half-brother to Amnon, who waited for two years and then seized his chance to kill Amnon in revenge for what he had done to his sister. Absalom then fled to avoid punishment for his unlawful action.

When David heard about what Amnon had done he was furious, but unaccountably did nothing about it. His own equivocation may have strengthened Absalom’s resolve to seek revenge. When David heard about the revenge murder he was further distressed, although he could not punish Absalom, who had left the country.

We can only wonder to what degree David’s own moral failings contributed to his inability to discipline his children and impress God’s commandments upon them. Admittedly, it couldn’t have been easy to consistently parent and discipline all of his children; I suppose that’s part of the reason for God’s prescription against multiple wives—even kings must take care that their children are nurtured in the fear of the Lord. To do that, they need close and continuing involvement and interest in their progress and in their discipline. 

July 19

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Absalom’s Rebellion

2 Samuel 15:13–16, 23–26; Psalm 3

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong,

and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:13–14 (ESV)

David grieved over the necessary exile of Absalom But after three years David allowed him to return to Jerusalem, and then, after just two more years, to return to court (see 2 Sam. 14). Absalom, however, had designs on David’s throne and over the course of time he won a considerable following among those who felt they had not received justice from the king. Eventually Absalom’s support grew to alarm David so much that he gathered some of his supporters and fled the city in fear for his life.

David knew that he was still the anointed king of Israel, something Absalom apparently had little regard for. But Absalom’s supporters seemed so many at this time. David speaks of that in Psalm 3, which was written about the difficulties of this very occasion. His many foes thought that his kingship was over. David, however, hoped that the Lord would bring him back to see Jerusalem even though he was ready to accept whatever the Lord would do (see 2 Sam. 15:25–26).

David’s flight from Jerusalem wasn’t very glorious. His supporters along the path of his journey wept aloud. David himself went up the Mount of Olives barefoot and weeping—mourning with his head covered. How can one rest in such circumstances? But it is David’s testimony in the psalm that he does that, and even wakes refreshed because he finds his strength in the Lord.

The psalm also speaks of glory bestowed on him by the Lord. David did not experience that glory in his flight but he was confident that God would be sure to answer his prayers, judging the sinners and delivering the faithful. It’s the same confidence in the Lord to which we also are called in all of our difficulties.

July 20

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The Lord Works on Behalf of David

2 Samuel 16:15–17:23

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people

rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive.

Psalm 124:2–3 (ESV)

Absalom’s chief advisor was Ahithopel. But David’s former chief advisor, Hushai the Arkite, sought that same post with Absalom. When questioned about why he hadn’t left with David, Hushai said that he wanted to serve the one chosen by God and by Israel. It was a somewhat ambiguous reply, but Absalom considered himself to be the chosen one, so he added Hushai to his staff.

Ahithopel advised Absalom to show his authority by taking over David’s harem. He also said that Absalom should move quickly to pursue David and finish him off. Ahithopel’s plan was widely supported until Hushai proposed waiting for more soldiers to be mustered. Hushai’s advice won the day, with the result that Ahithopel was disgraced and later committed suicide.

What no one knew, however, was that the Lord had sent Hushai to frustrate Ahithopel’s good advice in order that Absalom’s plans might fail. Hushai contributed further by sending a secret message to David telling him to hurry and leave Israel proper by crossing to the east side of the Jordan. His messengers providentially avoided capture and got the message to David. Once across the river, David went to the city of Mahanaim and gathered supporters in preparation for the coming battle.

Later on, as recorded in 2 Samuel 18, David’s army defeated Absalom’s. It was a great victory, but it came with great cost, for, contrary to David’s instructions, Absalom himself was killed. For a time, David’s sorrow over the death of his son overwhelmed his joy at the victory he had prayed for. Joab finally got David’s attention only when he warned that he was in danger of losing the support of his army. With that, David again assumed the responsibilities of his position.

July 21

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David Returns to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 19:8b–15, 39–20:2

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!”

Psalm 122:6 (ESV)

After Absalom was defeated, the northern tribes of Israel, remembering the quality of David’s previous leadership, wanted him to resume his rule over the country. David, seeing that they seemed more enthusiastic about this than the members of his own tribe, exhorted the men of Judah to show more initiative in making preparations for his return. This they eagerly did, moving just across the Jordan River to Gilgal, where David waited to be welcomed back into the Promised Land.

This move back into the land was of equal and opposite significance to David’s previous departure from the land. At that time, God’s promise of perpetual rest from all his enemies seemed very elusive. Now, David’s spirits were restored as he anticipated his return to the throne.

David was conducted back into the land by all the men of Judah and half the men of Israel. This became a bone of contention for the Israelites, who thought that Judah had not waited for them because Judah wanted the prestige of being David’s primary escorts. They argued about it, the men of Judah touting their kinship with David, and the men of Israel claiming that they were ten tribes as opposed to one, and also that they had been the first to want David back as king.

The argument concluded badly with harsh words between the two factions. As a result, the men of Israel defected for a time. They would return, but resentment within Israel would linger and return with a vengeance years later, at the end of Solomon’s life. David would always be regarded as the greatest king of Israel, but not even he had an answer for the spiritual malaise that plagued humankind ever since sin entered the world. That would await the coming of Jesus, the final king of David’s line. 

July 22

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David’s Foolish Act of Pride

1 Chronicles 21:1–22:1

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2 (ESV)

This story differs only slightly from that found in 2 Samuel 24. Both describe David’s decision to take a census of Israel. The reasons for God’s disapproval are not very clear to us; perhaps after his victories over the Philistines (1 Chronicles 20), David started to believe the press reports about himself and wanted to catalog his power. It was quite clear to Joab that David was desperately wrong in ordering the census; he pled with the king not to bring guilt on Israel by going through with his plans.

However, David insisted and Joab complied. But Joab refused to include the tribes of Levi or Benjamin. The Levites, entrusted to be Israel’s priests, had previously been excluded by God from any census (see Ex. 30:12). Joab excluded Benjamin too, perhaps (as noted in the NIV Study Bible) because the tabernacle in Gibeon and the ark in Jerusalem both fell within its borders.

Scripture calls David’s command evil, saying that Satan incited him. But, the corresponding account in 2 Samuel 24 says the Lord incited David. This is not to blame the Lord, but is merely a testament to God’s sovereignty; not even Satan can act without his permission. In response to David’s disobedience, God sent a plague that resulted in much loss of life and even threatened to destroy Jerusalem. Before that, however, God took pity on his people and relented. David and his leaders repented then, and at God’s command, secured a property that would eventually serve as the location for the Lord’s temple.

It is such a short step from praise to pride—from taking refuge in God to self-satisfaction. It was clear that not even David, whom later generations would extol as a model of service to God, could achieve the perfection and consistency that God demanded. 

July 23

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David’s Rock and Fortress

2 Samuel 22

We have this [confidence that God will honor his promises]

as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.

 Hebrews 6:19 (ESV)

David may have written the words of this song of praise earlier in his life to celebrate his deliverance from Saul. But this song (also found in Psalm 18) was appropriate for this occasion too, near the end of David’s forty years as king. He had experienced many difficulties, some of which just came with the territory—Absalom’s attempt to kill him and usurp the throne, a revolt led by Sheba, a man of Saul’s tribe (2 Sam. 20), a three-year famine (2 Sam. 21:1), and yet another war with the Philistines (2 Sam. 21:15).  But David brought some difficulties upon himself, most recently those connected with his census of Israel.

One might think that David would cry, “I can’t take any more!” Instead we find a psalm of praise to God, whom he calls his rock and deliverer. David recounts many things that God had done for him, but doesn’t say much about the reasons for God’s grace. His words in verses 21–28 almost seem to be a boast about his righteousness, as if this had earned him the favor of God. But a better explanation of why God was so gracious is simply that he wanted to be. David says in verse 20, “He rescued me because he delighted in me.” And in verse 51 he connects his experience of God’s kindness to his anointing by God. David had done nothing to merit God’s delight or anointing; he simply reveled in it.

