Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Tues. Devo - Facial Hair and Mini Skirts

Read 2 Sam 10:1-4
Nahash was the king of the Ammonites and had been a bitter enemy to Israel. Apparently, Nahash had been kind to David when he was running from Saul so when Nahash died David wanted to pay his respects. To do this David sent ambassadors to Nahash's son, Hanun. Hanun's princes were very suspicious of David's motives and convinced Hanun that David's men were spies. He took David's men and shaved off half of their beards and cut off their garments half-way up, then sent them home. When David found out, he went out to meet his men and had them stay in Jericho till their beards grew because it was a shame for a man not to have a beard. That is what I call picking a fight, and a fight is what they got.
Every story in the OT teaches a truth. I think the lesson here is that demons cannot give or receive kindness or truth. The name "Nahash" means "a snake or a serpent". He did David a favor only to benefit himself because Satin is totally selfish. David was deceived into thinking his intentions might have been honorable. Nahash's son's name - "Hanun" means "favored". He sure didn't favor David, so he must have favored his father. He couldn't perceive David's kindness because kindness is foreign to him. He put shame on David's men which is Satan's #1 dart. Shame will keep us from accepting grace, mercy and forgiveness. Shame will cripple our walk and steal our confidence in God working through us. Hanun shamed the men in public so God shamed Hanun in public when he was defeated by David. Satan wants to shame our countenance (beard) which is the mirror to our spirit and he wants to uncover our nakedness (cut off our garments). Bottom line: he wants to steal our testimony and bring our sin before us all the time so we will be stiffled in our walk with God and be unaffective.
Lord, give us discernment to see the tactics of the enemy in our lives. May our countenance always shine your glory and our nakedness be always under the covering of your blood.

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