April 21, 2006 - II Samuel 12-13 and Luke 16
The grace of God is so wonderful! How many times in your life have you messed up so badly that you thought God would reject you? Did He really reject you? No, He came to you to show you your sin and to call you to repent. If you confessed your sin and repented, His grace was applied to your life, and you were restored to favor with Him. However, there are always lasting consequences of sin, so we don't want to do it any more. God's grace is there to help us deal with the consequences, too. I pray that God will speak to you very clearly in this passage.
In chapter 12 we see how God convicted David. We see David's confession of his sin, and we see God's consequences for his sin. However, we also see God restoring David to His favor. God had put away David's sin after his confession. (v.13) However, the sword and adversity would be a constant reminder that he had despised the commandment of God. (v.9) That was for David's good. God did not want this to happen again. Then, after the first child diedn because of the sin, David had another son with Bathsheba that God loved. God gave David victory in battle. God had forgiven David by His grace. Have you confessed your sins so God can forgive you and restore you? I hope you have done so, and if not, that you will do it today.
Chapter 13 shows some of the consequences of David's sin. Amon's rape of his sister was terrible. Jondab's aid in the deception was horrible, too. However, it was no worse than what David had done. Absolom's murderous revenge was wrong, but so was David's murder of Uriah. Therefore, David and his family wept, but it was hard to say anything to them. That was the consequence of his sin. David would have to deal with it for years to come. Do you have consequences of your sin now? Are you allowing God to give you His grace to deal with them? I hope you are. It is the only good way to deal with them.
Luke 16 is so rich in truths, too. Are you living shrewdly like the unjust steward, of are you being unfaithful in the little things? God did not commend him for being deceptive. He commended him for making a plan of action and using what he had to work things out. How often, God's people do not act shrewdly to do His will. We are outdone by the unbelievers in this area. We should be wise with God's wisdom. We should act wisely in the little things, and He will bless us in the more important thing.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is so important. God blessed the poor Lazarus. The rich man went into torment. Why? The rich man enjoyed earthly blessings, but he ignored God's word. Lazarus was a poor beggar, but he heeded God's word, so he went to paradise. That is the key. How do you listen to God's word? If you don't hear it, you would not hear someone who came back from the dead to speak to you. Let's honor God's word and let it sink into our hearts.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 14-15 and Luke 17:1-19.
In chapter 12 we see how God convicted David. We see David's confession of his sin, and we see God's consequences for his sin. However, we also see God restoring David to His favor. God had put away David's sin after his confession. (v.13) However, the sword and adversity would be a constant reminder that he had despised the commandment of God. (v.9) That was for David's good. God did not want this to happen again. Then, after the first child diedn because of the sin, David had another son with Bathsheba that God loved. God gave David victory in battle. God had forgiven David by His grace. Have you confessed your sins so God can forgive you and restore you? I hope you have done so, and if not, that you will do it today.
Chapter 13 shows some of the consequences of David's sin. Amon's rape of his sister was terrible. Jondab's aid in the deception was horrible, too. However, it was no worse than what David had done. Absolom's murderous revenge was wrong, but so was David's murder of Uriah. Therefore, David and his family wept, but it was hard to say anything to them. That was the consequence of his sin. David would have to deal with it for years to come. Do you have consequences of your sin now? Are you allowing God to give you His grace to deal with them? I hope you are. It is the only good way to deal with them.
Luke 16 is so rich in truths, too. Are you living shrewdly like the unjust steward, of are you being unfaithful in the little things? God did not commend him for being deceptive. He commended him for making a plan of action and using what he had to work things out. How often, God's people do not act shrewdly to do His will. We are outdone by the unbelievers in this area. We should be wise with God's wisdom. We should act wisely in the little things, and He will bless us in the more important thing.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is so important. God blessed the poor Lazarus. The rich man went into torment. Why? The rich man enjoyed earthly blessings, but he ignored God's word. Lazarus was a poor beggar, but he heeded God's word, so he went to paradise. That is the key. How do you listen to God's word? If you don't hear it, you would not hear someone who came back from the dead to speak to you. Let's honor God's word and let it sink into our hearts.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 14-15 and Luke 17:1-19.