What David is really saying in verses 21–28 is that as one to whom the Lord had shown such favor, he was determined to recognize his total dependence on God and do his best to keep God’s ways. He recognized his absolute need to stay close to God. With a few exceptions, he repeatedly called out to God; he repeatedly took refuge in the rock. It was the Lord’s favor and the certainty of his promises that was the anchor for David’s soul.

July 24

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The Lord’s Choice to Succeed David

1 Kings 1:1–53; 2:13–25

The Lord loved [Solomon] and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.

2 Samuel 12:24b-25 (ESV)

The members of David’s court knew that Solomon would be the next king. Already at Solomon’s birth God instructed that he should also be given the name Jedidiah; this was both a sign of God’s favor and an indication to David that here was his dynastic successor. Another confirmation of this is Bathsheba’s reference in 1 Kings 1:13 to a previous promise David had made to her about Solomon’s future.

In David’s delay to make the appointment official, another son—Adonijah—put himself forward as David’s successor. As with Absalom, Adonijah surrounded himself with a retinue of men, together with chariots and horses. When David, to his discredit, said nothing, Adonijah went farther, arranging his own coronation ceremony. That he did not invite Bathsheba and Solomon to it is a sign that he knew God’s intention, but chose to ignore it.

Bathsheba and Nathan reminded David of his promise regarding Solomon. David agreed and proceeded to make it official. Of course, that left Adonijah and his supporters in fear for their lives. But Solomon showed mercy to Adonijah, requiring only that he make no further attempts to usurp the throne. But Adonijah’s promise was a hollow one, which he showed by his request to be given Abishag as his wife. Because she was officially a member of David’s harem, Adonijah’s request was really an attempt to strengthen his claim to the throne.

Nor was his offense merely against Solomon—it also dishonored the Lord, who had chosen Solomon to be king. Solomon’s order to have Adonijah killed, therefore, was not merely a personal vendetta, but a judgment of the Lord upon one who disdained his covenant.

July 25

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Solomon’s Request and God’s Answer

1 Kings 2:1–4; 3:4–28; 4:20–34

The beginning of wisdom is this:

Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Proverbs 4:7 (ESV)

Before David died, he gave final instructions to Solomon. His main concern was that his son live and rule according to God’s law. But David also asked him to deal with a number of unfaithful men he had not had the heart to discipline. This Solomon did, with the result that his rule over Israel was solidified.

Solomon showed his love for the Lord by his obedience to the Law and by the sacrifices he made. He further showed his heart for God by the request he made when the Lord appeared to him in a dream; he asked for the ability to do what he knew he could not do without God’s help—to govern his people with wisdom.

Wisdom is not the first thing people usually think of when told they can have anything they want. For the old and sick the most popular request might be for life and health. Others may desire wealth, power, or fame. But Solomon already showed much wisdom with his request, for wisdom is more important than all the rest. It’s what helps people keep first things first. More than anything this involves knowing and doing the will of our Creator and Redeemer. We will lose everything when we die, if not before. But any knowledge and love of God that we gain on earth, we can take with us into eternity.

Everyone in Israel was astonished with the wisdom by which Solomon determined the rightful mother of the baby that two women were fighting over. His reputation spread far beyond Israel. People came from around the world to meet him. He became famous, but even better was the growing fame of the one who had given him such wisdom. Many, like the queen of Sheba, praised God for what he was doing though Solomon (see 1 Kings 10:9).

July 26

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Solomon Builds the Temple

1 Kings 6 (2 Chronicles 3)

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

Psalm 27:4 (ESV)

One of the best things Solomon did as Israel’s king was to complete his father’s dream of building the Lord’s temple.  David had wanted it built on a threshing floor on Mount Moriah where the Lord had appeared to him (2 Chron. 3:1). This was also where Abraham, at God’s command, had gone to sacrifice Isaac (see Gen. 22:2) and where God had graciously provided a ram to die in his place. It was thus an appropriate building site for the temple, which would serve as the main religious symbol of God’s presence with his people.

The careful attention to the plan of the temple, like that of the tabernacle before it, reflected an appropriate concern for God’s conditions for dwelling with his people. However, despite the care taken with the materials and workmanship, as was appropriate for this little bit of heaven on earth, the temple remained a poor imitation of the place where God dwells in all his glory. As Hebrews 8:5 puts it: Priests “serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.”

Before the throne of God in heaven, as it also was in the Garden of Eden before sin, there is nothing to offend God’s holiness. Considering both the reality of sin and God’s unwillingness to abandon his imagebearers, we may be thankful that in the past God accommodated human sinfulness by arranging for temples and sacrifices. This arrangement, however, was inherently unsatisfactory (see Heb. 10:11–13). It was also temporary, as Paul makes clear in Romans 3:25 when he speaks of God’s forbearance in leaving the sins committed beforehand unpunished. However, God’s arrangement did anticipate the perfectly satisfactory and once for all sacrifice of Christ. 

July 27

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The Temple Furnishings

1 Kings 7:13–51 (2 Chronicles 4)

These are a shadow of the things to come,

but the substance belongs to Christ.

Colossians 2:17 (ESV)

The temple furnishings, like the temple itself, pointed to a reality beyond themselves. There were many decorations and utensils of gold to indicate the glory that belonged to God. The most important representation of God’s glory and presence was the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place.

In the temple’s holy place were several items of gold: the table for the bread of the presence, the altar of incense, and the lampstands, all of which showed God’s willingness to communicate and fellowship with his people. They all anticipate Jesus.

·   Jesus is the bread of life, who gives us life and access to God.

·   Jesus is the one in whose name our prayers are heard and who constantly intercedes for us before the throne of God.

·   Jesus is the light of the world, in whose light we share by virtue of his sacrifice and through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In the temple courtyard was the sea, a huge bronze basin supported by twelve bulls. As with the smaller and more portable bronze basin used in the tabernacle, the water of this basin was used by the priests for their ritual cleansing. There were also ten bronze basins with stands for washing offerings. Such cleansing was necessary for Israel to approach the Lord. As imperfect as this cleansing was, it foreshadowed the cleansing that we have obtained through Christ (see Heb. 9:11–14).

Also in the courtyard was a bronze altar for the burnt and fellowship offerings. The sacrifices offered here were necessary because, as God told Moses, “The life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar” (Lev. 17:11). Hebrews 9:22 reinforces this emphasis: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” 

July 28

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The Temple Is Completed

1 Kings 8:1–21 (2 Chronicles 5:2–6:11)

Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud

settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:35 (ESV)

When the temple was completed, Solomon brought the ark of the covenant to it with extravagant celebration and sacrifices—so many that they could not be counted. Knowing what had happened on two previous occasions, Solomon was very careful in the arrangements he made to transport the ark. The priests of Israel carried it according to God’s instructions, using long poles strung through rings on the ark (see Ex. 25:15).

This centerpiece of the temple at one time contained a gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant (see Heb. 9:4). Now, however, it held only the major sign of the Lord’s covenant with his people, the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments given to Moses. The atonement cover (or mercy seat) of the ark had carved cherubim at either end; they represented the real ones who guarded against Adam and Eve’s reentry into Eden after their sin, and still guard access to the throne of God in heaven.

Afterwards the Lord filled the temple with his glory. It was just what had happened in Moses’s day when the tabernacle was dedicated. The glory cloud was so thick that the priests could not perform their service. Ezekiel later had a similar experience in a vision (see Ezek. 10:4). And still later, Jesus predicted his own return in a cloud with power and great glory (see Luke 21:27).

Solomon rightly saw the presence of God’s glory cloud as confirmation that the Lord really was with his people. God’s promise that David’s son would build the temple was now fulfilled. Although there was still a more complete fulfillment to come through Christ, this was the high point in the life of Israel under the old covenant. 

