Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Talk Tuesday- A Legacy of Repentance, Love & Faithfulness: A Journey With King David, Pt. V

Throughout the course of the last month, we briefly journeyed through the life of King David. We saw him as the Shepherd-King whose heart GOD knew, we learned not to despise small beginnings as David slew Goliath with a sling and a stone, we observed how he worshipped through the storms of life, and noted the importance of guarding our hearts through his sin with Bathsheba. In conclusion, we will look at his legacy.

When the prophet Nathan revealed David's sin to him regarding Bathsheba, Uriah the Hittite's wife, David's response was to immediately confess his sin. “13 Then David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD,'” 2 Samuel 12:13. David wrote Psalm 51 as a result. He begins with the plea, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions,” Psalm 51:1. He takes ownership for his sin, “3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight,” Psalm 51:3-4. Then he pleads for help and mercy. “10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit,” Psalm 51:10-12. What is interesting here is not only the power of sin to blind the heart from the reality of its presence but the necessity of repentance.

GOD punished David, but forgave him of his sin and restored him. What is most fascinating is the legacy King David left behind. Before his death, he charged his son and successor, King Solomon, to remain faithful to GOD. “3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,” 1 Kings 2:3. Many of the subsequent kings were assessed against the legacy of King David, which reads; “He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left,” 2 Kings 22:2, or, “Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD,” 2 Chronicles 28:1. 

We hope you enjoyed our series on King David. May GOD continue to bless you as you journey with Him through His Son Jesus Christ and by the power of His Holy Spirit!

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Talk Tuesday- Strengthen The Gates of Your Heart, A Lesson From 2 Samuel 11: A Journey With King David, Pt. IV

King David is known for his battle with Goliath, the Psalms he penned, his humble origins, the battles he won and his fidelity to GOD. He is also infamously known for his sin with Bathsheba-the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, 'She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliamand the wife of Uriah the Hittite.' Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.)Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, 'I am pregnant,'” 2 Samuel 11:2-5.

What happens next is full of intrigue, deception and scheming worthy of any modern day soap opera. David sends for Uriah the Hittite, gets him drunk, encourages him to go home and sleep with his wife in an attempt to cover up their sin. Uriah, however, is a faithful and loyal servant who refuses to lie with his wife while his comrades are on the battlefield. David then sends a note to the commander of the army, insisting that Uriah be put in the line of fire, and thus be killed in battle. Uriah dies and he marries Bathsheba. How did this happen? King David had wealth, power, wives, children, success and GOD's constant presence and blessing in his life. Weren't they enough? He is even described as, 'a man after God's own heart' (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22).

Proverbs 4:23 cautions, “23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Jeremiah 17:9 says, ““The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” There is an important lesson for us here. Everyone is susceptible to sin. Therefore, we need to keep watch on the gateway of our own hearts. Jesus warns, “ 27 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” Matthew 5:27-28. Let us diligently meditate on GOD's Word so that we may strengthen the gates of our hearts. “2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will,” Romans 12:2. Join us next week, as we examine repentance and forgiveness.



Movie Monday - Touch The Sky - Hillsong UNITED