July 29

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Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

1 Kings 8:22–53 (2 Chronicles 6:12–42)

Call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

Psalm 50:15 (ESV)

Solomon’s prayer of dedication shows his full awareness that the Almighty God cannot be confined to any earthly dwelling, even such a magnificent one as this. In fact, God cannot even be confined to the highest heavens. Although Solomon makes no mention here of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth, he clearly realizes that God is not restricted by created reality, and that he deigns to dwell with his people only by his grace.

Solomon is aware as well of God’s faithfulness to his covenant despite the checkered history of Israel’s faithfulness to him. It is something for which Solomon is very grateful. And yet, knowing that his own people are likely to forget this awesome and celebrative occasion, he presumes to ask the Lord to honor the future prayers made from this place.

Knowing that people are less likely to pray when things are going well, Solomon asks that God will hear the prayers raised after his people have been judged for disobedience. He speaks of injustice perpetrated within Israel, of defeat by enemies, and of drought, famine, and plague. Solomon knows that these need not happen if the people live by God’s laws, but he knows they will happen because of willfulness. He asks that when the people repent, God will listen to their prayers and forgive and restore them.

Nor does Solomon pray only for Israel, for he knows that God’s heart for the whole world has prompted his promise that Israel will be a blessing to the nations. So he prays as well for God to hear the prayers of believing foreigners so that the whole world may know and fear the Lord. From beginning to end, Solomon’s prayer is one that fits this occasion and honors the Lord who made it possible.

July 30

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The Dedication and God’s Response

1 Kings 8:62–9:9 (2 Chronicles 7)

I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.

Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.

Deuteronomy 30:19 (ESV)

The dedication of the temple involved still more days of feasting and sacrifice. The parallel passage in Chronicles says that God’s power was manifested in the fire that fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifices. Again, the glory of the Lord so filled the temple that the priests were hampered in their duties. For two weeks the people celebrated, and then Solomon sent them home. They were overwhelmed with joy for the good things the Lord had done for his people.

Later, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a vision with an answer to his prayer of dedication. In an earlier vision, Solomon received the gift of wisdom.  This time as well, God responded positively. He promised an enduring kingdom if Solomon would continue to walk with him in integrity and with a pure heart.

But as God did so often before in his long history with Israel, along with the words of blessing he warned of the curses that would befall outright disobedience or even any negligence of true worship. God said that disobedience would make Israel an object of ridicule among the nations and it would make his temple as unimpressive as it was now imposing. In that case Israel could not possibly be a blessing to the nations.

2 Chronicles 36 tells of Israel being in the very predicament God had warned against. By this time God’s laws had been neglected for many years, including his commands about keeping him first and about Sabbath rests for the land. Finally, for mocking his messengers, despising his words, and rejecting his prophets, God handed Israel over to the Babylonians who, after confiscating its treasures, set fire to the temple.  Only then did the land enjoy its Sabbath rests, which had been neglected for so long.

July 31

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The Way Back to God

2 Chronicles 7:14

You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.

Matthew 5:13, 14 (ESV)

This part of God’s answer to Solomon’s prayers is one of the most beloved of God’s pledges in Scripture and is profitable for his people of every time and place. It presumes a failed love relationship with God and the inevitable experience of the disintegration that follows sin. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 says that restoration is possible; it begins with a humble willingness to face the pain of self-examination and to confess sinful pride. All evil has its root in pride, the unwillingness to give God the central place that he deserves in our lives. It is a humble spirit that helps us deal with the root sin of pride and position ourselves to submit to God’s rule in our lives.

Prayer is the expression of such humility of heart. In prayer, humility of attitude becomes an action of faith. True prayer by its very nature demonstrates humble dependence on God. If done persistently in a life open to examination and correction, it transitions into what Scripture calls “seeking God’s face.”

Repentance must inevitably follow. This is not merely an awareness of sin or a change in attitude; that has already been manifested in humility and prayer. Repentance is turning from evil ways to walk in God’s way; it is a change in behavior.

Although God’s prescription is of value to all people, he addresses it to those he calls his own—to Solomon and all of Israel. But it also applies in a particular way to followers of Jesus today. We have been called by God to love him and serve our world, but the first and most important thing to do is to let him make us what we should be. When we, individually and communally, follow God’s turnaround steps, not only will God forgive and restore us; he will use us to bless and heal our world. 

August 1

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The Beginning of Wisdom

Proverbs 1:1–7

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28 (ESV)

Solomon was renowned for his wisdom, some of which is found in Scripture; he wrote much of Proverbs, and most theologians also attribute the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes to him. In these books are found many wise sayings and proverbs about human behavior and how one ought or ought not live. However, they are not laws like the Ten Commandments, which always need to be obeyed. Some proverbs are universally true. But others are more like stereotypes and don’t fit every occasion; what is wisdom in one situation may be inappropriate for another. So besides knowing a proverb, you have to know when to use it. Even so, the Bible’s wisdom is inspired and “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Solomon’s introduction to Proverbs indicates the kind of help he hopes to give. He wants to give practical instruction in how to live—how to conduct oneself in everyday situations of life. The name for this knowledge he wants to impart is wisdom and it begins with the fear (knowledge and love) of the Lord.

The best course to follow in any given situation may not immediately seem the most attractive, given the human propensity to prefer short-term gratification over long-term benefit. But wisdom helps us to live a disciplined and prudent life—one that pursues what is right, just, and fair. Many people who lack wisdom have the perception that such a life cannot be very happy or satisfying. Just the opposite is true. Being happy in life and pleasing God are not at odds; God created us to be happy and fulfilled in our service to him and each other. In both this life and the next, our quality of life depends on wisdom—discerning what pleases God and living as we were created to live. 

August 2

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Wisdom or Folly?

Proverbs 9

In everything the prudent acts with knowledge,

but a fool flaunts his folly.

Proverbs 13:16 (ESV)

Wisdom and Folly are portrayed in this chapter as persons who invite simple people (those who need wisdom about how to live) into their houses to be fed (instructed).

·   Wisdom’s house is big, well-stocked, and prepared for her guests, while loud and noisy Folly has a disordered house that contains nothing for guests except what has been stolen from elsewhere. Folly has no life or property of her own; she is a parasite of Wisdom.

·   On Wisdom’s table are the food and drink of understanding how to live, while what Folly serves up are sweet tasting things that appeal to the senses but offer no real nourishment.

It’s an important choice that the simple have—that all of us have, for everyone needs wisdom for living. By the end of this chapter we can see it’s a life and death choice. More than one horror movie is based on the idea that some ghoul disguised as a beautiful person lures naive people to torment and death. Although anyone should be able to see through Folly’s deceit, some do not want to understand; they want to do whatever feels good from moment to moment, and it is these whom Folly snares.

One course of action leads to understanding and life; the other leads to ignorance and death. Those who choose for folly end up fatally deceived. Everybody dies sooner or later, but it is not this grave that Proverbs means. The grave to which fools ultimately go is the grave of eternal destruction. That’s why the fear (knowledge and love) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And remember, the instruction of wisdom is good for more than the avoidance of eternal death. It helps us to avoid many foolish and sorrow-producing choices in this life. 

August 3

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The Foolish Neglect of the Essentials

Proverbs 24:30–34

But I say, walk by the Spirit,

and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

This proverb makes practical sense: a farmer’s inattention to weeds can lead to poverty. But it makes good spiritual sense too: we must keep our spiritual focus and keep our souls “weed-free.” Not that anyone should withdraw from the affairs of this world, but we need to understand that there are consequences to how one lives. Each decision people make impacts their character and their relationship with God. Those who neglect that relationship or shun it are headed for a bad end.

Wealth, fame, and power pose special challenges to the nurture of one’s soul. If you long after such things, be especially careful; your dream can be your undoing. Know too that foolishness can trap anyone. Many people have tried, at least in some sense, to live for God. But all of those who ended up fools flirted with danger more than they should have. They all thought they could get away with some compromises to their character or faith but they couldn’t and they didn’t. Those who appear to be getting away with embracing, or even flirting with, evil are not, no matter how long it takes for the consequences to show up.

It’s what you do with the myriad seemingly insignificant challenges in your life that determines your path and end. Keep the weeds out of your field. Keep them out while they’re small, for who knows which ones will grow too big for you to handle.

Certain sins pose particular challenges. Centuries ago, Christians composed a list of what they considered to be the most deadly sins. Although these sins are not grouped in any such list in Scripture, the wisdom of the Bible gives strong warnings against each one. We’ll look at these sins and their corresponding virtues over the next few days.

August 4

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The Deadly Sin of Pride

Proverbs 3:34; 11:2; 18:18–19; Isaiah 14:12–14

Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.

Psalm 101:5 (ESV)

The first of the so-called deadly sins is pride, perhaps because Scripture mentions it more than any other sin. Pride is neither mere self-esteem nor finding pleasure in one’s accomplishments, which Scripture commends (see Eccl. 3:22). It is unfitting self-esteem, an unreasonable estimation of one’s own qualities. Other words for it are conceit, selfishness, arrogance, vanity, egotism, and boastfulness. Pride is never part of wisdom, but it is found in every fool. There’s nothing good in pride and God is resolutely opposed to all who persist in it.

Here’s why: Pride is a resentment of and rebellion against Almighty God, who created everything—from rocks to humans—to depend on his continuing grace. Without that grace, the whole universe would again become the nothingness from which God created it. We have a measure of authority and independence in God’s world but absolute independence is simply death.

According to Isaiah it was pride that caused Satan’s fall from heaven. It also prompted Adam and Eve’s first act of disobedience. Pride is destructive of community. Babies cannot yet know that the world does not revolve around them. But grownups should know better, whether their pride manifests itself as arrogance or a false humility that demands that they be the center of attention. The only antidote is a proper humility before God and others; such humility is always part of true wisdom.

Pride (which is really the will to be independent of God) is the first thing that must go before one can come to Jesus. The proud cannot get into the kingdom of heaven—not until they are humbled to recognize their need of salvation and their utter inability to save themselves or even live without God’s help.

August 5

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The Cultivation of Humility

Proverbs 3:34; 15:33; 18:12; Zephaniah 2:3

This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble

and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

Isaiah 66:2 (ESV)

If pride overrates one’s importance or qualities, humility truly assesses them. False humility does not; it is more like pride in that it draws attention to itself. But true humility gives tribute where it is due. This may involve giving other people credit, but the primary credit for all that is praiseworthy must go to God who entrusts everyone with certain opportunities and gifts.

People often take comfort in comparing themselves to others whose problems are more obvious than their own. But Scripture calls us to compare our attitudes and actions to God’s standards. The remedy for pride is getting to know both God and ourselves better.

Getting to know God better involves prayerful reflection on God’s Word—both individually and communally—by which we come to greater appreciation of his redemptive actions in the world. Besides this, listen to his Holy Spirit in the circumstances of your life and while you engage in deliberate acts of selfless service. Such listening and doing can help you to subdue the pride that will separate you from God’s grace.

A better knowledge of yourself will help too. Can you find yourself in one of these stories Jesus told about pride and humility?—that of the guest who took a better seat than he deserved at a feast (Luke 14:7–11), or that comparing the prayers of a proud Pharisee with those of a humble tax collector (Luke 18:10–14)? Jesus’s conclusion to both stories paraphrases Proverbs 3:34: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). God wants us to know both that we’re unworthy and helpless without him, and that with him, we have no excuse for not obeying his commands. 

August 6

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The Deadly Sin of Anger

Psalm 4:4; 37:8; Proverbs 29:22; Ecclesiastes 7:9

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down

on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26–27 (ESV)

Anger is too often associated with foolishness, sin, and evil. But it may not start out that way; it may begin with humiliation or frustration, or even by imitation: “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person...or you may learn their ways” (Prov. 22:24–25). Anger is infectious. That is easily seen in families; if one person comes home angry, that person’s anger can be enough to set off the other family members. And even if anger is not sinful or foolish in its initial impulse, it too often becomes that.

God’s anger is different; it is righteously directed against the sinful persons or practices that are destructive of his good plans. Sin violates God’s intentions for the world and his creatures. God’s anger is a statement from one who knows all things that he won’t put up with those who ignore or oppose him.  This also explains Jesus’s anger at those who tried to turn God’s good laws for the Sabbath into legalistic rules that forbade the healing and peace he wanted for his sin-plagued and broken people (see Mark 3:1–5).

It is appropriate for us to get angry at such things too; we may share God’s anger with injustice and other sin. If we were less self-centered, we would share even more of God’s anger against all that is unrighteous. Most of the time, however, our motives are not as pure as God’s and our anger is not as righteous. Our anger is usually more concerned with some perceived wrong to ourselves—some violation of our rights. It quickly moves us beyond sulking to being violent in spirit and vengeful. We want the one who offended us to suffer as we have suffered, or to suffer even more. How quickly anger becomes sinful and a deadly foothold for the devil’s work in us. 

August 7

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Assuaging Anger

Proverbs 15:1; 19:11; 29:11; 1 Samuel 25:28

Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the

anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:19–20 (ESV)

Each of the Scripture passages listed above offers wisdom about how to prevent or deal with the problem of sinful anger. The first involves the art of the gentle answer. A wise person can sometimes defuse the anger of another by not responding in kind to an angry outburst. This is usually contrary to one’s inclination, which is to take immediate offense. But a hard answer to another’s anger typically supplies more ammunition for that anger and also feeds one’s own perception of being mistreated.

Patience enables the gentle answer and also helps calm the anger people sense rising in themselves. Patience is being able to wait without complaining in the face of reasons to do precisely that. It is difficult to delay the satisfaction of expressing one’s anger; it requires the help of the Holy Spirit to do it. But that very delay can give anger a chance to subside and a better response to be made. That connects patience to a related fruit of the Spirit—self-control. Self-control is the self-discipline to act in a manner better than one feels like acting. We don’t expect self-control from infants or animals; what looks like self-control in animals is simply training. But it is a crucial virtue for humankind.

Prayer really helps all of these ways of dealing with anger. Besides the special help that God’s Spirit offers in response to sincere prayer, it is almost impossible to hold on to anger against one that you are praying for. Prayer is especially important for the most difficult and most important of the godly responses to anger: forgiveness. Forgiveness is not making light of offenses but deciding to show grace to those who don’t deserve it. It’s what Abigail asked of David and what Jesus himself modeled and commended for those who love and follow him.

August 8

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The Deadly Sin of Envy

Genesis 26:12–15; Proverbs 14:30; 24:17–18

We ourselves were once foolish…slaves to various passions

and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy.

Titus 3:3 (ESV)

The deadly sin of envy is commonly mistaken for jealousy and covetousness; but it differs somewhat.

·   Jealousy is the desire to protect what one possesses.

·   Covetousness goes beyond admiration to become an excessive desire for something that belongs to another.

·   Envy finds displeasure at the successes achieved by others. In an even more malicious form, it finds pleasure in their failures.

Proverbs 24:17–18 warns against taking perverse pleasure in the failure or downfall of others. Admittedly, other Scriptures speak with hope about the coming judgment of the wicked. But such hope is not envy; it is rather the godly desire for evil to be judged so that justice and righteousness can prevail. God’s first desire is not for judgment, but that the wicked will be converted: “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. ‘Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” (Ezek. 18:23).

That was God’s desire for Cain and Saul. Cain’s envy is implied by his anger with Abel following God’s evaluation of the relative merits of their offerings (Gen. 4). Saul’s anger with David was likewise a sign of envy (1 Sam. 18). Envy was also the reason for what some Philistines did to Isaac upon seeing his blessings and wealth. They couldn’t be as successful as Isaac so they tried to bring him down to their level.

Envy is destructive of community. That is reason enough to shun it. But another good reason is the welfare of the one who envies. Not only does peace elude those who harbor envy (see Prov. 14:30), the bitterness of envy often does more damage to those who indulge it than it does to the objects of their envy. 

August 9

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Gratitude and Contentment

Job 5:2; Psalm 23

We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually

members one of another. Having gifts that differ

according to the grace given to us, let us use them.

Romans 12:5–6a (ESV)

Envious people resent the inequalities of life. To be fair, sometimes inequality does indicate injustice. However, the concern of the envious is not with justice; they resent only those inequalities by which they themselves do not profit. They don’t want equality with the poor and defeated, just with those whom they consider their equals, but who have enjoyed more wealth and success.

Gratitude and contentment are two antidotes of such attitudes.  These are no easier to cultivate than envy is to root out. We need God’s help for both—that we may confess our sin, pray for the will to change, and take to heart what God teaches in his word.

Scripture teaches that in God’s sight we are all equally valuable, although unequal in the gifts and opportunities we receive. This inequality is actually God’s generous way of providing the whole community of his people with the gifts needed to partner with him in his redemptive mission. The comments of Karl Olsson are relevant here: “Everything I envy is God’s gift to someone: intelligence, grace, wit, artistic genius, personal attractiveness. And what others find enviable in me—that is also a gift. Hence [envy is really a despising of the grace of God to another, and] sanctification begins in praising God for the gifts he has given.” Seven Sins and Seven Virtues, 26

Think about how many undeserved benefits you receive by the grace of God. “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). Instead, he tenderly shepherds us through the valleys of life, providing for us in this life and promising to be our security in the next. That understanding can fuel our gratitude and contentment.

August 10

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The Deadly Sin of Greed

Ecclesiastes 5:10–15; 2 Kings 5:20–27

Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness,

for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Luke 12:15 (ESV)

Money is often blamed for being the root of all evil. But it is actually the love of money (greed) that Scripture identifies as the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Money is a good tool, but to love it or other material things goes beyond proper enjoyment to let them, in a sense, replace God as one’s master. As Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24).

One frequent result of greed is injustice in society.

·   Ahab’s greed for Naboth’s vineyard led to the deception of his people, a kangaroo court and death for an innocent man, and to God’s judgment upon Ahab’s house (see 1 Kings 21).

·   Israel’s prophets regularly opposed the schemes of the powerful to profit at the expense of the powerless (see Micah 1:15).

·   In every age, injustice too often prevails where power is concentrated in the hands of a few.

Greed does not always perpetrate injustice; even so, it yields a miserable harvest in the lives of the greedy.

·   The greedy are never satisfied. To the contrary, increased abundance usually brings increased anxiety about how to keep it. The love of money—which is by definition excessive—harms those who indulge in it.

·   The greedy increasingly divert resources and energy meant for family and community to achieve material goals.

·   The greedy are progressively enslaved by their desires. In part, this means a decreasing ability to take pleasure in anything else (like the fabled Midas). Nor are only the rich susceptible, for greed is found in every social class, driving the poor to be rich and the rich to be richer. Wherever possessions become an idol, it is the possessor who ends up being possessed. 

August 11

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Liberating Generosity

Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 14:21; 19:17; 22:9

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way,

which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV)

Greed is a harsh master, and all the more so when we remember that we can’t take any of our possessions with us when we die (see Eccl. 5:15). Understanding this, why in the world would otherwise clear-thinking people devote their lives to the excessive accumulation of things that lose every bit of value to the accumulator at death? It doesn’t make sense.

On the other hand, we do take with us the spiritual fruit that is produced in a life changed by Christ. Galatians 5:22 speaks of the fruit of goodness, which can also be translated as generosity. This is not a new emphasis of Scripture. God’s people are repeatedly counseled not to be hardhearted or tightfisted toward the poor, but open-handed (see Deut. 15:7). The generosity God counsels is in imitation of his generosity toward us. The world gives in order to get. We give because we already got; we got everything we have as a gift. Our generosity confirms that we understand and appreciate God’s.

We need to understand that generosity is not merely giving from our leftovers. Our concept of what’s essential and what’s leftover constantly changes to reflect our own circumstances. We may think that we will be able to be more generous when we get a little more. But when we get there, we find that we aren’t satisfied after all, and we recalculate that mythical contentment figure, once again putting off giving until our greed is satisfied.

The only rescue from the sin of greed is with the help of God. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.  And with the help of his Holy Spirit, practice the discipline of giving. That will help with both your deliverance from the deadly sin of greed and your dedication to attend to the things in life that last forever.

August 12

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The Deadly Sin of Gluttony

Proverbs 23:1–3, 19–21

Many…walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and

they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Philippians 3:18–19 (ESV)

Gluttony is like greed in its love of things, but its desire is to consume rather than possess. This applies to food and drink, and also to other consumer goods. Gluttony does not care about the difference between enough and too much and actually has more to do with one’s attitude than with one’s shape or dress or possession of luxuries. Gluttony is seen in overeating and in many other things people do to excess: smoking, drinking, use of drugs, and also shopping or attention to various diversions.

Not all gluttony has to do with excess; C.S. Lewis spoke of the gluttony of delicacy—eating with too much fuss or too expensively. This is not to scorn excellence in food preparation, which is good, but not the most important good and never to be an idol that diverts one from prioritizing God and service to him.

Gluttony is an evil master and reaps evil rewards: 

·   Lack of self-control in eating can lead to obesity, about which no more needs to be said. But it can also lead to obsession with fat, dieting, and exercise.

·   The overconsumption of food, drink, and drugs can deprive families of necessary goods.

·   There are health and moral costs from such things as promiscuity, alcoholism and drug abuse, improper eating, and so on. One way or another, gluttony is destructive of community.

Gluttony inevitably leads to poverty, if not physical, then emotional and spiritual poverty. This is especially evident when gluttony crosses the line into addiction. By God’s grace there are ways out of gluttony and addiction. However, the hold of sin is always easier to avoid than it is to escape. 

August 13

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Combating Gluttony

Proverbs 25:27–28; Ecclesiastes 8:15

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

Godly wisdom commends enjoying eating and drinking, but it also warns against lack of self-control in that enjoyment. Other words are sometimes used in place of self-control—moderation, restraint, and temperance (which applies to more than alcohol consumption). But they all point to the same reality: some things that taste good—like honey—aren’t so good when consumed in excess. Combating gluttony involves forgoing some pleasures for the sake of others that, although more distant, may be better.

Self-control is best formed early in life. It does not come naturally, but is fostered by the discipline of loving parents. Still, external discipline must eventually give way to self-discipline. This does not come naturally either, but is helped by the consideration of what’s best in the long run. It helps to count the costs of consuming to excess: health costs, emotional costs, family costs, and so on. But primarily, we need to understand that gluttony is a spiritual problem, an idol that serves to alienate people from healthy relationships with God.

The very blessings of God can become the downfall of one who is blessed. God warned Israel about that, knowing that their enjoyment of good things from him could lead them to pride and forgetfulness (Deut. 8:10–14). For that reason, it can help to fast on occasion—both from food and from other things often consumed to excess. How can we be properly grateful if we are so devoted to satisfying our appetites that we never have the experience of unfulfilled desire? Paul answered those who proclaimed that their freedom in Christ permitted them to “do anything” by saying “but not everything is beneficial” and “I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12).

August 14

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The Deadly Sin of Lust

Job 31:9–12; Proverbs 6:20–29

This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain

from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to

control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the

passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 (ESV)

Desire is good, even strong desire. Sexual desire too, is a gift of God. But it is to be consummated in the context of marriage, in which a man and woman are bound together in an exclusive pledge of faithful love. The deadly sin of lust is the precursor to fornication (involving unmarried people) and adultery (involving a married person and one who is not that person’s spouse). Jesus made clear that God’s command against these acts is already violated by the lust that gave rise to them (see Matt. 5:27–28). We should note that the temptation to lust is not sin in itself. But when invited to linger, the temptation becomes the sin of lust, whether or not the lust leads to improper physical intimacy. 

Adultery is destructive of marriage, which is foundational to the continued existence of stable families and societies. But premarital sex is not friendly to marriage either. It is often associated with promiscuity and increases the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. It also interferes with the development of the well-rounded intimacy that is an essential foundation for marriage. As Proverbs indicates, those who play with fire get burned.

Sexual liberation is anything but; unrestrained indulgence leads ultimately to perversion and obsession, turning the good things of sexual desire and appreciation for beauty into objects of worship. Lust ends in idolatry. Witness the growing acceptance of pornography as normal. Pornography is commonly thought to serve sexual interests, but it gets bored easily and craves more and more degradation to satisfy. Lust is as demonic for some people as alcohol is for alcoholics. Its hold can be broken only with repentance and the sanctifying help of the Holy Spirit.

August 15

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Conquering Lust

Job 31:1–12

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to

live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age.

Titus 2:11–12 (ESV)

As difficult as it may be, abstinence is the God-approved course of action for the unmarried. It is also one of the best ways to build the trustworthiness and character that helps marriage last. Too many consider abstinence, and even steadfast faithfulness in marriage, to be unrealistic and foolish. C.S. Lewis called chastity “the most unpopular of all the Christian virtues.” But as difficult as it may be, Christ calls us to this spiritual discipline.

Lewis also speaks of men without chests, which, in this context, means those without the will to submit themselves to the Lord’s commands regarding chastity. The development of will might involve such things as cold showers, avoiding situations in which temptations are likely, and making a covenant with one’s eyes—a decision to turn away immediately when tempted. But chastity requires more than that too; lust is best conquered by replacing improper sexual desires with the desires of what Scripture calls true religion.

We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s expectations. But our sexual brokenness is not beyond the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Augustine, whom we know as one of the church fathers, was promiscuous in his youth. But, convicted by Romans 13:14, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think how to gratify the desires of the flesh,” he acknowledged his sinfulness and accepted Jesus as his Savior. One day after this, a former “playmate” saw him as he walked along and called, “Augustine, it is I!” He took one look at her and, reminding himself of his new position in Christ, quickly turned and ran away, answering, “But, it’s not I!” Then he quoted Galatians 2:20—“I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

August 16

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The Deadly Sin of Sloth

Proverbs 6:6–11; 24:30–34; 26:13–16

[We urge you to] work…so that you may walk properly

before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 (ESV)

Several Proverbs address the foolishness of sloth, particularly as it shows itself in laziness. Sloths fail to take advantage of good times to make provision for bad times. They allow thorns and weeds to infest their fields and do not attend to the breaks in the walls that protect their property. Proverbs 26:13 suggests that fear may be a factor in this neglect. But whether fearful or lazy, sloths are shortsighted and all too often end up in poverty.

The physically slothful take unfair advantage of others’ hard work and generosity. This is self-destructive, harmful to society, and offensive to God, who wants people to use their gifts and talents.

Another form of sloth is even worse and deadlier—spiritual laziness. In fact, it is this that got sloth included in the list of deadly sins. Spiritual sloth may be displayed as a lukewarm or apathetic spirituality, as was the problem in the church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–21). It may also be evident in an individualistic hyper spirituality. The apostle Paul criticized certain Christians in Corinth for focusing on gifts meant for personal edification while neglecting those meant for the strengthening, encouraging, and comfort of others (see 1 Cor. 14). Either way, spiritual sloth is as selfish as the physical kind; it is interested only in what feels good in the moment. And it is another form of idolatry.

Dorothy Sayers made these cogent remarks about sloth: “In the world it calls itself Tolerance, but in Hell it is called Despair...the sin which believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive be-cause there is nothing it would die for.” “The Other Six Deadly Sins”, Address to the Public Morality Council, Caxton Hall, Westminster, Oct 23, 1941. 

August 17

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Mission Minded

Proverbs 13:4; 21:25–26; 28:19

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

John 20:21 (ESV)

If the slothful crave and get nothing, the ideal must be to crave and get something. The unslothful don’t crave to excess, like the greedy, gluttonous, or lustful. They crave to honor the Lord by engaging in the work he has created us for. God has equipped us to provide for our own livelihood by the work of our hands and minds. This does not negate our responsibility to be generous and share with those who genuinely need help, but neither does it foster an unhealthy dependency in them.

Besides providing for ourselves and helping the helpless, God wants us to participate in other aspects of his mission in the world. He has a kingdom to grow in our midst and people whom he wants to hear the gospel. He has other people who need to learn more about how to apply the gospel to their everyday life, people who need to learn to bring everything to him in prayer and “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

God looks both at your heart and at the deeds of your life. No matter how active you are, you are a spiritual sloth if you do not attend to your relationship with the Lord. There is no substitute for a deep and personal walk with God. But given that, there is no way that you should remain spiritually inert, or too spiritually joyless and hopeless to let God’s love shine through in the deeds of your life. God wants passionate partners for his ongoing mission to the world. His Spirit will motivate and equip you for that; he will keep your hope alive or revive it as you work and pray while taking nourishment and direction from the word and Spirit of God. 

August 18

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God’s Heart for the World

Psalm 67

The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed

his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

Psalm 98:2 (ESV)

The command to bring the news of God’s grace to the world is emphasized more in the New Testament than the Old. But, from the beginning, God had more than Israel in mind. His promise to Abraham was not only of blessing for Abraham and his descendants, but of blessings for the nations of the earth through them. Continuing this theme, Psalm 67 begins by asking for God’s blessing on Israel. Next it indicates the larger reason for which God’s people were to be blessed—so that God’s salvation might be known throughout the world. “May God bless us still,” the Psalm ends, “so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.”

The world desperately needs a witness of God; too many people “do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:19). Consider:

·   The physical problems brought on by unholy lifestyles.

·   The emotional immaturity displayed in the sinful nature, and with this, the compulsion to seek poor substitutes to placate a lack of peace and fear of death.

·   The thinking disabilities of those separated from God: Many allege that there are no universal standards, no essential differences between men and women, and no clear divisions between animals and humans, and so on.

·   The bondage of the will that leaves people susceptible to self-destructive behavior and a lack of self-control.

Not all stumbling immediately disappears when one becomes a Christian; too many Christians walk more closely with the world than with the Lord. Still, God has the answer; he wants everyone to come to him through Christ and get supernatural help from the Holy Spirit so they may experience and celebrate the blessings meant for those who submit to God’s guidance and just rule. 

August 19

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Sharing God’s Heart for the World

Proverbs 4:18–19

I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)

Sin affects the physical, the emotions, the understanding, and the will. It throws the whole person into deep darkness. However, such people are vulnerable in a healing way to the light in the hearts and lives of those who personally know the light of the world. Our faith may not be as strong as we would like, but it does gives us hope and healing for every aspect of our lives. Will you, therefore, share it with others who need it?

Perhaps you want to but feel inadequate. If so, you’re not alone. But there is help; one of several books on the topic is Paul Little’s How to Give Away Your Faith. He describes friendship evangelism, which is not anything like an armed invasion but more like the making of a friend who hopefully will see real faith in action.

Throughout history the church has grown and flourished only where ordinary Christians learned to give away their faith. Sometimes people are so hungry for the gospel that everything seems to work. At other times, the opposite is true. Today, although interest in spirituality is high, too few people think that the Scriptures will answer their needs or questions. Such people are more likely to listen to friends and especially those in whose lives the light of wisdom and love shines.

By God’s grace the faith that gives us hope and healing can be given away so that it enlightens the lives of those around us who are in trouble and darkness. This will help us as well, for faith is strengthened by giving it away. Don’t underestimate the effect that your little words and actions, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can have in introducing others to the Light of the World. 

August 20

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Cover-up versus Confession

Psalm 32:1–5; 139:23–24; Ecclesiastes 12:14

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Proverbs 28:13 (ESV)

The good news that God wants the world to know and embrace begins with bad news: We are all sinners and deserving of judgment. The response to that news is crucial. Will we deny or cover-up what God calls sin, or will we confess it and ask God for forgiveness?

David tried both. Whether Psalm 32 was written after his sin with Bathsheba or on some other occasion, David’s first impulse was to deny and cover-up what he’d done. His lack of success with that is familiar to all whose consciences will not let them be after willful sin; he could not rest until he confessed. Only then did he experience the relief and freedom of God’s forgiveness.

In this world some people get away with hiding their sins and maintaining the illusion of spiritual health. But that’s unusual, because secrets have a way of unraveling and sins have a way of betraying the sinner. It’s too difficult to keep secrets and lies straight. Even if it can be done, it exacts a harsh toll. Suppressing the accusations of conscience eventually results in a heart that nothing can get to—no conscience, no feeling, no mercy, no sorrow—a robotic, or even worse, a demonic heart.

Even if sins can be concealed until the time that sinners can no longer be held accountable by any earthly court, concealment is not possible from the Lord of heaven and earth. Breaking the secrecy of sin allows you to get ready for the great accounting when everything will be out in the open. The course of wisdom is to be honest with God and resist all temptations to conceal your sin from him. Pray for forgiveness and for him to correct what is offensive in your heart and life. Only then can you stop compromising the mission that God has for you. 

August 21

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A Good Name

Proverbs 22:1; Psalm 125

The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

Proverbs 10:7 (ESV)

It has been said that you shouldn’t talk about yourself in a group; it will be done after you leave.  That means you have a reputation—what people think about you.  And what a shame when someone ruins another person’s reputation. In the long run, however, what Abraham Lincoln once said rings true, “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it and the tree is the real thing.” 

Solomon speaks in Proverbs 22:1 not about the shadow (reputation) but about the real thing (character)—who you really are. In sum, he says that a good name is a good character, and a good character is worth more than any jackpot.

Character begins with sincere trust in the Lord, and it manifests itself in a consistent integrity. Psalm 125 indicates that such a person refuses to participate in evil, or even crooked ways, but rather maintains a steadfast commitment to what is good. Character is inevitably built and proved by the choices we make in daily life, the cumulative effect of which is life or death. As Proverbs 11:3 puts it, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” According to Psalm 125, the former endure while the latter are banished.

The name Christian is no guarantee, for some who bear the name do so under false pretenses. Witness the fate of Ananias and Sapphira, who bore the name but betrayed God and their community by their actions (see Acts 5). True Christians are true followers of Christ. Does that describe you? To what things do you say “yes” and to what things “no”? How do the choices you make every day reflect on the one whose name you bear? 

August 22

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The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23

I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own

know me…and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10:14–15 (ESV)

Psalm 23 is a favorite of many people for its assurance of God’s comfort and help that accompanies us through the trials of this life and, afterwards, ushers us safely into his presence in eternity. In a sense the Lord does what any good shepherd does. He provides, he protects, he directs, and he disciplines. But the implication is that he doesn’t do this for all sheep. That’s why the personal pronouns of this Psalm are important. It doesn’t say, “The Lord is a shepherd.” but “The Lord is my shepherd.”  With that relationship, we are assured of these things from God:

·   Provision: I will have everything I need to get me home where there will be no more hunger or thirst or pain or homelessness or destitution.

·   Protection: No harm will come that will last longer than the brief years of my present life.  

·   Direction: I’ll never be in a place where God isn’t nearby, and I’ll never be without a clue as to what he wants me to do because he’s left written instructions.

·   Discipline: I have someone who will warn me if I even think about striking off on my own, and who will not give up on me, but will always bring me back to his side.

What a difference it makes to have the promise of such blessings. We need fear no evil for nothing can separate us from the provision, protection, direction, and loving discipline of our shepherd and savior Jesus Christ. He does more than release us from our fears; he offers a sense of fullness and prosperity in the presence of the enemies that usually rob us of such things. The oil of God’s presence covers all of his sheep. His love and mercy envelops each one—now, right here no matter what our current situation, and also for the unending future. 

August 23

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Can God Trust You?

Proverbs 3:1–12

It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV)

“The Lord is my shepherd” is a statement of trust in God. As important a claim as that is, however, it doesn’t mean much if it’s not backed up by action. Proverbs 3 indicates some of the attitudes and actions that confirm the extent of your trust in God, or to put it another way, that confirm that God can trust you.

·   Are you teachable; do you accept and learn from his discipline?

·   Do you acknowledge the Lord in all your ways?

·   Do you bow to God’s wisdom when it differs with yours? 

·   Do you honor God with the firstfruits of your wealth?

Some people wonder whether the trouble they face is from Satan or is part of the Lord’s discipline. But it’s really both. Satan tries to use trouble to separate you from God. But when God allows it, it’s because he wants to use it to draw you closer to himself. So if there are identifiable ways that you’ve ignored or disobeyed God, then take trouble to be God’s loving discipline, meant to get you back to where he wants you. If, on the other hand, you can’t identify particular sinful ways, there’s still more to learn about trusting God. So, no matter where your trouble comes from, cultivate your relationship with the Lord and let him see that he can trust you in the bad times as well as the good times.

Pay special attention to how you use your gifts and abilities and the material rewards that come from using them well. Perhaps God has given you the ability to make lots of money. Or maybe not. Either way, with the understanding that you are not the owner but merely the steward of the possessions God has given you, prove your trustworthiness by living a life of gratitude and generosity. If you want to trust God and to have him trust you, then be the best manager you can be with the life and possessions that God has given you. 

August 24

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Irresponsible Debt

Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 22:7 

If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous

[earthly] wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Luke 16:11 (ESV)

Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, used biblical and moral illustrations in defining terms. He said this about debt: “It is a common misfortune or vice to be in debt.” Today, debt may be considered a misfortune but it is rarely considered a vice. But Proverbs 22:7 is correct: debt puts you in a type of bondage. This is not necessarily an argument against all kinds of debt. However, too often people go into debt simply because they cannot say “no” to their desire to accumulate things.

Irresponsible debt creates many problems:

·   It gives the illusion of financial security and success.

·   It frequently causes worry and family problems.

·   It invites temptations—whether to postpone or avoid repayment or to cheat in order to save or get money; such things put additional burdens on honest people.

·   It ties up money in principle and interest payments that could be better used for necessities or to help others.

·   In the case of irresponsible debt by governments, it puts future generations in bondage to debts that they did not incur.

There’s help for those who need it. The only trouble is, it has to do with self-discipline, which is not very pleasant to those who aren’t used to it. Monetary self-discipline includes such things as learning the ability to postpone pleasure, not spending money on sin, living within one’s means by adherence to a budget, accepting responsibility, etc. Each of us needs to consider whether or not our lives show godliness with contentment. Irresponsible debt and irresponsible spending, whether or not that incurs debt, hampers our life and witness and, as Jesus said, our ability to receive the true riches that God wants to give his people. 

August 25

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The Value of a Friend

Proverbs 17:17; 27:5–6, 17; Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 (ESV)

Good friends are of great value in helping us become the people God wants us to be; they can help us avoid what God hates and pursue the things that God loves and desires for us. Bad friends, on the other hand, hurt us through their weakness of character or lack of wisdom by not holding us to account for our poor choices. We all want and need friends. But we have a choice in that regard: “Walk with the wise and become wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Prov. 13:20).

The desire and need for friends finds its origin in God’s creation of humankind. God made us not only to relate to him, but to love and be loved, and to help and be helped by each other—we were created to live in community. Marriage is one of the most intimate expressions of friendship, but certainly not the only one. You can also be supported and learn about yourself and your life in conversation with friends. Intelligence and zest for living are stimulated and sharpened by such interaction. As you verbalize your disappointments, aspirations, failures, and victories, you come to a fresh sense of purpose and strength to meet challenges.

To be so vulnerable is disastrous with enemies and with false friends, whose only interest is in what they receive or who love only in good times. False love indiscriminately affirms every decision, whether good or bad, and refuses to mention or, worse, praises sinful living. Even enemies can flatter people and tell them what they want to hear, but true friends will tell the unpopular and difficult truth, even at some hazard to themselves. They love, support, and stimulate us to be better than we are and correct us when we’re wrong. No wonder the Bible advises wisdom in the matter of choosing our friends. 

August 26

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Finding a Marriage Partner

Proverbs 5:15–23

A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.

Matthew 19:5b–6 (ESV)

If biblical wisdom is important for choosing friends—and it is—then it is doubly so in marriage. God has ordained marriage to be permanent; the one flesh bond is meant to last until death. The pain at the loss or betrayal of friendships is multiplied in the dissolution of marriage. It is critical not to enter into marriage too quickly or for the wrong reasons.

As with friendship, men and women seeking a marriage partner should evaluate their potential mate according to the standards put forward by God in his word. Besides the aforementioned deadly sins and contrasting virtues, Proverbs advises women to pay particular attention to a man’s patience (Prov. 19:11), willingness to learn (Prov. 19:25, 12:15), interest in listening as opposed to talking (Prov. 18:2), and faithfulness (Prov. 5:8). Proverbs also advises men on what to look for: a woman’s discretion (Prov. 11:22), true demeanor (Prov. 21:19), and inner nobility as compared to outer charm (Prov. 31:29–30). Actually, both women and men might be evaluated by the same standards, and above all, by their fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7, 19:23).

Once married, men and women must be wise about nurturing and protecting their commitment, both for mutual benefit and to please the Lord (Prov. 5:21). Just don’t count your own satisfaction of greater worth than God’s word and honor. As much as you must value the satisfaction of your marriage partner, don’t even count that of greater worth than God’s glory. For the former is served by the latter. When, for God’s sake and with Christ’s help, you nurture and protect your marriage as God intends, then you’ll find happiness in marriage and be sanctified in preparation for eternity. 

August 27

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When Sex is Good

Song of Solomon 8:5–7

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife

of your youth…be intoxicated always in her love.

Proverbs 5:18–19 (ESV)

Manicheanism was a third-century heresy that viewed the physical (the body in particular) as evil, and salvation as a way of escape from the prison-like nature of earthly existence. It also considered spi­rituality to be more concerned with thoughts and emotions than with physical existence and desires. The Mani-cheans thus thought of sex as something shameful—to be endured rather than enjoyed. They read the Song of Solomon as an allegory about spiritual love and not as the celebration of sexual love in the context of lifelong, heterosexual marriage.

However, the love described in this book is physical and strong enough to break a person if it is not expressed appropriately. Hence the refrain we hear throughout the book, “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” This is why God insists that sex belongs only in marriage, which begins in a public ceremony where two people vow to maintain a lifelong commitment to one another—body and soul. To have sex without that commitment is selfish. It often raises false hopes and undermines the development of genuine intimacy and stable relationships.

Those who sleep with someone to whom they aren’t married need to ask what prevents them saying with the rest of their life what they say with their body. True love won’t tolerate a halfway commitment because it is as strong as death. The truth of this is apparent in the negative effects—promiscuity, pornography, and family breakdown, etc.—that result from the refusal to treat love as it deserves. Men and women are made to delight in and enjoy each other. Sex is good, healthy, and wholesome in the context of a marriage commitment between a man and a woman, especially if they’ve joined together in a mutual commitment to the Lord. 

August 28

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The Necessity of Parental Discipline

Deuteronomy 6:1–9; Proverbs 5:23; 6:23; 29:17–18

Train up a child in the way he should go;

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

Supernanny was a reality TV show that featured parents at their wits’ end about how to control their unruly children. A professional nanny responded to their pleas for help and most of the time was able to give parents enough guidance and skills so that order could be restored in their households.

It’s not difficult to see how such chaos originates. It arises whenever parents allow their children freedom without consequences for abusing that freedom. Besides physical care, children need parenting to help them to attain emotional and spiritual maturity. By nature we would all like to be kings and queens in our own little universe; it’s discipline that helps us learn the self-control that, perhaps counter-intuitively, leads to a more peaceable and happy life. To really prosper—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—we must obey the laws under which God created us to live, foremost of which is to love him above all

Positively, discipline involves instruction, training, and rewarding proper behavior. But there’s a negative side too, which addresses improper behavior with correction and punishment. The goal of both is the same—to bring our children to the obedience and self-discipline necessary for life. Often that means they must learn to sacrifice what may appear to be in their immediate interests for the sake of more valuable and longer term goals. Success in this can mean the difference between a good end and a bad one. The least negative result of the failure to learn self-discipline is the loss of potential blessing, but much greater losses and even death can result. So God says, “Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death” (Prov. 19:18). 

August 29

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How to Discipline

Psalm 78:1–8; Proverbs 3:11–12; 13:24

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline.

Revelation 3:19 (ESV)

A research study from some years ago highlighted how the improper balance of support and control hampered the effectiveness of parental discipline. The kind of discipline children need is more like that we receive from God—always high in loving support and offered with the goal of helping us to reach maturity in our attitudes and actions toward God and our neighbors.

How parents show that support and control may differ in families; Scripture does not require identical parenting styles or complete agreement about the place of physical punishment in discipline. Perhaps we can agree, however, that children must never be punished in anger but always in love, appropriately, and with an eye to what will support them and help them to maturity.

At the risk of oversimplifying the very difficult task that God has given parents, let me offer a few guidelines:

·   Model the behavior you want, and pray continually.

·   Make rules that are defensible and enforceable. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Discipline is not about winning, but about what’s right.

·   Clearly communicate what you expect or how you were disappointed but don’t lose your self-control.

·   Use natural/logical consequences when you can. That ties actions to consequences and helps children learn before the consequences get too big and dangerous.

·   Offer unconditional love communicated physically and verbally, and with control that is age-appropriate—high in infancy, but decreasing with age and maturity. The goal after all, is to entirely replace parental control with self-control through proper guidance and loving correction so that children become equipped to offer their own obedience to God in all of life. 

August 30

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The Beginning and End of Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 12

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Proverbs 9:10 (ESV)

Much of Ecclesiastes is taken up with Solomon’s concern for the apparent meaninglessness of life: everything eventually passes away: work, pleasures, wealth, etc. Even the search for wisdom seems futile: “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (Eccl. 1:18). What’s more, it appears that any advantage of wisdom can be negated by misfortune or by the foolishness of others: “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all” (Eccl. 9:11).

Yet, Solomon never suggests that life isn’t worth living; rather he commends “the enjoyment of life because nothing is better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun” (Eccl. 8:15). This is not the “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die” godless philosophy of the self-satisfied man in Luke 12:19. Rather, it’s that despite all of life’s uncertainties, God is still in control. So Solomon confesses, “I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him” (Eccl. 3:14).

True wisdom is to remember our Creator from youth into old age and death—“until the spirit returns to God who gave it” (Eccl 12:7). Solomon concludes by reinforcing what he has emphasized in all of his writings on wisdom: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (Eccl. 12:13). And as one additional incentive, he reminds us of the coming day when our lives will be judged by God.